Candied Orange Cranberry Scones (Printable Version)

Buttery scones filled with candied orange peel and tart cranberries for a flavorful breakfast treat.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Fruits & Flavorings

05 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
06 - 1/3 cup candied orange peel, finely chopped
07 - Zest of 1 orange

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
09 - 2/3 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Glaze

12 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
13 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Add cold butter cubes to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
04 - Stir in dried cranberries, chopped candied orange peel, and orange zest, distributing evenly throughout the mixture.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients.
06 - Gently mix ingredients with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick disc.
07 - Using a sharp knife, cut the dough disc into 8 equal wedges.
08 - Arrange scone wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with extra heavy cream.
09 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar and fresh orange juice together until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over cooled scones if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're genuinely easy to pull together, even if you've never made scones before, and the tender crumb feels fancy without demanding perfection.
  • The flavor combination of candied orange and cranberry tastes like you spent hours developing it, but the whole process takes less than 40 minutes start to finish.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can make a batch on a calm Sunday and have something special ready whenever you need it.
02 -
  • The difference between tender scones and dense ones almost always comes down to not overworking the dough once the wet ingredients are added—mix until just combined and then stop, even if it looks a little shaggy.
  • Cold butter really does matter here; if you work too quickly and the butter warms up, you'll lose those desirable flaky layers that make scones special.
03 -
  • If you want extra decadence without much effort, melt white chocolate and dip the tops of cooled scones halfway down—it adds luxury and plays beautifully with the citrus.
  • The cream for brushing makes a visible difference in browning, so don't use milk as a substitute; heavy cream creates that professional sheen.
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