Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
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The texture of these cranberry orange scones is phenomenal – billowy soft and crumbly (as evidenced by the next picture). My sister Tanya hosted a ladies brunch/ girls tea party and these were my contribution. Remember the princess party? That’s the one! Everyone loved that these scones weren’t overly sweet (the scones themselves have just 2 Tbsp sugar!) – it’s a fairly low-guilt dessert.
The base of this recipe is modified from the strawberry scones that I guest posted for Better Homes and Gardens. The idea for the orange flavoring and glaze is based on Ina Garten’s Cranberry Orange Scones.
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Scones:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour *measured correctly
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest (from 1/2 orange)
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1 Tbsp to brush the top
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp coarse/raw sugar to sprinkle the top, optional
Ingredients for the Orange Glaze:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice plus a pinch of orange zest
How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones:
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. In a large bowl, stir together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest. Add butter pieces and using a pastry cutter (or 2 knives), cut butter into mixture until you have coarse pea-sized crumbs.
2. Toss in 3/4 cup dried cranberries and stir gently to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Pour egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula to stir just until moistened. tip: don’t wash the dish with your cream/egg mix. Add a little cream to it and use it to brush the scone in the next step!
4. Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface and pull it together into a round disk, about 3/4″ thick. Cut disk into 12 equal wedges and pull apart slightly. Brush tops of scones with 1 Tbsp heavy cream and sprinkle the top with raw sugar if desired. Bake 15-17 min until golden (mine took 16 min)
5. Remove scones from the hot baking sheet and let cool 15 min then whisk together 2/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, adding more or less to desired thickness then drizzle over cranberry scones.
Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest, from 1/2 orange, plus more for glaze
- 1/2 cup 1 stick cold butter, cut into chunks
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1 Tbsp to brush the top
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 Tbsp coarse/raw sugar to sprinkle the top, optional
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest.
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Add butter pieces and using a pastry cutter (or 2 knives), cut butter into mixture until you have coarse pea-sized crumbs.
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Toss in 3/4 cup dried cranberries and stir gently to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Pour egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula to stir just until moistened.
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Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface and pull it together into a round disk, about 3/4" thick. Cut disk into 12 equal wedges and pull apart slightly. Brush tops of scones with 1 Tbsp heavy cream and sprinkle with raw sugar if desired. Bake 15-17 min until golden (mine took 16 min).
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Remove scones from the hot baking sheet and let cool 15 min then whisk together 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice and a pinch of orange zest. Add more or less powdered sugar or orange juice to reach desired thickness then drizzle over scones.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Have you tried scones? What’s your favorite variety?
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Question: Can the cranberry orange scone recipe be doubled? I’ve also replaced cranberries with strawberries and it’s a great recipe and it’s very good too.
Hi Jas! Yes, it sure can! 🙂
Amazing… Amazing… Brilliant!!
I made this Natasha’s recipe twice for my family, and my boys including, took in their lunchboxes.
Thanks a million Natasha! 🤗
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Raquel! Isn’t it the best when kids love what we parents make?
For plain scones, can you omit the cranberries and the orange?
Hi Sharon. That should be fine. You may also enjoy this recipe for my strawberry scones.
The best scones ever! Love them, so fragrant and soft. Thanks!
Thank you for the lovely review!
Hi Natasha, I just made these scones but added just 2 tbsps finely chopped walnuts and everyone loved them. Delicious! Thank you so much for all you do. Love, love, love your recipes. Hugs, Phyliss
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Phyliss!
I have made these scones at least 10 times now. I alternate between the recipe as-is and changing cranberries/orange to blueberries/orange/lemon. I add one extra tablespoon of sugar. This will remain my go-to scone recipe forever. Thank you!!!
That is great, Kim! Thank you for sharing. I am so happy you enjoy this recipe and I appreciate the 5-star review!
Greetings,
I love the flavor of these scones; however, I wish there were more detailed instructions as far as how to bring the dough together (as in folding in half and turning it 90 degrees few times). I had to watch other scone videos to figure out why I had hard time bringing the dough together.
Thank you.
Easy and a crowd pleaser! I’ve made these a few times and every time they are a hit! Absolutely delicious! For added delight, add a 1/4 cup of candied orange peel with the cranberries!
Nice one, thanks for sharing! I’m glad you loved this recipe, Laura.
I love anything cranberry orange, it is one of my favorite flavor combos. This recipe is fantastic and will be my recipe to use for all scones going forward. I used fresh cranberries that I soaked with a TBSP of orange juice. I thought this would make it sweet but it didn’t. I would likely increase my sugar by about 1tbsp next time using fresh berries (as I felt this needed a little more sweet, but I love the low sugar content!). I also glazed with orange juice (ran out of cream) and it seemed to work perfectly. Thanks again for an amazing recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jacqueline!
Hello, I’m exited to try this recipe and I was wondering can I make them a day in advance ? How should I store them?
Thank you.
Hi Irina, it’s possible but keep in mind that refrigerated scones don’t rise as well as freshly made scones. If making overnight, don’t sprinkle on the sugar until ready to bake and let them sit at room temp before baking while your oven preheats. It may take longer to bake depending on how cold they were when you put them in the oven. I hope that helps! 🙂
Hey Natasha, I love all of your recipes and use one at least every other day! I was just wondering if I could use fresh cranberries in this recipe without too much issue??
Hi Bridgette, happy to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes! I read in the comments that others used fresh cranberries and loved the result!
Natasha, This is now my go-to scone recipe. Love, love it. Thank you for sharing. The low sugar count is what has me hooked. That, and the fact that they are easy and delicious.
Hello Trish, so great to hear that! I hope you’ll love every recipe that you will try.
When something is so good as these are, I simply can’t pass up the opportunity to say “oh wow!” They are as fun to make as they are fabulous to taste. With only 2 tbs. of sugar, what’s not to love. A perfect sharable gift, too. They will thank you over and over. I shared with a friend and they were delighted. Applause to you!
That is awesome feedback and review! Thank you so much, MJ.
Natasha, I made the orange cranberry scones they we moist and delicious. I had a little problem getting the dough to stay together but it finally came together. I thought I might have over mix the dough and would be to dry. I’m definitely making these again my husband also loved them. Next time I’ll try doing Blueberry ones.
Hi Michelle, that could be the case but I’m glad that you were able to recover it. I hope you love every recipe that you will try!
Natasha, can I use frozen cranberries in this recipe instead of dried cranberries?
I am a huge fan and love yokr amazing recipes and your silly cooking videos. Fun!
Hi Angela, I imagine that will work too! Thank you for your support and if you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
I love your recipe for the Cranberry Orange Scones.
They are delicious!
I added 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries as well.
Aren’t they so good! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tonya!
Turned out so good. Thank you for the recipe !!
You are very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sheryl.
These are amazing 🤩. They turned out perfect – light and fluffy. Thank You
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Catherine!
I made them this morning and they’re beautiful. I didn’t have any heavy cream so I used 1/2 n 1/2 and it was fine. I also was out of dried cranberries but had some fresh in the freezer so I used them. I made the glaze with a blood orange from the garden. These really are delightful.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Awesome recipe I substituted the cranberries for chocolate chips , love ur recipes natasha, I recently started baking ur recipes and they were all a success!!!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! I’m so happy you discovered our blog.
I love all your recipes. When I make scones I freeze the butter and use a box grater. That way there is less chance of melting of the butter.
Thanks for your tip, Teresa. It’s good to know that you’re been enjoying my recipes!
Hi Natashia. Just took these out of the oven less than one hour ago and my partner has already devoured 5 of them. He is totally addicted. Says they are the best he has ever tasted. Again, Thank You. Hugs from Canada…Keep Safe.
Wow, thanks to you both for trying this recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed these scones.
Hi,
Your recipes are great and I learned to cook thanks to your advices; it was what I needed mostly during this pandemic.
I would like to make this recipe also but, as I am European is difficult to understand correctly the measurement for the ingredients.
I kindly ask if it’s possible to add also metric measurements (for example it’s difficult for me to measure 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, it makes me wonder: which cup is the appropriate one, should I buy the same kitchen tools as you have – they are not available here and more other questions 🙂 )
Anyways, I can’t wait to try the scones!
Thank you very much! ^_^
Hi Raluca, most of our recipes have the metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are still working through adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it takes some time as we have to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.
Oh no I bought 1/2 and 1/2 cream instead of whipping cream
Hi Karen, that should still work but the proportions will be a little different.
Is there anyway I could use almond flour or coconut flour to make these?
Hello Audrey, I haven’t experimented with gluten-free flour for this recipe so I can’t really make any recommendations on that. If you experiment, I would love to know how it works out 🙂
I’ve made these many times, but using fresh not dried, cranberries and my husband loves them.
Last week I tried a half batch with my gluten-free flour mix and they worked perfectly and taste delicious. A really nice treat for me as GF baking is a challenge, often too crumbly.
The GF Flour mix that I make is the following (more or less, sometimes I run short of something and substitute with something else). I store it in a sealer jar and use it as needed
2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c white rice flour
1/2 c arrowroot flour
1 c potato starch
1/2 c tapioca starch
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
mix well in a large bowl with a whisk, store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Hi Jodie, thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us. So helpful indeed!
I have made scone recipes with gluten free all purpose flour. Add an additional egg white to the recipe. This helps it stick together. I also enjoy golden raisin and orange zest.
Love your videos I plan to try the Apple tart for a dinner party.
Wish me luck
I’m sure it will be awesome. Enjoy!
Scones were amazing thanks for the recipe.keep up the great work❤️
You are most welcome, Shishma. I’m glad you loved it!
Excuuuuse me!! These are just amazing. Just completed my ‘R&D” test run for my upcoming Catering event…can hardly wait to unleash these on the guests. Another winner Natasha,Thanks
That’s so awesome Daryl! I hope they’re a big hit!
Hi Natasha,
I love all your recipes and have been wanting to make scones. I came across this one and would love to make it. I do not have heavy cream but I do have light cream. Would that work?
Hi Yvonne, I have not tried that substitution but I really do think the dough needs the fat and thickness of the heavy cream to form properly.
Actually I never have heavy cream in the house. I have been using sour cream I just add a little bit more then half cup. Comes out great
and I mix it lemon sometimes as well a limes
Thank you for sharing that Roxanne! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
I use 1/2 and 1/2 cream in my scone recipes. For Natasha’s recipe I would increase the butter by 1 Tbls. if you use light cream.
Perfect scone recipe! Light and fluffy inside and lightly crispy exterior. I’m not a fan of cranberries so I doubled the quantity and added mini choc chips instead. With the orange drizzle…. perfect!
Thanks for the great addition to my recipe box!
Sounds yummy too, that’s a good idea! Thank you for sharing that with us.
I love scones for breakfast and make these slot. I have tried so many of your recipes and they are all a big hit with my family! I tell everyone they need to go to your site and start following you as your recipes are a sure thing and so easy to make. I love cooking and baking even more now 😉 Thanks so much
Aww! Thank you so much for that wonderful compliment! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes! Thank you for sharing them with your friends and family!
I have eaten a lot of scones in my life but never made them myself. I wanted to make scones for our “high tea” and found this recipe. First time making scones and these are by far the best I’ve ever had!!! So light and fluffy, and not too sweet. I hate oversweetened pastries. This recipe is wonderful. For mine I added some more orange zest (1.5 T) and used 1 C of fresh (frozen) cranberries, cut in half. It turned out perfect. The cranberries are nice and tart, the dough light and buttery. Thank you for this!
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful review. I’m so glad you loved the cranberry orange scones. It’s great to know it works well with frozen halved cranberries. Did you add them frozen?
This made a delicious scone. I did add vanilla to the egg mixture. Next time I will probably increase the sugar but, overall the flavors really came through.
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Tami! Thank you for the wonderful review.
Can you also use fresh cranberries for this recipe?
Hi Ellen, I haven’t tried fresh cranberries but I have seen some recipes online using fresh. If you experiment, let me know how it goes.
I used half dried and half fresh, they were great, next batch will have all fresh and more orange zest! May leave off the sweet drizzle as I have a diabetic brother who could have them as there is only 2tbsp if sugar in the mix! I think I may just make them thicker and cut them into 8
I hope you love that Ellen! Thank you for sharing that with me.
I come from a Scot’s heritage of long standing. The idea of sweet sugary toppings on scones probably has my ancestors turning over in their graves. That addition is unnecessary as well as unhealthy.
Julianne Perry Lee
Hi Julianne, it is definitely easy to omit. I hope you love the scone recipe!
I made these yesterday & my family loved them. Their were only a few left today so I just made more. Sadly I didn’t have any more crasins but I did add a 1/2 tsp of almond extract and WOW !
I made these yesterday & my family loved them. Their were only a few left today so I just made more. Sadly I didn’t have any more crasins but I did add a 1/2 tsp of almond extract and WOW !
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Mercedes!
Came out perfect, delicious I didn’t have dried cranberries so I used fresh. Best scones I ever ate.
Five stars perfect, thank you
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you liked that.
That’s so great Thelma! Thank you for that awesome feedback!
These came out perfect. Great recipe. Very similar to Ina Garten’s Orange Cranberry Scones.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
These were a big hit at church. They were delicious!
I’m so happy you all enjoyed that Hilary!
Love your recipes. However I have grown up in New Zealand making scones & never added eggs. Interesting
Hi Grace, It’s how I’ve been making them for some time.
I have a couple plain scone recipes that I added ingredients to to make cranberry orange scones (zest and orange juice). I thought it might be easier to just find a recipe. I found that these were not sweet enough. I also had to add more cream to prevent dryness. I like sweets, but not too sweet. These were only a hint of sweet before the glaze. I brought these to a breakfast where we served a casserole with eggs and pancake batter and that was all eaten, while these scones (with the glaze) were only fully eaten by a couple of people. Most left 1/2 on their plate.
Hi Alison, you can add more sugar if you prefer, but we do like scones that aren’t overly sweet for breakfast and brunch.
Since I love in Puerto Rico, like country, I decided to use limes instead of oranges. It was fabulous tasting. I add some raisins also. The likes create a tangy taste.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I didn’t have any heavy whipping cream so I used 1 cup of cool whip instead, and didn’t have cranberries so I did chocolate chips and just added a little more orange zest and a bit of the juice into the batter. To my surprise, they turned out so good! Best scones I ever ate!
I’m so happy they turned out! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Thank you – this was my first scone recipe! I made it a few times and tweaked it each time until it was just right for us.
On the batch that my wife and I found to be our favorite we used 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder instead of a tablespoon.
We also increased the heavy cream to 3/4 cup. With 1/2 cup the dough was too dry. A 3/4 cup seemed to be just the ticket.
And lastly we doubled the amount of orange zest and increased the bake time to 19 minutes.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m happy you enjoyed that!
Hi Natasha, I tried your Cranberry Orange Scone recipe. It turned out perfect and it was everything you said it would be! Thank you so much my family loved them!
I’m so happy to hear that, Janice!! Thank you for sharing this with me!
I am making these scones for my mom’s birthday. These scones are so delicious, everyone in my family loves them! Definitely 5 stars!
Wow! Thanks for the awesome review, Virginia!
These were so incredible!! I got so many compliments and they were gone right away. Thanks for this amazing recipe! 😉
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Ilona!
This recipe turned out great! But found out my son is allergic to milk. Is there any substitute for the heavy whipping cream that I can use instead? Thanks.
Hi Amelia, I honestly haven’t tried anything else. You might have to google search to see if you can find a dairy-free scones recipe.
Ok I’ll try that, thank you very much for replying. What is the recipe for lemon glaze?
My pleasure, the lemon glaze recipe is included in this one!
Can I use fresh blueberries instead of dried cranberries? Will it turn out the same?
Hello Tanya, you can use about 1 cup of fresh blueberries instead. I’d suggest trying lemon juice in the glaze because blueberries and lemon work well together. You can omit the orange zest. Also, try just a pinch of cinnamon in the scones because cinnamon and blueberries love each other. Let me know how you like it!
Just wanted to say Natasha the blueberry scones turned out so good I can’t stop eating them l. Thanks for helping me change up the ingredients:)
You’re welcome Tanya! I’m glad you love the recipe as much as I do, thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
I’ve made these scones countless times and craves for it all the time! It is so addictively good!Yum!
Yay, I’m glad to hear the recipe is a favorite of yours! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Francis!
Hi Natasha This recipe looks delish! I want to make them all I have on hand is self rising flour will that work? Thanks Michelle
Hi Michelle, I haven’t experimented with that but one of my readers did share her experience and said self rising flour was not good for scones.
ok thanks i will wait til i get ap flour then i will try it
My pleasure Michelle, please let me know how it turns out!
OMG! I have made these 3times and they are Always a hit.
I come from a Bakery family and I find no reason for a Liquid Substitute.
Awesome! I’m glad to hear how much you love this recipe Pat! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Can use whole milk instead of heavy cream?
Hi Elizabeth, I have not tried that substitution but I really do think the dough needs the fat and thickness of the heavy cream to form properly.
Love this recipe! Turned out perfect!
It was supposed to be 5 stars!
Awesome!!
I’m glad you love it Cary! Thanks so much for sharing!
Just made this! Very good recipe!
Doubled the recipe to make more came up good. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome Catarina! I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hello. is it possible to make the scones in advance and freeze them unbaked? Thank you.
Hi Rosalva, I never tried freezing scones before so can’t really say how it will effect the texture. If trying that, you will have to thaw in the refrigerator and if you are placing them in the oven chilled from the fridge, you will need to increase baking time. These are my best guesses since I haven’t tested that.
Maybe someone else has tried freezing them unbaked – if so, please share your insights! 🙂
Freezing unbaked scones works great! Its actually really good for the butter to get really cold and then be hit with heat. Freeze them, covered, and just let them sit out for a few minutes for a more even bake. You might need to bake them for a few more minutes than usual.
Great suggestion Clare, thanks for sharing!
Best scone recipe ever! Light and not to sweet. Used fresh cranberries and they worked fine! Love it!
Nicki, thank you for such a nice review, I’m so glad you love the recipe 😬
What are your thoughts on using real cranberries for this vs. the dried?
Never mind! Just ready one of your earlier comments to someone else. 🙂
I’m glad you found the answer and hope you love the recipe! 🙂
I made these for Thanksgiving breakfast, and oh my! Delicious! My mother in law has not stopped talking about them!
I’m glad to hear the recipe is a HIT! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review Andrea!
I use Trader Joes orange flavored dried cranberries. Really special. No need for a sugary drizzle!
Thank you so much for the amazing review!!
I used those to! They are delicious and great for this recipe! The recipe was so easy to follow and clear. They turned out awesome!
Thank you for sharing that with me!
does the fruit in these scones have to be dried?
Hi Christine, I haven’t tried fresh cranberries but I have seen some recipes online using fresh. If you experiment, let me know how it goes 🙂
Hey Natasha, I love Cranberry Orange Scones. Thanks for sharing your recipes. I’m hoping your measurement for the baking powder has a typo. It seemed little heavy taste of baking powder. Drizzling with the glaze helped. Please advise…Thanks Debra
Hi Debra, that measurement is correct – did you maybe use baking soda by mistake? You should not be able to taste baking powder unless it has aluminum in it – some people report an off taste to baking powders with aluminum so I would recommend checking the label and purchasing one without aluminum.
Your recipes are all fabulous and many are soooo easy to make Keep them coming….
I’m glad to hear you are enjoying the recipes Diana! Thanks for following!
These are delicious. I didn’t have cream so I put a mixture of Greek yoghurt and soy milk. Today I made them again, because they were so popular, and changed the cranberries to dried apricots and used 2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of coconut. To save time I also just put it on the baking paper in a circle and pressed the knife in to make the divisions and that worked fine. We didn’t put the icing on either just to save on sugar content.
Dorothy, thank you for sharing your version of the recipe and for the nice review 😬.
Is their anything that I could sub for cranberries?
Denae, you could just leave them out or sub with dry cherries 😀
Tried this recipe yesterday (got more than 12 scones but yay for me!) and they were so nice! Lucky I had all these ingredients in my house. Thank you for the recipe they were amazing!
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
why is that that your recipes Natasha always turned out sooo good ?!
scones were so good , we were almost arguing who gets the last one))) I didn’t have dry cranberries so I put dry cherries, but you couldn’t tell the difference. what I really like about this recipe its only takes half an hour to make it. and it looks and tastes awesome. this recipe, as all of yours, deserves 5 stars !
Thank you for the wonderful compliment and for sharing your awesome review Anya! 🙂
Omg! This recipe is really amazing! I just made the scones. I only added a little bit more sugar (1/2 cup) and cut the dough in 6 pieces. These are the perfect scones to a Saturday/Sunday coffee! 🙂 Thank you Natasha!
You’re welcome Anna! I’m so happy to hear how much you love them! 🙂
How should they be stored? Can I freeze them after they are baked to serve later? I’m so happy to find this recipe as I have a ton of dried cranberries I need to use and my daughter has a middle school Christmas fair she is selling these at for their country they’ve studied–the UK. 🙂
Lynel, I haven’t tried freezing them but usually they are stored at room temperature in the air tight container.
Great recipe! What I added, was to place the mixture in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight and before placing it in the oven, I let it rest at room temperature at least 30 min. The scones will rise more and become much fluffier.
Simona, thank you for the tip and for the nice review 😬.
I made the scones yesterday and loved it! This recipe will be a part of my Christmas baking! Thanks.
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
Hi Natasha! I made your scones with different fruit many, many times and they’re always yummy:-) thank you! But I have a question – I’d like to make a batch for my husband to take to work with him, can I make the dough the night before and bake the scones in the morning?
Hi Nata, it’s possible but keep in mind that refrigerated scones don’t rise as well as freshly made scones. If making overnight, don’t sprinkle on the sugar until ready to bake and let them sit at room temp before baking while your oven preheats. It may take longer to bake depending on how cold they were when you put them in the oven. I hope that helps! 🙂
Sounds delicious! I love scones but have recently become gluten intolerant. Have you by any chance experimented with gluten free flours?
Hi Robin, I haven’t experimented with gluten free flour for this recipe so I can’t really make any recommendations on that. If you experiment, I would love to know how it works out 🙂
Hi Natasha, this recipe seems delicious! Can I use chocolate chips instead of dried cranberries and how much?
Hi Esther, it really depends on how sweet you like your scones since chocolate chips will add sweetness. I would add an equal amount or up to 1 cup chocolate chips.
Literally just made this! Natashka you are so awesome!! My family absolutely enjoyed this recipe. It wasn’t too sweet, and it’s perfect for the times when guests come unexpectedly and you don’t have anything sweet for tea😉
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for the awesome review 🙂
The first time I made these they turned out a little hard to mix together so next time I added less flour and had a much easier time “pulling it all together.” Also, my family wasn’t a huge fan of the orange-flavored drizzle so made it with milk the second time. I ended up adding cut-up fresh apricots to the scones and they were GOOD!
I’m already a scone-fan, once I discovered how easy they are to make, I’ll think twice before handing Starbucks my money 😛 Thanks, Natasha!
Taisa, thank you for the nice review and you are welcome 😁.
Another WINNER WINNER WINNER!!! Fantastic scones – seriously belong at the café bakery!!! Recipe is very simple & equally delicious. I did not have an orange on hand, ended up using mandarins. Added more zest and made glaze from mandarin juice – BOMB! Thanks again for an A+ recipe. Utica, NY
That is quite a compliment! Thank you so much 🙂
Made these with frozen raspberries, lemon zest and lemon glaze instead. So soft and delish! Perfect easy dessert for the unexpected guest! 😉
Mmm wow that combination sounds so good!
Wow, these Cranberry Orange Scones look like fluffy clouds, yummy! Pinning these beauties. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious goodness!
Thank you so much for pinning and sharing! You’re awesome 🙂
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I just made them and Omg the BEST scone recipe I have come across… I will only be using this one and modifying it for different things…. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Thank you so much!! 😄
Jessica, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review and you are welcome! 😀
This is the best Scone recipe I have found, it is amazing. I will be adapting it to every different flavor sweet and savory. Very moist and has a wonderful texture. It is the cream that does it and they don’t dry out in the next few days as you finish them off.
Awesome!! I’m so happy you found it and love it! Keep me posted if you try a new winning flavor combination! 🙂
I used this recipe and it turned out really yummy! I substituted chocolate instead of cranberries (I have a sweet tooth :)) and loved it so much!
Thanks for this great recipe.
Wow chocolatey scones sound fabulous! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe. The only difference with my oven is that it took 40 min to get them brown. I have a photo but I couldnt find a place to post it.
Also because I did not do the frosting on top, they came out in between sweet&savory. So next time, I can add one more table spoon of sugar.
I will also try the same recipe with feta cheese and dill.
Thank you Natasha
Love
Sahane
Oh wow feta and dill sound wonderful! I’d love to see your picture. If you have a facebook account, you could upload it to my facebook page: facebook.com/natashaskitchenpage
Hi Natasha, these scones are amazing! Rarer so good!! Didn’t have oranges or lemons, so just left it out, is these any other zest you could put? Thanks!
I really only put either orange or lemon zest into recipes, sometimes I’ll use zest from clementines if I’m out of oranges 🙂 I’m so happy you loved the scones! 🙂
Hi Natasha, I want to make these today but I have fresh cream. After searching things up heavy whipping cream has around 30 pre cent more fat.
Would it work? Thanks!!
Hi Lana, I haven’t tried it with that substitute personally but 2 of my readers have said that they used regular milk and the recipe still worked well. I’m assuming it would work with fresh cream but again, I haven’t tested it that way myself. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Hi Natasha, I did these yesterday with halved and quartered strawberries but they didn’t come out right. I am sure I used dry ingredients in dry mesuring cups and same for liquid. But.. I did add a little more baking powder, maybe 1/2 or 3/4 tsp . They were very very sticky so I oil just put them in a muffin tin. So when I baked them they were in the oven for about 30 odd minutes. They were brown and very dense as if they were raw. But still tastes nice warmed. Any idea what went wrong?
Thanks!!😆😆
HI Lana, I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. The recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of baking powder -did you use 1 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp? If you used more than what the recipe called for, I’m wondering if maybe your baking powder was no longer fresh, especially if they did not rise? Did you substitute any of the ingredients – like using Canadian flour vs all-purpose American flour (lower gluten content than Canadian), or substitute anything else in the recipe?
Yes, I did add milk instead. The scones did rise and get round and golden at the top. Maybe because my baking powder was double action. I’m not sure but will definitely try again in a couple of weeks (and will buy cream)
Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing that!!! That’s really great and healthier! 🙂
If you’re using whole milk instead of heavy creamer you need to add sour cream.
1 cup heavy whipped cream = 1/2 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup whole milk…
Thanks for sharing that!
Hello Natasha… I made those scones yesterday except that I didn’t put any orange zest or juice and glaze. What I did I only added cranberries. Oh it turned out good as one that I always make cranberries scones from American Test Kitchen.
Just want to share few tips from my previous experience. # 1. All purpose flour for scones and other flowers such as cake flour or self rising flour or Canadian flour is for cakes, not good for scones… #2. Do not over mix butter. # 3. Put cold butter into food processor and it will process into small beats – which is good. #4. Bake them either on cooling rack or non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat – this will prevent burning bottom of the scones which it does from my previous experience when I have used aluminum foil. #5. And of course I have bake them at 425 o F for 12-13 minutes and position of the rack has to be in the middle of the oven this means that scones will raise steady. #6 always bake on bake mode not roast mode – I know it is dump but I made this mistake with Paska and never again… lol
Thanks for recipe. I really enjoy it actually my husband. He loves them.
Definitely recommend to make it but for the beginners I will suggest to read all of the tips and tricks how to bake perfect scones
Thank you for sharing your tips! 🙂
Hi Natasha I was wondering if I could add rhubarb and strawberries? Because rhubarb is normally not that nice raw,but I have used that combination for the first time in cheesecake and it tasted really nice. If possible, how much of both do you think i should add? And also i have read all the comments and some have used milk and it worked fine, so I will use it. Will I also just brush it with milk?
Thanks!!😆😁☺😆
HI Lana, I can’t really speak for the milk since I haven’t tried it – I think scones need the fat to get that crumbly texture that is desirable in a scone. I think brushing the tops with milk would be fine though.
Hi Natasha I was wondering if I could add strawberrys and rhubarb. Rhubarb is normally really sour and not nice raw. But I have done that combination in cheesecake so it obviously cooked and tasted nice. Would the same thing happen in scones? And if so how much and what way would I cut it.
Thanks! So excited to try them with or with out rhubarb
HI Lana, to be honest I haven’t tried these with rhubarb so I can’t really give a recommendation for it. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
OK… today is a day I am going to do your scones. I have tried different scones using recipe from american test kitchen and others turned out some of the delicious some of them dry, and i think i know why because i have convectional oven and it does bake faster than original ovens and first batch cooked faster than it was expected. So my question to you do i need to use cold eggs or room temperature eggs ?
I used cold eggs. I hope you love the scones!
These came out so well! I made them with chopped fresh cranberries. Even my kids loved them, and they normally don’t like scones. Easy recipe, thanks so much 🙂
I haven’t tried with fresh cranberries. Thanks so much for sharing that with me. I’m trying that next! 🙂
Am doing baked goods for a fall boutique. Can the scones be frozen and glazed when thawed?
Linda, I never tried freezing scones before so can’t really say how it will effect the texture.
Just made them – they are fantastic!!! Can’t stop eating, so so good, even without the glaze (no powdered sugar on hand). Thank you for the quick and delicious recipe!
Thank you for the great review Tanya and you are welcome :).
Absolutely wonderful (when you don’t forget an ingredient)!, So, don’t forget the baking soda! I made 2 batches for work potluck brunch, but had to throw the one out. 1st batch was fluffy and delicious. Second flat and doughy. Oops. Will keeps this recipe handy and make again. I love cranberry orange, and these were perfect!
Tonia, thank you for the great review, reading your comment is making me crave some scones :D.
Hi Natasha, I was wondering if you could clear something up for me: what’s the difference between a scone and biscuit?
Thanks & Blessings,
Tamara
Scones are slightly more cake like in consistency and typically have some sugar in them as biscuits usually do not.
I’ve never seen a scone recipe with eggs or sugar in it – is this an American thing? Scones are typically flour, baking powder, butter (rubbed in) and milk. Cheese can be added or other savoury ingredients. Dates are a popular ingredient for a sweet version.
Hi Kiwi, Possibly – I’m not sure. It’s how I’ve been making them for some time :). Do you have a recipe posted with the ingredients you mentioned? I’d love to to try your version to compare. Also, I love the idea of adding dates. Thanks for sharing!
Just made these, kids are devouring them as I comment. Thanks for you site!
That’s so cute. 🙂 Thank you for the awesome review and for taking a moment to share that beautiful scene of your kiddos enjoying the scones. 🙂
Natasha, I just got done glazing them and just had to tell you that these scones are divine! The texture is so spot on and the flavor is incredible. This is going in my recipe file for many future uses. Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe along with awesome instructions 🙂
That’s wonderful! Thank you for your fantastic review! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I love scones, especially soft flaky ones. If I were to substitute the cranberry and orange and wanted blueberry ones, do you know the proportions for that? My hubby isn’t into raisins or cranberries. Won’t eat it. (More for me tho 🙂
You can use about 1 cup of fresh blueberries instead. I’d suggest trying lemon juice in the glaze because blueberries and lemon work well together. You can omit the orange zest. Also, try just a pinch of cinnamon in the scones because cinnamon and blueberries love each other. Let me know how you like it!
These scones turned out great!! Thank you Natasha!!! You ROCK!!!!!!
Oh and I forgot to brush the scones with heavy cream, but they were great even without it.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I’m so happy you loved them! Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂
I just made them and they’re cooling down before I glaze them. I did not have any heavy cream so I’ve used same amount of milk instead and they still taste delicious and look just like yours, however, I would add maybe 1-2 tbsp more of sugar next time. Also I’ve used butter straight out of freezer, didn’t had any in the fridge at the moment. Thank you for sharing this delcious easy recipe, I must go make a cup of latte now 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! A scone and a latte sounds wonderful right now!
Looking forward to making these! Can I use mandarin zest instead of orange?
I think mandarin zest would work fine. I hope you love the scones!
I can’t wait to try this recipe out. I haven’t dipped into making scones just yet. Especially since I just mastered baking cookies. But this would be a perfect thanksgiving brunch dish for sure!
I think you’ll be surprised at how easy scones are to master and once you have a good master recipe, you can change them up in so many different ways and even make savory scones!
OMG these are so good!!! And the smell…. Just wow. I made them with milk cause I didn’t have heavy cream but they are still so so so soooooooo good ;P ;P ;P ;P ;P ;P thank you for an amazing recipe. Kids just had these as a snack before bedtime with a glass of milk. What can I say except they are some very happy kids!!!
Hi Diana! Its great to know that these work well with milk! Thank you so much for the awesome review :). I’m so happy your children went to sleep happy
My family loves cranberry orange scones! It’s like our go to treat with tea and coffee 🙂 Next time I set out to make a batch, I’ll be sure to give your recipe a try 🙂
I agree it pairs really well with coffee and tea! Mmm now I have to go make some more coffee 😉
Omg, exactly what my heart desires 🙂
Wish I could bring some to you on our trip!
Cranberry and Orange is such a great combination! Perfect for these light and wonderful scones =)
Thanks Shelby! They taste wonderful together and I hope you love them 🙂
Scones are the quickest, most enjoyable thing to bake fast for breakfast. They’re my weakness, esp if they’re really buttery.
Orange + cranberry is a great pairing.
Can’t wait to try these!
Thank you! I agree they are a great breakfast treat! I tend to eat too many of them 😉