The flavors of tart cranberries and bright orange zest make for a melt-in-your-mouth combination. Whether you need a snack on the go, an after-school treat, or a dessert to take to an event, these zesty scones hit the spot. This super easy recipe with step-by-step instructions makes it easy for you to enjoy this British classic with all of its flaky yumminess. As a perfect treat for any gathering, you’ll love how super quick they whip up.
Make some delicious Honey Butter to pair perfectly with these delicious scones.
Why Our Recipe
- Only takes about 10 minutes to get them into the oven so you can enjoy the deliciousness whenever you get the craving.
The Brits have been enjoying scones for ages. In the US, the word “scone” can refer to a fried bread that’s similar to a donut, it doesn’t stop us from enjoying the British kind with its flaky pastry goodness. The Brits tend to have scones that are less sweet and are almost always round. Here in the US, they are slightly sweeter and most often are served in a wedge. No matter how you slice it, it’s still going to be a delicious little treat.
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose is going to be your go to. Can also use bread or pastry flour, but it will change the texture slightly.
- Sugar: Can reduce by half if you would prefer a less sweet scone.
- Cold Butter: Can use a cheese grater (small side), food processor, or pastry cutter. Place in freezer for 15 minutes before grating to help it grate into little pieces.
- Large Egg: Adding the egg will make the scone lighter and richer. This is optional and you can leave it out if you would like your scone to be more dense.
- Heavy Cream: If you are going to substitute, use buttermilk to maintain the same thickness.
- Cranberries: Definitely opt for dried cranberries or craisins for this one. Fresh cranberries won’t pop fast enough for such a quick baking time.
- Icing: The icing is optional, but it sure does make them look pretty and extra tasty.
Freezing for later
These scones freeze nicely so that you can pull them out of the freezer the night before and bake up them up fresh in the morning. Make the dough, cut into wedges and freeze individually on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, wrap in parchment paper and store in a resealable plastic freezer bag. These will stay good in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw before baking.
Storage Instructions
Store baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
heat to high 425 – the bottoms got very dark – the inside was not done – not sure what happened but I am a very good baker – prepared the recipe exactly as described. any suggestions on what went wrong!!!
So sorry your scones burned! A few things could have contributed to that. Sometimes ovens run hotter than they read, so it’s a good idea to use an oven thermometer to check for accuracy—many ovens need calibration. Using a dark-colored baking sheet can also cause baked goods to brown or burn more quickly on the bottom, since it absorbs more heat. For more even results, try using a light-colored or aluminum baking sheet and consider lining it with parchment paper to create a buffer. Also, make sure your scones are placed in the center of the oven and not too close to the top or bottom heating elements. We hope your next batch turns out perfectly—let us know if you try again!
I made these and they were the first time I’ve ever made scones and they turned out phenomenal, and I will definitely definitely make them again!!!! I doubled the recipe and added one egg. The recipe doesn’t call for an egg, but I seen other recipes that there were eggs so I just added one.
I made these this morning and it was easy & delish. I modified the recipe as I didn’t have heavy cream, an orange. I used 3/4 cup table cream w/ 1/4c milk. Brushed the tops w/ milk left. In the cup. I forgot the icing too!
It will be on the weekend rotation.Thank you!
Is there a reason why not to use fresh cranberries in this?
The baking time is not long enough for the cranberries to soften.