Description
A perfect balance of sweet & tart, these cranberry orange scones are soft, moist, & bursting with flavor!
Ingredients
Scale
For the scones:
- 180 gm (3/4 cup) cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp orange extract
- Zest of 1 orange
- 281 gm (2 1/4 cups, spoon & leveled) cake flour
- 50 gm (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 25 gm (2 tablespoons) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 113 gm (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 53 gm (1/3 cup) dried cranberries
- 50 gm (1/2 cup) fresh cranberries
For the glaze:
- 120 gm (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1–3 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
To make the scones:
- In a small bowl, combine the heavy cream, egg, vanilla, orange extract, and orange zest and place in the refrigerator until needed.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter or 2 sharp knives, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Slowly add the cold heavy cream mixture to the flour mixture while simultaneously stirring with a wooden spoon. Gently mix until all the dry ingredients are moistened and mostly incorporated. Gently fold in the dried and fresh cranberries, being careful not to overmix the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand until the dough comes together (NOTE: The dough will be crumbly, but it will come together as you work with it!) . Shape and press the dough together to form a flat disc, about 1″thick. Cut the disc into 8 wedges. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2″ apart, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Remove the scones from the freezer and lightly brush the tops with heavy cream.
- Remove the scones from the freezer and lightly brush the tops with heavy cream. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops and edges of the scones are beginning to lightly brown. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze:
- Place powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon whole milk in a bowl and whisk together. Add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over the cooled scones.
Notes
Storage: These are best enjoyed fresh from the oven or the same day they are baked. However, they will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If eating them leftover, I like to pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them a bit.
Freezing: Prepare the dough and cut into wedges as directed in the recipe. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop in the freezer until frozen solid, at least 1 hour. Frozen scones can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag for 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just add a few extra minutes to your bake time!