Candied Orange Cranberry Scones (Printable)

Buttery scones bursting with candied orange and tart cranberries for a delightful brunch experience.

# 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 Make It:

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 use a pastry cutter or fingertips to rub in the butter until the 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 mix gently until just combined without 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 space between each piece. 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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They come together in under 40 minutes, making them perfect for last-minute brunch hosting without the stress.
  • The combination of tart cranberries and sweet candied orange feels fancy and seasonal, but the method is genuinely forgiving for beginners.
  • Cold butter and minimal mixing create that coveted tender crumb that melts on your tongue instead of crumbling everywhere.
02 -
  • Overworking the dough even slightly will make your scones dense and heavy, so resist the urge to knead or mix beyond barely combined—your instinct will tell you it looks shaggy and underdone, but that's exactly right.
  • Using room-temperature butter instead of cold is the silent killer of scone texture; if you forget and grab butter from a warm counter, pop the assembled dough in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking to save it.
  • Cream matters more than milk here—it's not just about richness, it's about moisture content and fat, which work together to create that tender crumb that won't crumble to dust when you bite into it.
03 -
  • If your candied orange peel is thick and chewy, chop it finely and consider giving the pieces a quick pulse in the food processor—this distributes them more evenly and prevents clumps of intense orange in single bites.
  • Brush the scone tops with cream right before baking rather than milk or egg wash; it creates a more tender, less dramatic crust and lets the butter shine through in the color.
  • Keep your mixing bowl and utensils cool if your kitchen is warm—some bakers even chill their bowls briefly before starting, which keeps the butter cold longer as you work.
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