Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze

Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze are a quick and easy brunch recipe that is flavorful and flaky. These delicious scones are soft and moist on the inside yet crisp and crumbly on the outside. They are loaded with fresh cranberries with a drizzle of orange glaze for the best combination of sweet and tangy flavor. Enjoy freshly baked cranberry orange scones in under 30 minutes using simple ingredients.

Cranberries and oranges are an absolute match made in food heaven. Cranberry scones with orange glaze channel these two festive holiday flavors into a soft, crumbly, convenient package for breakfast, snacking, or dessert. They are perfect for the holiday season - or serve them any time of the year!

Why You'll Love these Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze

• They have the best texture. These cranberry orange scones are soft and moist in the inside, yet crunchy and golden brown outside with the perfect crumbly edges. Your whole family will fall in love with these scones.
• No complicated baking skills required. Scones can seem intimidating, but they're actually really simple to make - and you don't even need a fancy KitchenAid mixer to do it. The process for making these cranberry scones with an orange glaze is similar to a cross between a biscuit and a cookie, so if you have experience with either, these scones will be a snap. Just mix the ingredients, form the scones, bake, and serve!
• A quick brunch recipe. You can quickly gather your ingredients and prepare these holiday scones in about 20 minutes before you are ready to pop them into the oven. Which means that you can even decide to bake these on the morning of, and be enjoying them with a cup of coffee or tea within the hour!
• They're made with real fruit. No artificial flavors here. The fruity flavors in these glazed scones come from fresh cranberries and real orange juice. As an added bonus, using real fruit gives them the prettiest pops of color. Cranberry scones are the perfect treat while fresh cranberries are in season (or any time since you could even use frozen cranberries!).
• They're great for holiday breakfast. Cranberry and orange are a popular holiday flavor pairing, and these cranberry orange scones are just elaborate enough for a special occasion. They're festive, fast, and easy to make, which are all the top qualities for holiday breakfast dishes. For more, see our 50 Best Christmas Brunch Recipes.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• all-purpose flour - if you're sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease, try using a gluten free measure-for-measure flour instead.
• sugar - a sugar substitute like Swerve, monk fruit, or stevia will work instead of the sugar but may change the overall taste of the finished product.
• baking powder
• salt
• ground cinnamon
• unsalted butter - if you only have salted butter on hand, reduce or disregard the rest of the salt called for in the recipe.
• fresh cranberries - we love making these when cranberries are in season and there is an abundance of fresh cranberries at the local grocery store. But you can make these any time of the year with frozen cranberries - and don't need to be thawed before adding to the batter as long as they're individually frozen.
• heavy cream - half and half will also work if you don't have heavy cream.
• eggs
• vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste used in the same amount will intensify the flavor a little bit.
• confectioner's sugar - powdered or confectioner's sugar is best for making a light glaze. Granulated sugar won't quite result in the right texture.
• orange juice - freshly squeezed orange juice is best, but store-bought will also work in its place if you can't get your hands on oranges.

Equipment Needed for Making Scones

• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls
• pastry cutter (optional)
• bench scraper or knife
• half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
• silicone brush or pastry brush
• wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Cranberry Scones

1. Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. 
2. Cut in butter. Add butter and using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until they are the size of peas, working quickly so the butter stays cold. Then, carefully fold in the cranberries. Set aside.

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3. Combine wet ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, combine ½ cup heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients (flour mixture). Pour the liquid mixture into the well. Use a spatula to carefully fold the ingredients until the liquid is just incorporated.  

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5. Shape dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and pat it into a small rectangle, measuring about 6-inches by 8-inches, and approximately 1-inch thick. (Add more flour to the surface as needed if the dough is too sticky).

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6. Cut dough. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough in half horizontally (1 cut) and into thirds vertically (2 cuts) to create 6 equal rectangles. Slice each rectangle in half diagonally to form 12 triangle-shaped scones.

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7. Arrange scones. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat. Carefully transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, placing them about 2 inches apart. 
8. Add egg wash. In a small mixing bowl, beat the remaining egg. Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream and whisk together. Use a silicone brush to brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar. 

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9. Bake. Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until scones are lightly golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes in the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

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How to Make Orange Glaze for Cranberry Scones

While the scones are cooling, combine confectioners' sugar and half the orange juice in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until combined, adding more orange juice as needed to reach desired glaze consistency. 

When the scones are completely cool, drizzle the orange glaze on top. Let set and serve.

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Storing and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead

Make cranberry scones ahead and freeze for easy serving. You can freeze fully baked scones for up to three months before serving them, which makes them great for busy holiday prep. Don't glaze them if you freeze them first, so you can add the glaze once they've been reheated.

How to Store

Transfer cooled scones to an airtight container or large Ziploc and store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

How to Freeze

Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Reheat in the oven until warm or microwave in ten second bursts until heated through.

If making a batch to freeze, I recommend not adding the glaze before freezing. Once you are ready to serve, whip up a batch of glaze and drizzle on top, if desired.

More Cranberry Recipes

• Cranberry Orange Muffins
• Cranberry Meatballs
• Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce
• Cranberry Yogurt Muffins
• Cranberry Sauce Swirl Pound Cake
• Easy Cranberry Brie Bites

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