I make these bright cranberry orange scones when the house feels quiet and a little lazy. The scent of zest wakes me faster than coffee. Each bite breaks soft and tender, then a tart cranberry pops. It is my steady scones recipe for weekends and for small wins during the week. People ask for a cranberry orange scones recipe and I smile since I keep this one scribbled on an old card. I built it to taste like the shop treat but with a clean orange glow and a light crumb. If you search for a starbucks pumpkin scones copycat recipe you might land here by luck, stay anyway. Once you have a trusted recipe for scones you can switch the fruit and stay calm about it. The mix leans sweet but not too sweet. I like the balance since the glaze sets thin and soft. If you love a cranberry scones recipe you will feel at home. If your heart runs to a cranberry orange cake recipe or a cranberry orange bread recipe, this works in that same cozy lane. We bake, we break one open, steam curls up, and the kitchen goes quiet again.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Scones
- 4) How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones
- 5) Tips for Making Cranberry Orange Scones
- 6) Making Cranberry Orange Scones Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Scones
- 8) Try these breakfast recipes next
- 9) Cranberry Orange Scones
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I am Elena from Elena Cooks at https www dot elenacooks dot com and this bake reads warm and bright. My scones recipe keeps a soft crumb, a crisp edge, and a thin glaze that tastes like fresh peel. We mix fast. We chill brief. We bake hot. The kitchen smells like morning at a cafe and the payoff lands in under one hour.
Real oranges lift the dough. Real cranberries bring tart bites that wake the sweet. Butter stays cold. The cut holds shape. This gives height and light layers. I learned that trick after a few flat trays that still tasted great but looked shy. You will not need a stand mixer. A bowl and a fork do the job better.
The method suits a busy day. You whisk dry. You add butter. You add cream and egg. You fold berries with a light hand. The wedges bake and rise. You drizzle a simple zest glaze and call the crew. If you like a calm guide and plain English, this page stays true to that. I test, I note, and I share.
2) Easy Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
I call this an easy scones recipe twice here to keep it top of mind. This scones recipe works for a slow Sunday and for a Tuesday that needs a small win. The dough comes together in minutes. The ingredients rest in most home kitchens. We lean on cold butter and cold cream. The mix feels soft but not sticky and it bakes into tender triangles.
Fans ask for a cranberry orange scones recipe that tastes like a favorite coffee shop bake. This one plays close yet feels home baked and bright. If you came for a starbucks pumpkin scones copycat recipe by mistake, stay and bake these. The steps mirror any good recipe for scones so you build skill for many spins. I keep the glaze thin so the citrus leads and the sweet follows.
Short keywords live here for search and for clear meaning. Scones as a term helps new bakers find us. Cranberry scones as a phrase points to the fruit we fold in. Orange scones as a phrase speaks to the fresh peel and juice in the glaze. Longtail phrases show range as well such as cranberry orange cake recipe and cranberry orange bread recipe for readers who like this flavor set in other bakes.
3) Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Scones
All purpose flour I spoon and level for a true measure. The flour sets the crumb and holds the butter layers. A light hand keeps the bite tender and not tough.
Baking powder This gives lift and that split down the side we love. Fresh baking powder matters. If yours sits past a year, replace it.
Granulated sugar I keep it modest so the glaze does the last bit of sweet work. A pinch more will not hurt if you lean sweet.
Fine salt Salt wakes the orange notes and rounds the sweet. A small amount changes the whole balance in the best way.
Unsalted butter cold and cubed Cold butter stays in small bits. Those bits melt in the oven and leave thin pockets that feel light and soft. I use a pastry cutter or my fingers.
Fresh orange zest Zest perfumes the dough. I rub it with the sugar to pull out oils. The smell will make you grin before you even bake.
Heavy cream cold Cream binds the dough and feeds the crumb. A splash on top gives shine. Keep it cold in the fridge while you prep.
Large egg cold The egg adds structure and color. Whisk it with cream so the mix blends fast with the flour and butter base.
Pure vanilla extract A small spoon adds warmth. It supports citrus without stealing the show. Use the real stuff for best flavor.
Fresh or frozen cranberries Whole berries give bright pops. If frozen, use them straight from the freezer so the color stays in the fruit.
Coarse sugar optional A light sprinkle on top bakes into a gentle crunch. It looks pretty and gives a small sparkle.
Glaze powdered sugar and fresh orange juice with a pinch of zest Stir until smooth and thin. The glaze sets soft and clear with flecks of peel.
4) How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones
Step one preheat and prep Set the oven to four hundred F. Line a sheet with parchment and set it in the fridge so it chills while you mix. Cold pans help the rise.
Step two mix dry and cut in butter Whisk flour baking powder sugar and salt. Add cold butter. Cut it in until you see pea size bits with a few flat flakes. That mix gives layers.
Step three add zest and wet mix Stir in zest. Whisk cream egg and vanilla. Pour over the flour mix. Use a fork to pull it together. Stop when it looks shaggy.
Step four fold in berries and shape Scatter cranberries on top. Fold a few times with a gentle hand. Tip the dough onto a floured board. Pat into a round about one inch thick. Cut eight wedges.
Step five chill and bake Move wedges to the cold pan. Brush with a touch of cream and sprinkle coarse sugar. Bake sixteen to eighteen minutes until golden at the edges.
Step six glaze and serve Cool ten minutes. Stir the glaze. Drizzle over warm scones. Breathe in that orange steam. Serve right away or let the glaze set and then share.
5) Tips for Making Cranberry Orange Scones
Keep everything cold. Cold fat makes flakes. Chill the bowl if your kitchen runs warm. Work fast and light. The dough should look rough. Rough dough bakes with nooks that catch glaze.
Use weight if you have a scale. Flour can vary by cup. Two hundred fifty grams per cup keeps things steady. If the dough feels dry add a spoon of cream. If it feels wet dust with a small shake of flour.
For taller wedges set the cut pieces in the fridge for ten minutes before they go in the oven. That small pause helps the rise. For more orange flavor rub zest into the sugar before it meets the bowl. For a plain tea bake skip the glaze and serve with jam.
6) Making Cranberry Orange Scones Ahead of Time
We all need make ahead options that still taste fresh. Mix the dry ingredients and cut in butter the day before. Keep the bowl covered and cold. In the morning add cream egg and vanilla then fold in berries and bake.
You can freeze shaped wedges on a tray. Once solid, wrap and store in a bag. Bake from frozen on a cold sheet. Add two or three minutes to the time. The house will still smell like a citrus grove.
If you plan a brunch, glaze right before guests sit. The shine looks neat and the zest shows bright. This strategy helps if you want a recipe for scones that fits a plan. It keeps stress low and joy high.
7) Storing Leftover Scones
Let the scones cool. Place them in a tin at room temp for one day. For longer keep them in the fridge in a sealed box. Warm in a low oven until the edge turns crisp again.
To freeze wrap each wedge. Store for up to one month. Thaw on the counter, then reheat. The crumb stays tender and the glaze softens back as it warms.
If you love a cranberry scones recipe you will like them warm with salted butter. If you track search phrases, scones recipe and other terms in this page help readers like you find these notes fast.
8) Try these breakfast recipes next
9) Cranberry Orange Scones
Cranberry Orange Scones Starbucks Copycat scones recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut in small cubes
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest plus more for glaze
- 0.75 cup cold heavy cream plus extra for brushing
- 1 large egg cold
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries left whole
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for topping optional
- Glaze mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice and a pinch of zest
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 F. Line a sheet with parchment. Chill the pan while you mix.
- Whisk flour baking powder sugar and salt. Toss in cold butter. Rub or cut butter into the flour until pea size bits remain with some larger flakes.
- Stir in orange zest. Whisk cream egg and vanilla in a cup. Pour over the flour. Fold with a fork until shaggy and almost combined.
- Scatter in cranberries. Fold a few times more. The dough should look rough and a little dry in spots.
- Tip dough on a lightly floured board. Pat into a 7 inch round about one inch thick. Use a bench scraper to cut 8 wedges. Move to the cold pan.
- Brush tops with a little cream. Sprinkle coarse sugar for sparkle. Bake 16 to 18 minutes until edges look golden and tops feel set.
- Cool 10 minutes on the pan. Whisk the glaze until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over warm scones. Add a whisper of zest on top and let it set.
- Serve warm. Store at room temp in a tin for one day or freeze up to one month. Rewarm in a low oven.
10) Nutrition
One wedge serves one. Estimated values per serving read as follows. Calories two hundred seventy five. Sugar seventeen grams. Sodium one hundred eighty milligrams. Fat eleven grams. Saturated fat seven grams. Carbohydrates thirty nine grams. Fiber one gram. Protein four grams. Cholesterol fifty two milligrams. Values are estimates based on standard databases and will vary by brand and measure.
Written by Elena for Elena Cooks at https www dot elenacooks dot com where I share bakes that work in a real home kitchen and where this scones recipe lives with more small tweaks and ideas.
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