Cranberry Orange Scones Citrus Glaze (Printable)

Tender scones with cranberries and orange, topped with citrus glaze

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

10 - 3/4 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
11 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

→ Orange Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
14 - 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest in a large bowl.
03 - Add cold butter to the flour mixture and cut in using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Pour over flour mixture and stir gently until just combined.
05 - Gently fold in cranberries and nuts if using. Avoid overmixing to maintain tenderness.
06 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick circle.
07 - Cut circle into 8 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart.
08 - Brush the tops of scones with additional heavy cream for golden browning.
09 - Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The orange glaze transforms ordinary scones into something that feels like a bakery treat, but the recipe comes together in under an hour
  • Fresh cranberries give these little bursts of tartness that balance the sweet glaze perfectly
02 -
  • Overworking the dough is the fastest way to tough scones, so mix gently and stop as soon as everything comes together
  • Room temperature butter will not give you the same flaky result, so keep that butter ice cold until you need it
03 -
  • If your dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes before shaping
  • The glaze should be thick enough to hold its shape when drizzled but thin enough to pour easily from a spoon

Return