Cranberry Orange Scones

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 400ºF: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. 

2. Stage

Mix the dry ingredients:  In a large bowl, combine the sugar and orange zest. With your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar to infuse it with the orange oil. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine. 

3. Stage

Flake the butter and add cranberries:  Distribute the butter over the dough and pinch the cubes with your fingers to flatten them. Toss them in the flour until the mixture looks flaky. Stir in the cranberries.

4. Stage

Add the wet ingredients: In a small bowl or measuring cup, beat the egg and 1 cup heavy cream together. Drizzle it over the dry ingredients, using one hand to toss the ingredients together until large clumps form. If the dough seems dry at this point, add a little heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time. Without working the dough too much, squish and knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a rough ball.

5. Stage

Shape the dough:  On a lightly floured work surface, turn out the dough. Cut it in half using a sharp chef’s knife or bench scraper. Use your hands to form each half into flat rounds that are 6 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick.  Transfer the rounds to the baking sheet. With the knife or bench scraper, cut each circle into 6 wedges. Separate the wedges on the baking sheet so they are at least 1 inch apart.  Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the scones with the remaining 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes.

6. Stage

Bake the scones: Bake the scones for 20 to 22 minutes or until they are golden brown on top and the bottoms are browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. 

7. Stage

Finish and serve:  Sprinkle them with powdered sugar. I recommend serving them right away! Of course, they’ll be wonderful a few hours later, but you’ll want to gobble them up warm.  Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!