Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones bring together the bright tang of orange zest and juice with the tart burst of cranberries in a warm, flaky treat. If you’re craving something special for breakfast or brunch, this recipe delivers comfort and flavor with minimal fuss. With crisp, golden edges and a sweet orange glaze, these scones feel both indulgent and homey—perfect for slow mornings, holiday gatherings or just a cozy afternoon with tea.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this recipe because it balances vibrant citrus flair with the jewel-toned pop of cranberries. The orange zest infuses the dough with aroma; the frozen cranberries keep things cool and moist; and the glaze adds that final touch of sweet shine. The method—grating frozen butter, chilling the dough briefly—gives beautifully tender layers, while the bake time keeps things easy. It’s something you can prep ahead, freeze, warm when ready, and still get bakery results at home.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (about 1 orange)
- ½ cup (8 Tbsp; 113 g) unsalted butter, frozen
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup (125 g) frozen cranberries*
- Optional: 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) heavy cream + coarse sugar (for topping)
For the Orange Glaze:
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons (30-45 ml) fresh orange juice*
- Use fresh orange juice when possible (you’ll have the orange already for zest!).
- Frozen cranberries work great—they help keep the dough cold and give a lovely texture.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones
- Pre-heat and prep: Start pre-heating your oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
- Prepare the butter: Using a box grater (or a pastry cutter/forks if you prefer), grate or cut the frozen butter into the flour mixture. Combine until you have pea-sized crumbs—some butter bits still visible is fine. Place this bowl into the refrigerator (or freezer briefly) to keep cold.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk the heavy cream (½ cup), egg, and vanilla extract.
- Combine dough: Remove the flour mixture from the cold spot. Drizzle the wet ingredients over it, add the frozen cranberries, then mix until just moistened. The dough will be sticky. If too sticky, add a little more flour; if too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream.
- Shape: On a lightly floured surface, pour the dough and gently bring together into a ball—don’t over-knead. Press into an ~8-inch disc. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 equal wedges.
- Optional topping: Brush the wedges with additional heavy cream and sprinkle coarse sugar if you like extra crunch.
- Chill: Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 2–3 inches apart. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (this helps with rise and flakiness).
- Bake: After chilling, bake in the pre-heated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops are lightly browned.
- Cool & glaze: Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes on the sheet. Meanwhile whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice to make the glaze—adjust with more sugar to thicken or more juice to thin. Drizzle the glaze over the warm scones.
- Serve: Let the glaze set briefly, then enjoy warm.
Helpful Tips
- Keep everything cold: The key to good scones is cold butter and minimal mixing. Grating frozen butter and chilling the dough gives those tender, flaky layers.
- Don’t over-mix: Stop mixing the dough when it’s just coming together. Overworking will toughen the texture.
- Sharp edges, minimal spread: Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into wedges without twisting. Twisting can seal the sides and inhibit rise.
- Use frozen cranberries: They help keep the dough cool and won’t bleed as much as thawed fruit. If using fresh, toss lightly in flour first so they don’t sink.
- Baking sheet spacing: Giving the wedges room (2–3 inches) helps them bake evenly and brown around the edges.
- Glaze right after baking: Drizzling while still warm allows the glaze to seep into small cracks and set nicely.
- Freezing: You can prepare the dough ahead (either freeze before baking or after baking). See the “Storage Instructions” below.
Substitutions And Variations
- Butter alternative: You can use chilled ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter cut into chunks instead of grating frozen butter if you like.
- Milk instead of heavy cream: Replace some or all of the cream with whole milk for a lighter version, though texture may change.
- Zest swap: Try lemon zest instead of orange for a different citrus note.
- Dried cranberries: If you don’t have frozen cranberries, you can use fresh or dried. Dried will be sweeter and less juicy.
- Add-ins: Stir in ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for a nutty crunch or add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the dry mix for a spice twist.
- Glaze variation: Swap part of the orange juice for lemon juice, or add ½ teaspoon orange extract to the glaze for extra punch.
- Mini scones: Instead of cutting into 8 wedges, cut into 12 for smaller portions and slightly reduce baking time (to ~18-20 minutes).
Storage Instructions
- At room temperature: Leftover iced or un-glazed scones keep well at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- In the refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Re-warm before serving.
- Freezing before baking: After cutting into wedges, freeze on a plate or tray for ~1 hour. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag/container. Bake straight from frozen, just be sure to extend the baking time by a few extra minutes, or alternatively, thaw the scones overnight and follow the original baking instructions.
- Freezing after baking: After baking and cooling completely (but before or after glazing), freeze the scones in a freezer-safe container or bag. To thaw: leave on counter for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Warm in a 300 °F (149 °C) oven for ~10 minutes or microwave ~30 seconds for a quick treat.
Nutritional Information
-
~330 calories
-
11 g fat
-
~52 g carbohydrates
-
5 g protein
- 19 g Sugar
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm with a pat of butter or a drizzle of extra orange glaze.
- Pair with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or a café-style latte. The citrus and cranberry notes go beautifully with a mild brew.
- For brunch: place on a platter alongside scrambled eggs, fresh fruit salad, and maybe smoked salmon or a spinach-feta quiche.
- For tea time: serve with clotted cream or whipped mascarpone and a side of mixed berries.
- For a holiday breakfast or festive gathering: garnish the scones with extra orange zest and a few whole cranberries after glazing.
- Encourage guests to break apart the scone and share: the warm aroma of orange and cranberry really helps create a gathering mood.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones
Can I use fresh cranberries instead of frozen?
Yes, you can use fresh cranberries. The recipe recommends frozen cranberries ause they help maintain a cold dough, which enhances the texture, and they’re also handy when fresh cranberries aren’t available.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Absolutely. You can prepare the dough up to the point of chilling and cutting, then cover and refrigerate it overnight. Finish baking the next day. Alternatively, you can freeze the cut wedges for future baking—see the “Storage Instructions” above.
My scones spread too much—what went wrong?
If your scones spread too much, likely the dough got too warm (butter melted too early) or was over-handled. Next time, ensure butter is very cold/frozen, chill the dough before baking, and avoid overly kneading the dough. Using chilled baking sheets or placing the tray in the fridge for a moment before baking can help.
Do I have to glaze them?
No, the glaze is optional—but it adds a beautiful finish and extra orange flavor. If you’d like a lighter version, you can skip it or just lightly dust it with confectioners’ sugar.
How do I know when they’re done?
They should be golden brown at the edges, lightly browned on top, and still feel slightly firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into a scone wedge should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If you’re unsure, you can bake a minute or two longer until the color is right.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for making these Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones part of your baking journey. I truly savor the moment when the warm scent of orange zest fills the kitchen and the tartness of cranberries pops through each tender bite. It’s a simple recipe, yet one that delivers bakery-style results with home comfort. I hope you enjoy how easily it comes together and how irresistibly flavorful the outcome is. May this treat bring warmth to your mornings or delight to your gatherings. Happy baking, and thanks for being part of our food-loving community!
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Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
Description
Bright, buttery, and bursting with citrus flavor, these Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or tea time. Each bite offers tender texture and vibrant fruit flavor, finished with a sweet orange glaze.
Ingredients
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup (113g) frozen unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaping cup (125g) frozen cranberries
Optional: 1 tbsp heavy cream + coarse sugar for brushing
For the Glaze:
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
2–3 tbsp fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Pre-heat and prep: Start pre-heating your oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
- Prepare the butter: Using a box grater (or a pastry cutter/forks if you prefer), grate or cut the frozen butter into the flour mixture. Combine until you have pea-sized crumbs—some butter bits still visible is fine. Place this bowl into the refrigerator (or freezer briefly) to keep cold.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk the heavy cream (½ cup), egg, and vanilla extract.
- Combine dough: Remove the flour mixture from the cold spot. Drizzle the wet ingredients over it, add the frozen cranberries, then mix until just moistened. The dough will be sticky. If too sticky, add a little more flour; if too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream.
- Shape: On a lightly floured surface, pour the dough and gently bring together into a ball—don’t over-knead. Press into an ~8-inch disc. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 equal wedges.
- Optional topping: Brush the wedges with additional heavy cream and sprinkle coarse sugar if you like extra crunch.
- Chill: Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 2–3 inches apart. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (this helps with rise and flakiness).
- Bake: After chilling, bake in the pre-heated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops are lightly browned.
- Cool & glaze: Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes on the sheet. Meanwhile whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice to make the glaze—adjust with more sugar to thicken or more juice to thin. Drizzle the glaze over the warm scones.
- Serve: Let the glaze set briefly, then enjoy warm.
Notes
Freeze before or after baking.
Use fresh or dried cranberries if frozen aren’t available.
Store at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days.
Best enjoyed warm.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Baking
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Protein: 5g