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Ridiculously Easy Orange Cranberry Scones
4.9 from 98 votes

Ridiculously Easy Orange Cranberry Scones

These orange cranberry scones combine tart cranberries and bright orange zest in a tender, flaky biscuit-like dough. Heavy cream chilled in the freezer and melted butter create a rich, clumpy mixture that, when added to the dry ingredients, forms the base dough. Baking at 400°F produces scones with a golden crust and soft interior. A sweet, citrusy orange glaze finishes them with a glossy, flavorful topping.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 321 kcal
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American, French-American Fusion

Ingredients

For the scones:
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • orange zest of 1
  • 1 ¼ cups cranberries chopped, fresh
For the glaze:
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk or half and half
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice maybe a bit more, fresh

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For the scones:
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (you'll need 2 sheet pans for smaller scones). Set an oven rack on the middle level of the oven.
  3. Measure 1 cup heavy cream and place in the freezer while proceeding with the recipe. (You want the cream to be in the freezer for about 10 minutes.) Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and heat on high for 1 minute. If not completely melted, return to microwave for 10-second intervals till melted. Set aside to cool a bit while prepping other ingredients.
  4. Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, zest and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add the chopped cranberries (see the note above in the post on chopping cranberries) and stir to combine.
  5. After heavy cream has been chilled in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, combine it with the melted butter. Stir with a fork until butter forms small clumps or globules.
  6. Add butter/cream mixture to dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until all flour is incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of the bowl. The batter will be very thick, like cookie dough. Don’t over mix it, but you do want all the little flour bits to be incorporated.
  7. Spray a cookie scooper (see notes above) or large spoon with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop up scones in mounds onto prepared pan. Space the scones at least 2-inches apart to allow for some spreading.
  8. Refrigerate scones for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour. If you don’t have room for 2 sheet pans in your refrigerator, put them all on one to chill. Then separate before baking.
  9. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to a wire cooling rack.
  10. For the glaze:
  11. While the scones are baking, make the orange glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk (or half and half) and orange juice in a medium-size bowl. Whisk well until smooth to make a thick, but drizzle-able glaze. (If the glaze is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar, if too thick add add a little more cream.)
  12. Drizzle glaze over scones. If you can wait, let scones sit for 15 minutes to let glaze set before serving.

Notes

  • Chill the heavy cream before mixing to help the butter form small clumps for a flaky scone texture.
  • Chop fresh cranberries finely to avoid large wet pockets in the dough.
  • Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
  • For the glaze, adjust orange juice quantity to achieve desired consistency and flavor intensity.
  • Refer to detailed café tips in the recipe post for substitutions and extra instructions.

Nutrition Information

Calories 321kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Cholesterol 48mg (16%) Sodium 174mg (7%) Potassium 156mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 26g (52%) Vitamin A 544IU (11%) Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Calcium 63mg (6%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 321

% Daily Value*

Calories 321kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 174mg 7%
Potassium 156mg 3%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 26g 52%
Vitamin A 544IU 11%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 63mg 6%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.