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Flaky Cranberry Orange Scones

Tender, flaky scones bursting with tart cranberries and fragrant orange zest, with a golden, sugar-crusted exterior. Perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings: 8 scones
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: American, British
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh orange zest
Wet Ingredients & Fat
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter cold, cubed
  • 1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream cold
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream for brushing
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar for sprinkling

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Mixing bowls
  • Pastry blender or knives
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
  3. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Gently toss the cranberries into the mixture.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the cold cream, egg, and vanilla.
  6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
  7. Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead briefly to bring together, and pat into an 8-inch round disc.
  8. Cut the disc into 8 wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
  9. Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  10. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Notes

Keep all ingredients, especially the butter and cream, very cold for the flakiest results. Do not overwork the dough. Frozen cranberries can be used without thawing.