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A very closeup image of a cranberry orange scone leaning on another scone on a vintage cooling rack. The rack is on a beige linen with more scones in the background and cranberries and an orange in the front.
5 from 4 votes

Cranberry Orange Scones with Candied Ginger

Yield: 10 scones
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
These cranberry orange scones are the best! The candied ginger adds a lovely chewy texture and a bit of spice, while the cranberry-orange combo is bright, tart, and sweet. If you love a flaky, buttery scone, you'll definitely want to make these for the holidays!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c heavy cream
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 c sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs orange zest (about 2 oranges)
  • 1/2 c very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 c cranberries*, fresh, frozen, or dried
  • 3 Tbs crystallized ginger, finely chopped
  • Heavy cream or egg wash**, for brushing
  • Demerara or sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions 

  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream and egg until smooth. Place the cream mixture in the fridge.
  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Pulse a few times to combine. Toss in the cold butter chunks, and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces.*** Tip the butter-flour mixture into a large mixing bowl.
  • Next, stir in the cranberries and candied ginger until they're coated with flour. Add the cream mixture to the butter-flour mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together. Use your hands if necessary, but work quickly and do not overmix! A few dry spots are ok.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll until it's about 1-inch thick. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or mason jar lid to cut the dough into about 10 scones, re-rolling the dough as necessary.**** Place the scones on the parchment-lined cookie sheets about 2'' apart from each other.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the scones in the fridge or freezer for about 10-15 minutes while the oven is heating.
  • Brush the tops and sides of the scones with either egg wash or heavy cream. Sprinkle each scone with about 1/2 teaspoon of Demerara or sanding sugar.
  • Bake the scones for 14-15 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the bottoms are a light golden brown and the tops are dry. Let the scones cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, and then transfer the scones to a wire rack. Serve warm with coffee or black tea.

Notes

A note on cranberries:
*If using fresh cranberries, I would recommend cutting them in half and freezing them for 20-30 minutes. If you're using dried cranberries, look for some that are still a bit plump and juicy.
How to make egg wash:
**Whisk 1 egg with 1 Tablespoon of water. Alternatively, you can use heavy cream. 
To make the scones by hand:
***Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Then, use a pastry cutter or the tines of a fork to cut the butter into pea-sized pieces into the flour mixture.
Cutting the dough:
****For an easier option, cut the scones into 8 triangles. To do so, quickly press the dough into a large 1'' thick circle and cut the dough into 1/8ths with a sharp knife.
Cuisine: English
Course: Bread & Dough, Breakfast
Serving: 1scone, Calories: 294kcal, Carbohydrates: 40.3g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12.9g, Saturated Fat: 7.9g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 131mg, Potassium: 2mg, Fiber: 1.3g, Sugar: 10.5g, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 82mg
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