Cranberry-Orange Scones
Tart cranberries and bright orange zest combine in this breakfast or brunch favorite. Scones are a delicious treat and simple to make!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cold butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4-1/3 cup half-n-half
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- turbanado (raw) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400⁰.
- Cut butter into small cubes and return to refrigerator. See note below.
- Whisk 1 3/4 cups flour, spices, baking powder, sugar and salt together.
- Cut in butter until crumbly. Use your hands to work the flour mixture into the butter. Work quickly to avoid "melting" the butter cubes. A fork or pastry blender works well too. Small lumps of butter should remain.
- Slightly beat eggs with a fork and add enough half-n-half to make 2/3 cup liquid. Add zest.
- Lightly stir egg mixture into dry ingredients until about half incorporated.
- Grind cranberries in a food processor or chop by hand; fold into dough. Dough should still be sticky.
- Sprinkle remaining flour on a cutting board or countertop. Transfer dough to floured surface and gently work the flour into the dough.
- Divide dough into two portions.
- Pat each portion into a circle about 6” in diameter on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Cut each circle into 6 wedges.
- Brush with half-n-half and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake at 400⁰ for 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned and set in the center.
Notes
Butter should be as cold as possible when cut into the flour mixture. The small butter pieces in the dough create air pockets when baking, leading to a lighter scone texture.
Fresh blueberries can be substituted for the cranberries, but do not chop. Toss fresh blueberries with a teaspoon or two of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the baked scones. Lemon zest will compliment the blueberries better than orange zest and substitute ginger for the allspice.