Made with low-fat buttermilk and flavored with dried cranberries and fresh orange zest, these lightly sweetened homemade scones are quick and easy to make and delicious with a piping hot cup of coffee. They make a tasty, light breakfast or a great addition to a brunch buffet and the recipe is easy to adapt using different fruits and spices (see our notes below).

Cranberry Orange Scones

Perfect for a brunch buffet or simple breakfast, these lightly-sweetened buttermilk scones are flavored with dried cranberries and fresh orange zest.

Author: Lynne Webb
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 scones
Category: Baking
Cuisine: European

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup whole milk
Zest of 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl.
In separate bowl, combine the egg, buttermilk, milk, orange zest and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and add the cranberries. Combine to form a soft dough.
Turn the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and, using wet hands (the dough will be sticky), pat into an 8-inch round. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Dip a knife in water and cut the dough into 6 wedges and separate them slightly on the baking sheet.
Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Serve warm with butter.

Notes

Preparation Tip:

If your dried cranberries are very fresh they may have a tendency to stick together when chopped. If so, transfer 1 tablespoon of the flour to a plastic bag, add the fruit and shake to coat. This will help to distribute the fruit more evenly through the dough.

Nutrition

Calories: 253
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 250mg
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 53mg
Fiber: 1.8g
Protein: 6.5g
Cholesterol: 33mg

Recipe Variations:

Cinnamon-Raisin Scones: Replace the dried cranberries with 1/2 cup raisins, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and omit the orange zest.
Apricot-Lemon Scones: Replace the dried cranberries with dried apricots and replace the orange zest with 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Depending on how much lemon flavor you like, you could also use 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract in place of the vanilla.
Cherry-Almond Scones: Replace the dried cranberries with dried cherries, omit the orange zest and replace the vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Before baking, sprinkle the top of each scone with 2 tablespoons sliced almonds that have been lightly crushed and mixed with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.

Cranberry Orange Scones