Cranberry and Orange Scones – Zesty, light and fluffy. So good with a dollop of clotted cream!
I promised cranberry and orange scones, and here they are: zesty, tender scones studded with juicy cranberries. They’re delicious warm with salted butter, or served properly with clotted cream and jam.
Thank you for all the kind messages about my injured hand — they really cheered me up. I’m still bandaged for a while, so I’ll keep the chat short and focus on baking instead.
Life with one working hand has been entertaining: jars are tricky, rubbing butter into flour is fiddly, and I discovered I can wash my hair one-handed. Also, on the important medical question — wine seems to help more than ibuprofen.
Back to the scones: at a market recently I saw an array of scone flavours — apple, pumpkin, lemon, chocolate, cheese — which inspired me to experiment. I’ll always love a classic raisin scone for cream tea, but this cranberry and orange version is a bright, fruity alternative.
These scones are packed with flavour, so don’t skimp on the cranberries or the orange zest. The dried cranberries add bursts of sweetness and chew, while the orange zest lifts the whole bake.
Serve warm with salted butter or go all out with clotted cream and jam. I like cherry jam with these, and orange curd would also be wonderful.
The Cranberry and Orange Scones Recipe:
Cranberry and Orange Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 level tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 7 tbsp cold butter, diced
- 85 g (1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp) golden caster sugar
- 200 g (1 cup) dried cranberries
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 1 large egg
- 285 ml (1 cup + 3 tbsp) buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Splash of milk (for glazing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C (fan) and line a baking tray with parchment.
- Put the flour, baking powder, salt and cold diced butter in a large bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the sugar, dried cranberries and orange zest and mix to distribute evenly.
- Break the egg into a small bowl and whisk briefly. Reserve 1 tbsp of the beaten egg for glazing.
- Add three-quarters of the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then use a rounded knife to bring the dough together. Add the remaining buttermilk a little at a time until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Do not overwork or the scones will become tough.
- Tip the dough onto a floured surface and pat into a round about 1″ (2.5 cm) thick. Cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife.
- Place the wedges on the prepared tray. Mix the reserved tablespoon of egg with a splash of milk and brush the tops only (avoid brushing the sides so they can rise well).
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, then split and serve warm with clotted cream and jam.
Notes
Nutritional information is per scone (approximate):
Calories: 443 kcal | Carbohydrates: 76 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 12 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 51 mg | Sodium: 281 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 28 g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should be used as a guide only.
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