Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe That’s Easy, Flaky & Full of Flavor
You are going to love how easy it is to make cranberry orange scones right at home.
This cranberry recipe is light and buttery, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break.
If you’ve been craving something a little cozy (and a little bakery-style), this recipe is for you.
With just the right mix of tart cranberries and sweet orange zest, the dough comes together easily, they freeze beautifully, and that citrusy aroma while they bake? So good.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones
Be sure to print out the recipe at the bottom of the page, then gather all of your ingredients so you’re ready to whip up this delicious scones recipe!
- Start by whisking together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
- Cut in cold, cubed butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Stir in heavy cream, an egg, vanilla, and orange extract to form a soft dough, then fold in frozen cranberries. Frozen cranberries work best – They hold their shape and don’t bleed into the dough like fresh or thawed ones can.
- Gently shape the dough into a round disk using light pressure—this helps keep the scones from getting dense.
- Slice into wedges, and place on a baking sheet.
- Brush with cream, sprinkle with coarse sugar for that bakery style, and bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes.
- While they bake, mix powdered sugar and orange juice for a simple glaze.
- Drizzle over the warm scones and enjoy!
Yes, but be sure to pat them dry and know that they may bleed a bit of color into the dough.
You can, but the texture will be slightly less rich and tender. Heavy cream gives the best results.
Pop them in a 300°F oven for about 5-7 minutes to refresh that just-baked texture.
Cold ingredients and a gentle touch! Start with cold butter, cold cream, and don’t overwork the dough. This keeps the scones tender and flaky. A light hand when mixing and shaping makes all the difference.
Avoid overmixing the dough (it makes scones tough), using warm butter (it ruins the flakiness), and baking at too low a temperature (you’ll miss that golden crust). Also, don’t skip chilling the dough if your kitchen is warm—cold dough helps scones rise beautifully.
Yes, fresh cranberries work great—just chop them slightly if they’re large and pat them dry. Frozen cranberries also work well and help keep the dough cold. Dried cranberries will give a chewier texture and a sweeter bite.
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If you love the cozy flavors in this cranberry orange scone recipe, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas too!
- Try our cranberry orange muffins for a soft, bakery-style breakfast treat or cranberry orange cupcakes for a fun, citrusy dessert twist.
- Looking for more fall breakfast ideas? You’ll love warm, spiced recipes that pair perfectly with your morning coffee.
- Need easy fall snack recipes? These sweet and savory bites are perfect for lunchboxes, gatherings, or cozy afternoons at home.
cranberry orange scone recipe
Ingredients
For the scones:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange extract
- 1 cup frozen cranberries
- Coarse sugar
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until combined.
- Then add the orange zest into the flour mixture and whisk together again.
- Cut the cold unsalted butter into cubes and add into the dry ingredients. Use a fork or pastry blender to blend the cold butter into the dry ingredients forming coarse crumbs.
- Then add the wet ingredients – heavy cream, egg, vanilla, and orange extract to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together until thoroughly combined into a soft dough forms.
- Pour in the frozen cranberries and fold into the thick dough.
- Transfer the scone dough to a clean, lightly floured surface.
- Knead the dough only 3-4 times and shape into a large 8-inch round disk.
- Gently fold and pat dough to keep those scones tender and flaky.
- Use a sharp knife to cut out 6 equal wedges. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush each scone with a little heavy cream and place some extra cranberries on top of the scones. Lastly, sprinkle each with some coarse sugar before baking.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the scones begin to turn lightly golden brown.
- While those are baking, make the glaze. In a small mixing bowl add the powdered sugar and orange juice. Whisk together until completely smooth.
- When the scones are done baking, let cool for 15 minutes. Then drizzle the sweet orange glaze all over the tops of the scones.
- Serve while warm or store for later in an airtight container.
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