These crumbly and buttery cranberry orange scones will have you skipping your favorite coffee shop visits. Once you add the icing, they’re practically dessert for breakfast, perfect with tea or coffee.
The Best Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
If you’re a dessert-for-breakfast kind of person, these cranberry orange scones are for you! Their lovely golden edges and simple orange icing will make you question why you don’t bake more often to start your days on a sweeter note. They’re ultra flaky and packed with tart cranberries. Don’t forget orange juice and buttermilk for tang. Served with a cup of tea, you’ll love how they melt in your mouth with their crispy sugar topping.
Why You’ll Love These Cranberry & Orange Scones
You’ll say goodbye to car stops at the bakery and coffee shop when you realize how easy to make scones are.
- Better than the bakery. You get the same flaky texture and buttery goodness with a controlled amount of sugar.
- Versatile. You can make a few changes like using more add-ins to make this recipe your own.
- Freezer-friendly. Thaw them throughout the week for a last-minute breakfast.
- Great for on-the-go. Pack them into airtight bags you can grab from the fridge when leaving for work.
What You’ll Need
These scones have 2x the orange goodness because the recipe uses orange zest and juice. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
For the Dough
- All-purpose flour. Feel free to use whole-wheat flour.
- Baking powder. Make sure it’s not expired before adding it in.
- Baking soda. It reacts with the buttermilk to help the dough rise.
- Salt. Kosher salt is best.
- Orange zest. Lemon zest is a great swap.
- Granulated sugar. Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will make your scones darker.
- Unsalted butter. You can use salted butter but reduce the salt in the rest of the recipe.
- Buttermilk. Make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk.
- Orange juice. Freshly squeezed juice is best.
- Eggs. These help bring the dough together without adding as much moisture as a liquid.
- Vanilla extract. Feel free to use almond extract.
- Dried cranberries. They add tartness and chewiness.
- Unsalted butter. You can use whole milk or egg-wash instead.
- Turbino sugar. Dark brown sugar is a great swap.
For the Icing
- Confectioners’ sugar. Don’t use granulated sugar because the icing will be grainy.
- Orange juice. Lemon juice works too.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones
Using cold ingredients will help you out a lot, but you should still try to work the dough as little as possible. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.
- Prep the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also use a silicone baking mat.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a big bowl, whisk the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest, sugar, and salt.
- Add the butter. Throw the butter into the dry ingredients and work it in with your hands or a stand-mixer. You should have a coarse, lumpy mixture with bits of butter.
- Add the wet ingredients. Stir in the buttermilk and orange juice. Add the eggs one at a time until the dough starts to come together.
- Fold in the cranberries. Mix in the cranberries.
- Shape the dough. Place the dough on a lightly-floured surface. Fold and pat it into a rectangle.
- Slice it. Use a cold, sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 triangles. Carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
- Add butter. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with Turbino sugar.
- Bake them. Pop the scones into the oven for 28-35 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Let them cool. Remove them from the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes, and transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Make the icing. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice in a small bowl until smooth.
- Serve. Once the scones are fully cooled, drizzle the icing on top and enjoy.
Tips for Success
Aside from using cold butter, leaving the edges alone is a life-changing tip when it comes to cranberry orange scones.
- More add-ins. Mix 1/4-1/2 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, toasted coconut, or mini chocolate chips into the dough for more texture and flavor.
- Don’t over-mix. Only work the dough until it barely holds its shape when pressed together. It should be very loose, so don’t knead it until smooth unless you want rubbery scones.
- Use cold ingredients. Unlike other baking recipes, the best scones are made with all-cold ingredients (especially butter) for a flaky texture.
- Leave the edges alone. Once you slice the scones, don’t touch the edges to “round” them out. This presses them together and prevents rising.
- Chill the dough. Popping the dough into the fridge for 30 minutes before baking will allow the gluten to relax for even more crumbly scones.
Proper Storage
Leave them on the counter, refrigerate, or freeze the leftovers depending on when you plan to eat them.
- Counter: Place them in a paper bag or airtight container for 4-5 days. Store them in a cool, dry place.
- Fridge: Refrigerate cooled scones in an airtight container for up to 7 days, away from strong-smelling foods.
- Freezer: Wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Place them in freezer-friendly bags or containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them on the counter for 20 minutes or until they reach room temperature.
- To reheat them: Reheat them in the oven at 300F for 10-15 minutes. For a quicker method, microwave them for 10-15 seconds. You can also enjoy them at room temperature.
More Cranberry Recipes To Try
- Gluten Free Cranberry Bars
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Gluten Free Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
- Double Chocolate Cranberry Brownies
- Cranberry Raspberry Pinwheel Cookies
Cranberry Orange Scones
This crumbly cranberry orange scones recipe with orange icing is the perfect sweet breakfast with your favorite coffee.
Servings: 12 scones
Ingredients
Scones:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour sifted + more for dusting work surface
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed (cold)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or DAVE’s syrup
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- Turbino sugar
Icing:
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar sifted
- 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed orange juice
Instructions
Scones:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl stir together sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and orange zest, sugar, and salt.
- Add butter scattering cubes over dry ingredients.
- Mix with pulses until you end up with a coarse mixture with pea-sized lumps. Butter will still be visible.
- Add buttermilk, and orange juice and mix a few times.
- Add eggs one at a time and mix until dough starts to come together.
- Add cranberries and mix a few more times until blended throughout dough.
- Dust your countertop with a generous amount of flour and dump dough into a pile.
- Using your hands as little as possible, fold and pat the dough into a rectangle about 18″ long and 5″ wide and 11/2″ thick.
- Cut dough into 12 triangles and transfer to baking sheet.
- Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with Turbino sugar.
- Bake for 28-35 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and pan and set on rack to cool, about 15 minutes.
Icing:
- In a small bowl combine confectioners sugar and orange juice. Stir until smooth. Add a bit more juice to thin.
- Drizzle Icing back and forth over scones.
