Oh fall, the season of pumpkin and apple desserts galore. I was in the mood to bake something that felt like fall, but without using the classic flavors, and so the idea to bake cranberry orange scones came about. Scones can be enjoyed at any time of the day and pair perfectly with a cup of tea, so they seemed like the obvious choice.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3/4 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup milk
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest together. Cut the butter into cubes and work it into the flour using your fingertips. Mix until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the cranberries. In a separate bowl whisk the vanilla, orange juice, and milk together then gradually add it to the flour mixture (you may not need to use all of the mixture). Continue to stir and add a little at a time until the dough is moist but not too wet, and comes together. Be careful not to over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.
Scoop the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead and fold four or five times. Pro tip: Lightly dust your hands with flour before working the dough. It stops the dough from sticking to everything. Roll the dough out into a six-inch round circle. Cut the circle in half, then cut each half into four triangle-shaped wedges. Arrange the scones 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the scones in the freezer for 30 minutes.
While the scones are chilling combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Preheat your oven to 400°F and bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Insert a toothpick into the center of the scones to make sure they don’t come out gooey. Drizzle the scones with glaze while they’re cooling and enjoy!
