Candied Orange Cranberry Scones (Printable)

Buttery scones filled with candied orange peel and tart cranberries, perfect for a festive brunch.

# What You 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:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Add cold butter cubes to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
04 - Stir in dried cranberries, chopped candied orange peel, and orange zest until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients.
06 - Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick disc.
07 - Cut the disc into 8 equal wedges. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart. Brush the tops with extra heavy cream.
08 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar and fresh orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones if desired.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • They're genuinely foolproof if you follow one golden rule: gentle hands and a light touch make all the difference between tender scones and hockey pucks.
  • The candied orange peel and cranberries create this sophisticated flavor that makes people think you spent all morning baking when you really just grabbed good ingredients and let them shine.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can have warm, buttery scones ready whenever the craving hits without any actual work on the day you want them.
02 -
  • Cold butter is non-negotiable—I learned this the hard way when I used room-temperature butter and ended up with dense, heavy scones that broke my heart. Take those two minutes to chill your butter before you start, and your future self will thank you.
  • The moment you think your dough is mixed is probably the moment you should stop mixing—overworking turns your delicate scones into tough little pucks, and no amount of good ingredients can fix that mistake.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl and even your flour for 15 minutes before starting—this tiny detail keeps butter cold longer and results in better texture, especially in summer.
  • Brush the scone tops with heavy cream rather than milk or egg wash alone because the fat in cream creates a richer golden color and adds subtle richness to every bite.
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