Description
Rich and tender cranberry orange sour cream scones shine with zesty citrus and tart berries. Bakery-quality pastries come together easily, promising a delightful breakfast or afternoon treat you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.25 cups (540 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup (100 g) sweetened dried cranberries
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113 g) cold butter, cubed
- ½ tsp salt
- 1.5 tbsps grated fresh orange zest
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 tsps baking powder
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- 3 tbsps sliced almonds, roughly broken
- 2 tbsps turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
- 2 tbsps juice from orange
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm oven to 375°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dry Mixture: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Butter Integration: Cut cold butter into dry ingredients using a pastry blender, creating a coarse, crumbly texture; fold in dried cranberries.
- Wet Component: Whisk sour cream, heavy cream, egg, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-blended.
- Dough Formation: Gently combine wet and dry mixtures, stirring minimally until just incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
- Shaping: Transfer dough to a floured surface, gently form into an 8-inch circular disk about 1 inch thick; slice into wedges using a flour-dusted knife.
- Finishing Touches: Arrange scone wedges on prepared baking sheet, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sliced almonds and turbinado sugar.
- Baking: Roast in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes until golden brown and perfectly crisp.
- Glazing: Optional – Craft a vibrant glaze by blending powdered sugar, orange zest, and fresh orange juice; drizzle over warm scones.
- Serving: Accompany with whipped cream or orange marmalade for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir ingredients just until combined to maintain a tender, flaky scone texture without developing tough gluten strands.
- Butter Temperature Matters: Use cold butter and work quickly to create those signature light, layered scone layers that melt in your mouth.
- Zest Boosts Flavor: Fresh orange zest adds vibrant citrus notes that perfectly complement the tart cranberries and rich sour cream.
- Ensure Even Baking: Space scone wedges generously on the baking sheet to allow proper heat circulation and achieve uniform golden-brown edges.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-22 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg