Cranberry Orange Scones with Glaze (Printable Version)
Tender scones with cranberries and orange zest, topped with a sweet citrus glaze for breakfast or afternoon tea.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 2 teaspoons orange zest (from 1 large orange)
07 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, plus more for brushing
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Fruit
10 - 3/4 cup (90 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, halved (if large)
→ Glaze
11 - 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
12 - 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Add cold butter. Cut in using a pastry cutter or fingertips until mix resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Stir in orange zest and cranberries.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry, stirring just until combined (do not overmix).
06 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape into an 8-inch (20 cm) round, about 1 inch thick.
07 - Cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges on prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart.
08 - Brush tops with a little extra cream.
09 - Bake 16-18 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
10 - For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over warm scones. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of tart cranberries and fragrant orange zest creates little bursts of sunshine in each bite, especially welcome during dreary weather.
- These scones hit that perfect balance between crumbly and tender - not too dry like store-bought versions that leave you reaching for your tea.
02 -
- Overmixing the dough activates the gluten and will turn your scones tough and chewy instead of tender and crumbly.
- Freezing the shaped scones for 15 minutes before baking creates even flakier layers, a trick I discovered after reading through countless baking forums one sleepless night.
03 -
- Grate completely frozen butter directly into your flour mixture for the absolute flakiest texture - a trick I learned from my Scottish grandmother who made scones every Sunday.
- Reserve a tablespoon of the orange juice for the glaze, then use the remaining juice to replace some of the cream in the dough for an even more pronounced citrus flavor.