Perfect for a brunch buffet or simple breakfast, these lightly-sweetened buttermilk scones are flavored with dried cranberries and fresh orange zest.
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).
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.
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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.
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
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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: 253kcal, Carbohydrates: 53g, Protein: 6.5g, Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 250mg, Fiber: 1.8g, Sugar: 18g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Could I use the dried orange powder to replace the fresh zest?
Hi Charlotte,
I believe you could use dried orange powder, but I’ve never tried it. Regarding quantity, if the powder you’re using doesn’t have directions, start with a teaspoon, combine all the ingredients except the raw egg, taste the batter, and adjust the flavor to your liking before adding the egg.