Cranberry Orange Scones

Cranberry Orange Scones

Details

YIELD: 8 Scones

TIME: 65 Minutes

Ingredients

For the scones

  • 2 ¾ cups (357 g) all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
  • ¾ cup (77 g) fresh cranberries
  • ½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice, cold
  • ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, for brushing
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, for topping

For the glaze

  • 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest together.

  2. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the cranberries.

  3. Whisk the orange juice, milk, and vanilla together then gradually add it to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all the orange juice mixture. Add a little at a time until the dough is moist but not too wet. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.

  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead four or five times. Pat the dough into a 7-inch round circle.

  5. Cut the circle in half, then cut each half into four triangle-shaped wedges. Arrange the scones 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the scones in the freezer for 30 minutes.

  6. Meanwhile, position the oven rack to the center of the oven and heat to 400°F.

  7. Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and drizzle with glaze.

Make the Glaze

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

Tips

  • Cranberries: Fresh cranberries work best because they are dry and do not stain the dough. Frozen and thawed or dried cranberries also work, though thawed cranberries may stain the dough.

  • Keep the dough cold: Freeze the shaped scones for 30 minutes or refrigerate them for at least 2 hours before baking.

Originally from Baked by an Introvert