Candied Orange Cranberry Scones (Print version)

Buttery scones filled with candied orange peel and tart cranberries, ideal for a festive brunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Add cold butter cubes and rub with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Stir in cranberries, candied orange peel, and orange zest.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined, avoiding overworking the dough.
06 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick disc. Cut into 8 wedges.
07 - Arrange wedges on prepared baking sheet with spacing. Brush tops with extra cream.
08 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones if desired.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • They're tender and buttery without being difficult—the kind of scone that makes you wonder why bakeries charge what they do.
  • The candied orange and cranberries give you that sophisticated flavor combination that tastes like you've been planning this since last week.
  • They come together in under 40 minutes total, which means festive brunch is actually achievable on a random Tuesday morning.
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of keeping your butter cold—I learned this the hard way when warm butter turned my first batch into more of a dense cake than a scone, and nothing was quite right about them.
  • The moment you add the wet ingredients to the dry, resist the urge to mix thoroughly; stop while there are still tiny flour streaks visible, because that's when you know you've avoided overdeveloping the gluten.
03 -
  • Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling with a knife, not by scooping directly into the bag—this is genuinely the difference between success and a dense, heavy batch.
  • If you want the glaze to set with a bit of shine, use fresh orange juice rather than milk, and apply it just after the scones have cooled completely so it doesn't run off.
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