Cranberry Orange Scones Glaze (Printable)
Buttery scones filled with cranberries and finished with a sweet orange glaze, ideal for morning or afternoon.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing
08 - 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (about 1 orange)
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
10 - 1 cup fresh or dried cranberries, soaked and drained if dried
→ Glaze
11 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
13 - 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Add the cold cubed butter to the dry mixture and cut in using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, heavy cream, orange zest, and vanilla extract.
05 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir just until incorporated; avoid overmixing.
06 - Fold in the fresh or soaked cranberries evenly.
07 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 7-inch diameter circle about 1 inch thick.
08 - Slice the dough into 8 equal wedges and place them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheet.
09 - Lightly brush the tops of the wedges with additional heavy cream.
10 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
11 - Whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth and drizzlable. Drizzle over cooled scones and allow to set before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They're buttery and tender without being fussy—no special skills required, just gentle hands.
- The cranberry-orange combination tastes fancy but comes together in under an hour.
- You can freeze them unbaked and bake fresh scones on a whim.
02 -
- Cold butter is everything—if your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl and even the flour for a few minutes beforehand.
- Overmixing is the enemy; the moment you see no dry flour, you're done mixing.
- Fresh cranberries stay firmer than dried ones, which is lovely if you want texture; dried ones need that soak to soften them slightly.
03 -
- A microplane zester gives you the finest, most fragrant orange zest—it's worth hunting one down.
- If your scones spread too much while baking, your butter wasn't cold enough; next time, chill everything including your mixing bowl.