Cranberry Orange Scones With Fresh Orange Glaze

I don’t know what it is about the combination of cranberries and orange that instantly feels like winter baking at its best. Maybe it’s because they are bright, cozy, and a little bit festive. Whatever the reason, these cranberry orange scones check all the boxes: tender on the inside, lightly crisp on the edges, and full of that sunny citrus flavor that makes your entire kitchen smell amazing.

What I love most about this recipe is how simple it is to pull together. With frozen shredded butter (the secret to perfect flakiness), a generous amount of orange zest, and chewy dried cranberries in every bite, these scones come out of the oven tasting like something from your favorite bakery. And the quick orange glaze drizzled on top? It adds just enough sweetness without making them overly sugary.

Whether you’re baking them for a weekend breakfast, a holiday brunch, or just because it’s a chilly morning and you want something warm from the oven, these cranberry orange scones never disappoint. They’re the kind of treat that feels special but takes less time than you’d think. That’s always a win for me!

Ingredients for cranberry orange scones

For the dough:

• Dried cranberries
• Frozen salted butter, shredded
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Granulated sugar
• Orange zest
• Heavy cream
• Large egg
• Vanilla extract
• Turbinado sugar

For the glaze:

• Powdered sugar
• Fresh orange juice 

Instructions for making cranberry orange scones

Before you’re ready to make the scones, freeze the butter, then shred it in a food processor or box grater, and place it back in the freezer. This helps the butter blend in evenly with the flour mixture.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and orange zest), and whisk until combined.
3. Add the frozen shredded butter and mix with a wooden spoon. When the butter is frozen, it combines perfectly with the flour mixture, forming pea-sized crumbs. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator.
4. While the dough is in the refrigerator, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and egg until well combined. 
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, pour the heavy cream mixture over the top of the dough, add the dried cranberries, and mix until combined and moist. Use 2 to 3 more tablespoons of heavy cream as needed.
6. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Flour your hands and shape the dough into an approximate 8″ diameter disk. 
7. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut the disk into 8 even wedges. 
8. Brush the wedges with heavy cream and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top. Place the wedges on a plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Chilling the dough helps keep the wedges from spreading when placed in the oven.
9. Line one or two baking sheets (depending on the size you have) with parchment paper. Arrange the scones 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheets. 
10. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 22-24 minutes or until the scones are brown around the edges and just lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
11. Once the scones have cooled, drizzle the orange glaze over the top of each one. Let the glaze set for a few minutes, and then they are ready to serve and enjoy!

Making the glaze:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice until combined. You may need to add a little more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze or some more orange juice to thin the glaze.

Here are some other scone recipes you may want to try

• Lemon scones with lemon glaze
• Pumpkin spice scones
• Cinnamon apple scones
• Strawberry scones