Cranberry Orange Scones are buttery, crumbly, tender, citrusy and just the right amount of sweet and tangy. A layer of vibrant cranberry sauce at the center of each scone, adds a moist texture and tangy flavor to the crumbly, sweet orange dough.
I’ve got to admit, this recipe was born out of leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. After a full day of cooking and eating, I woke up determined to keep that homemade spirit going, and to use up every bit of those leftovers. That’s also how these Cream Cheese Cranberry Pastries came to life.
Scones are the perfect pastry to make last minute, because all of the ingredients should be as cold as possible. So I can make the dough while the coffee is brewing and enjoy a scone with the second cup.
BTW, I like the scones rustic, but you can serve them with a drizzle of this quick Orange Glaze.
Ingredients
The complete recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card. Here is a quicj description to the recipes, their rule and substitutions if possible.
- Orange zest and Candied oranges. The best way to incorporate orange flavor to baked goods is by zesting a fresh orange and rubbing it into the sugar. Homemade candied oranges add more sweetness flavor, but you can also use store bought.
- Cold Butter. The key to every scone is to coat the flour granulates with the butter, that’s what gives the scones its crumbly texture. Grating the butter and using it cold, is the best way to shorten the process.
- Heavy cream and an egg. The cream is thick and can bring the dough together without making it too sticky. The egg is the best way to make sure the scones won’t spread and lose their definition during baking.
Make The Dough
Below are step-by-step images for a visual gaudiness, as well as all my tips, tricks and hacks for a foolproof recipe, every time.
- Grate the butter and mix the egg with the cream in a separate cup. Keep both in the fridge so they stay cold.
- Use a fork or your hands to make the dough. A stand mixer or a pastry cutter might take too long and melt the butter.
- When adding the butter, work fast but be gentle. Keep in mind that the goal is to distribute the butter evenly in the dry flour, so make sure to grab new mixture from the bottom of the bowl. This should only take 60-90 seconds.
- The heavy cream’s job is to make the mixture stick, not create dough, so use a fork to toss the flour into the cream.
- Use you hands to press the hydrated mixture into a dough, and never knead. That will result in chewy, dense scones.
Shape and Bake
- Shape the dough by hand directly on a parchment-lined pan.
- Cut into 8 scones right before baking, after a short chill.
- Don’t move the scones unless they’ve been chilled or frozen overnight, otherwise the dough will be sticky.
- Bake until the scones are medium dark, during testing I realized that he longer the better so as long as they are not too dark (burnt) that’s ok. Anfd let them chill and set for a few minutes before serving.
Yields and Store
This recipe make 8 regular sized scones, and best stored at room temperature for up to two days (I cover them loosely so they won’t get soggy).
To freeze: wrap each scone with plastic wrap and place in a freeze bag. Freeze for four weeks.
Cranberry Filled Orange Scones
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup (70g) Granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Orange zest (from one large orange)
- 2 1/3 Cups (280g) AP flour (280 g / 10 oz)
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 10 Tablespoons (140g) Unsalted Butter very cold (113 g / 4 oz)
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) Heavy Cream very cold
- 1 Large Egg very cold
- 1/2 Cup Candied Orange slices, Finley chopped
- 1/4-1/3 Cup Cranberry Filling
Instructions
To Make the Scones
- Prepare the ingredients: use a vegetable grated to grate the butter. Measure the heavy cream and mix in the eggs. Place both in the refrigerator.
- Rub the orange zest into the sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in the flour, salt and baking powder and chopped candied orange.
- Use your hand to run the granted cold butter into the flour/sugar mixture.This should take 60-90 seconds, and you should not have any noticeable pieces of butter, or dry flour.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and egg mixture on top if the flour mixture.
- Use a fork to toss the liquid into the flour, until the flour is hydrated and you have large clumps. If needed, add more heavy cream 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- Use your hands to press (not knead) the mixture into a dough.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts.
- Place one part over a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and use your hand to press it into a 10-12 inch circle.
- Use the back of a spoon to make a dent around the edges of the dough, about 1-inch from the end.
- Top the dough with the cranberry sauce.
- Press the second part of the dough to the same size and shape, then top it over the cranberry topped dough. Use your fingers to seal the seam.
- Cut the dough into 6-8 pieces place each piece on the prepared pan brush with the egg and heavy cream and bake for 15-18 minutes.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator, or freezer while the oven preheats to 375°F.
- Use a sharp knife to divide the dough into 8-triangles. Top with any heavy cream left over you have (or use new mixed with egg yolk).
- Bake for 25-28 minutes, until the scones are puffy, and golden bown.
- Remove from the oven and set a side to cool before running a knife between each slice and serving.
