These homemade Orange Cranberry Scones are a decadent treat that is made with fresh oranges and orange zest and topped with a sweet glaze.
Scones are a type of quickbread that originated in Scotland and they used to be round and flat. Today you find scones typically pie-shaped.
Making them is surprisingly easy. You start by mixing the dry ingredients together. Then you work in the butter either by using a pastry cutter or two forks or knives. Alternatively, you could pulse the butter and flour mixture in a blender. Just be careful not to over-blend.
Next, you add in the “wet” ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are moistened. Adds in the craisins. Don’t overwork the dough. Pat the dough out into a rectangle.
Cut in the rectangle in half lengthwise, and then each half into 3 rectangles. Then, cut each rectangle diagonally to create triangle-shaped pieces.
Place the cut scones on a silpat baking mat – be sure to leave some space between them since they will rise a little. Put them in the fridge for about 30 minutes to rest.
Next, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven is ready, bake them for 18 – 22 minutes. Keep an eye on them at the end – they should end up golden brown. Let them cool completely.
Once they have cooled, you can start making the sweet orange glaze. This simple glaze is a mixture of orange juice and powdered sugar.
Drizzle the glaze over the scones.
Homemade Orange Cranberry Scones
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 cups all-purpose flour + ¼ cup for work surface
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, preferably organic
- 1 cup craisins
Glaze
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Line a large, rimmed baking parchment paper or a Silpat® baking mat. Set aside.
- Mix two cups flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with fork until butter is in pea-sized pieces.
- In a separate bowl, combine the heavy cream, sour cream, egg, vanilla extract, orange extract, and orange zest. Whisk to combine.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined. Add in the craisins and stir until just mixed.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of flour onto a clean work surface. Transfer scone batter onto floured surface and lightly knead into a ball. Press the dough down into a ½” high rectangle (approximately 6” x 10”). Cut in half lengthwise, and then each half into 3 rectangles. Then, cut each rectangle diagonally to create triangle-shaped pieces.
- Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1-2” between them. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F, then add the baking sheet to oven when ready. Bake the scones for 18-22 minutes, or until they are nicely golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes.
- While the scones are cooling, prepare the orange glaze by stirring the powdered sugar and orange juice together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Serve the scones warm drizzled with some of the orange glaze on top. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 227Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 178mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 1g
A holiday time-saving tip is to make the scones ahead of time. Once you have rolled them out and cut them into triangles, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Scones can safely be frozen – unbaked – for about three weeks. When ready to bake frozen scones, remove them from the freezer and place in a preheated oven. They bake in about the same time as freshly made scones.
Handy Kitchen Tools For Making Scones
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I love scones, but i want to make “”homemade””. The orange/cranberry are my favorite. I am going to try these. Thanks, Happy Thanksgiving
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you, too! Please let me know how you like them.