Make these flaky orange cranberry scones for breakfast or a brunch treat! With step by step photos, you will be rocking out these scones in no time! Top with a fresh orange glaze to make any guest happy.
One of the things that I know and love well is a scone. It’s one of the baked goods I was responsible for making batch after batch when I worked at a bakery. Let me just tell you when you make 12 batches of scones by hand in a day you have serious arms to show off.
So when I attended a cookbook demo from Rose Levy Berenbaum herself and she was showing us how to make scones. I didn’t think there wasn’t anything new she could show me. Boy was I wrong. Dead wrong.
She showed me a few tricks that has me re-thinking scones forever. Rose, I am not worthy. So let me share with you the magic that is these cranberry orange scones.
How To Make These Orange Cranberry Scones – Step by Step
First let’s get our mise en place on. That’s French for getting it all in place. Now you might think that means just measuring out your ingredients and doing a double check of your pantry before you start. And you’d be half right. But it’s also about prepping your ingredients the way they are asked for in a recipe so that when you start mixing everything together the ingredients are ready waiting for you.
In this recipe, that means zesting your oranges, cutting your cranberries in half, whipping heavy cream until soft peaks, and cubing your butter. Taking the time to do these little things will set you up to make these scones easily.
Then it’s time to start mixing together the flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder and salt. Simply give them all a whisk together. Then toss in your cubed butter.
Now it’s time to squish! You want to squish the pieces of butter with your fingertips until they are pea sized. Like this…
Then don’t forget to toss in those cranberries!
Now you want to fold in the whipped cream until a soft dough forms. Then in the bowl, press the dough together. You will then want to place the dough onto a mat or lightly floured counter and knead the dough slightly until it has a bit of a stretch.
You will then press the scone dough into a plastic wrap lined 9-inch cake pan and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes (or overnight)
After the dough has chilled, you will then cut the dough into 8 wedges and bake.
After they bake, you can drizzle (or slather) with a fresh orange glaze made of powdered sugar and orange juice.
Tips For Making These Cranberry Orange Scones:
- Be sure to measure your flour. You want to scoop it with a spoon, and then level it off with a knife. Here is a tutorial on how to do that. For best accuracy, it’s best to use a kitchen scale.
- You want to chill the bowl and beaters for the heavy cream before whipping it. The cold bowl and beaters will help to whip the cream.
- You want to cut the cranberries in half so that each bite has even bits of cranberry running through it.
- Make sure to use cold butter for the scones. You want butter that doesn’t get incorporated into the flour so that it steams in the oven and creates wonderful flakiness.
- Chill that dough. It’s totally worth it. Chilling the dough will solidify the butter even more. This will create a flakier scone in the end.
How Long Do Scones Last?
I like them of course fresh out of the oven. But they can last 1 to 2 days properly stored at room temperature.
You can also keep them store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Or better yet freeze them! Freezing desserts is my secret to always having baked goods at my fingertips.
Can You Freeze Scones?
Oh yes! That’s what I love about them. Once you cut them into wedges, you can freeze them by placing them on a cookie sheet. Then once frozen, wrap in either plastic wrap or store in a plastic bag. I like to do both to ensure they don’t have freezer burn.
Then when ready to bake, no need to thaw, just bake frozen. You will just need to tack on a few extra minutes of baking time.
Can I Make These Half Sized?
You can make these half size by dividing the dough into two equal pieces (250 grams each) and then shape into a 6-inch disc.
You can still shape these into a cake pan (just use a 6 inch pan). If using a cake pan to mold these, after shaping the first one, lift the first disc out wrap it and reline the pan to shape the disc.
These half sized scones will take less baking time of course. After the first 10 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven and bake 5 minutes more.
Love Cranberries? Craving More? Check Out These Posts
- No Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread
- Pear Cranberry Crumble Pie
- Sparkling Champagne Cranberry Cupcakes
- How To Make Sugared Cranberries
Tools Needed To Make These Scones
So hopefully I have inspired you to go ahead and whip your own batch of cranberry scones.
Your brunch guests will thank you. As they lick their fingers and reach for another scone.
If you love this recipe, let me know and leave me a comment and star rating below!
Cranberry Orange Scones
Ingredients
To make the scone dough:
- 10 Tbsp (142 grams) unsalted butter cold
- 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream
- 1/3 cup (100 grams) dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp orange zest loosely packed
- 2 1/3 cups (300 grams) bread flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tbsp +1 teaspoon (28 grams) honey
To make the glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) powdered sugar (confectioners or icing)
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) (about juice of 1 orange)
Instructions
Mise En Place:
- Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes. Return them to the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- At least 15 minutes before whipping into a medium metal bowl place the heavy cream. Cover and refrigerate with the mixers beaters alongside.
- Whip the cream just until the soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Place in the refrigerator.
- With small scissors, cut the cranberries in half.
- Wash the oranges, Rinse, dry and zest them.
Make the dough:
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
- Add the butter, and with a fork toss to coat it with the flour. Press the butter cubes between your fingers to form very thin flakes
- Stir in the cranberries.
- Make a well in the center. Pour the whipped cream and honey into the well and with silicone spatula. Stir the flour mixture with the cream mixture until its all moistened.
- Lightly knead the dough in the bowl just until it holds together. Turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Gently knead it a few times until its slightly stretchy and can be shaped into a smooth disc.
- Line the 9-inch cake pan with plastic wrap and press the dough evenly into it, or shape the dough into a 9-inch (3/4 inch) disc if not using the pan. Press in any loose cranberries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Preheat The Oven
- When ready to bake the scones, pre-heat the oven. Set an oven rack at the middle level. Set the oven to 375oF/190oC.
Shape The Scones
- Lift out the dough using the plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife to cut the disc into 8 even wedges. Place them 2 inches apart on a prepared cookie sheet.
Bake The Scones
- Bake for 10 minutes. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets halfway around. Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes.
- If baking frozen scones, bake first for 20 minutes, rotate the cookie sheet, then cover loosely with foil and continue baking for 10 minutes longer.
- If baking half sized scones, bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for 5 minutes longer.
- Set the cookie sheet, on a wire rack. Transfer to a cooling rack until to cool. These scones will be slightly moist. If you prefer a drier scone allow to sit overnight uncovered.
Make The Glaze:
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the powdered sugar and orange juice. If you want a thinner glaze, add less powdered sugar or more orange juice. If you like a thicker glaze, add more powdered glaze or less orange juice. Drizzle over cooled scones.
Notes
- Be sure to measure your flour. You want to scoop it with a spoon, and then level it off with a knife. Here is a tutorial on how to do that. For best accuracy, it's best to use a kitchen scale.
- You want to chill the bowl and beaters for the heavy cream before whipping it. The cold bowl and beaters will help to whip the cream.
- You want to cut the cranberries in half so that each bite has even bits of cranberry running through it.
- Make sure to use cold butter for the scones. You want butter that doesn't get incorporated into the flour so that it steams in the oven and creates wonderful flakiness.
- Chill that dough. It's totally worth it. Chilling the dough will solidify the butter even more. This will create a flakier scone in the end.
- Adapted from Rose's Baking Basics by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Emily Leishman says
These were super delicious and I love the flavors of orange and cranberry together! My family loved them too!
Heather says
Oh I am so glad you and your family loved them Emily!
Linda Price says
Wow! For a first try from scratch, I think it was a win. The scones were PERFECT with great flavor. Smooshing the flour coated butter pieces into flakes with my fingers was fun but messy. I was also surprised to find the cream needed to be whipped to soft peaks. Next time I will use my pastry blender and will not beat the cream.
[email protected] says
Yes the recipe is from cookbook author, Rose Berenbaum, and she whips the cream to make a light fluffy scone. I do prefer to use my pastry blender as well! Glad you loved them 🙂 Thanks Linda!