Cranberry Orange Scones
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Nov. 9, 2026
These better-than-bakery cranberry orange scones are always the first thing to go at my holiday brunches. They’re buttery and tender inside, with crisp edges, fresh cranberries, and fresh orange zest. A sweet orange glaze finishes them off, and you can make the dough up to 2 days ahead.
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Amy’s Notes
Scones have a reputation for being dry and crumbly. Not these. These cranberry orange scones are extra-tender inside with crisp, edges, and they’re one of my favorite holiday recipes. Even non-scone fans will want these moist scones. Here’s what you’ll love:
- Big, Bright Flavor: Tart cranberries and fresh orange zest give these scones real flavor, and the orange glaze on top adds a bright sweetness.
- Never Dry: I grate frozen butter right into the flour, so the scones bake up flaky and tender.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: I love that the dough chills for up to 2 days, so you can bake cranberry orange scones fresh on a busy holiday morning.
- Easy to Share: They’re lovely on a brunch table or wrapped up as a gift, just like my White Chocolate Berry Almond Scones.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Frozen Butter: Grating it straight from the freezer leaves little cold pieces in the dough, which turn into flaky layers in the oven.
- Fresh Cranberries: They stay tart and juicy as they bake. Frozen work too, straight from the freezer.
- Orange Zest: Fresh zest gives the scones their bright orange flavor, so skip the extract.
- Sour Cream: Keeps the scones moist and tender. Plain Greek yogurt works too.
- Orange Glaze: Just powdered sugar and fresh orange juice, drizzled over the cooled scones for even more orange flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Other Berries: Swap the cranberries for blueberries or raspberries. If you love raspberries, try my Raspberry White Chocolate Scones.
- Dried Cranberries: Soak them in warm water or orange juice for about 10 minutes, then drain before folding them in.
- Citrus Swap: Lemon zest works in place of orange, or use half of each. You can use lemon juice instead of orange juice as well.
- White Chocolate Drizzle: Skip the orange glaze and drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled scones instead.
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
- Whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Grate frozen butter into the dry mix and work it in with your fingers until crumbly.
- In another bowl, whisk sour cream, egg, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth.
- Pour the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture.
- Stir until clumps form, then gently fold in cranberries.
- Use your hands to bring the dough together into one ball.
- Chill dough for 20-30 minutes if sticky. Pat the dough into an 8-inch round.
- Cut into 8 triangles. Place on a lined sheet, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake at 400°F for 14-17 minutes until golden and set.
- Cool, then drizzle with orange glaze and serve.
→ For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How to Prep Ahead
- Chill the Dough: You can prepare the dough up to two days in advance. Wrap the dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to shape and bake. This helps the butter stay cold and gives the scones an even flakier texture.
- Freeze Before Baking: Shape the scones into wedges and place them on a baking sheet to freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to two months. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Storage: Keep baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. Warm frozen scones in a low oven (about 300°F) until heated through.
Cranberry Orange Scones
These Cranberry Orange Scones are buttery and tender with crisp, sugary edges, tart cranberries, and fresh orange zest, finished with a sweet orange glaze. Make the dough up to 2 days ahead.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 13 tablespoons butter, frozen
- ½ cup whole sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest, from 1 large orange
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 egg, + 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice, lightly beaten together (for egg wash)
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Optional Toppings
- coarse sugar, for sprinkling
- ½ cup white chocolate chips, melted for drizzling, instead of orange glaze
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Using large holes of a box grater, grate frozen butter into the flour. Use fingers to work in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, egg, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth and incorporated.
- Use a fork to stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large clumps form. Gently stir in cranberries.
- Use hands to form dough into a ball. As you work the dough, it will come together; don’t overwork dough. Lightly dampen hands with a bit of water for easy shaping.
- If dough is sticky and needs to firm up a bit, place dough ball in airtight container and chill about 20-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set oven to 400F, with rack on lower-middle position.
- On a lightly floured, flat surface, press dough ball evenly into an 8-inch circle, about 3/4 inch thick. Using a very sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 triangle wedges. Place triangles on lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Brush the egg wash on top of each triangle. If desired, sprinkle tops generously with coarse sugar.
- Bake about 14-17 minutes or just until tops are light golden. Do not over bake. Allow scones to cool completely to room temp.
- Whisk powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle orange glaze over cooled scones. For a white chocolate drizzle instead, melt the white chocolate chips and drizzle over cooled scones.
Notes
- Substitutions: Frozen cranberries work straight from the freezer. Don’t thaw them first, or they’ll streak the dough. Dried cranberries work too: soak them in warm water or orange juice for about 10 minutes, then drain. Plain Greek yogurt works in place of sour cream.
- White Chocolate Option: Skip the orange glaze and drizzle 1/2 cup melted white chocolate chips over the cooled scones instead.
- Prep Ahead: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill up to 2 days, then shape and bake as directed. Or freeze the unbaked wedges up to 2 months and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
- Storage: Baked scones are best within the first 24 hours. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
- Tips: Keep the butter frozen until you grate it, and mix just until the dough comes together so the scones stay tender. Slightly underbaked scones stay moist longer. Let them cool completely before glazing so the glaze sets.
- These are great on a brunch table with Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole or Hash Brown Tomato Breakfast Casserole.
- This recipe is part of our Sweet Breakfast Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the secret to making good scones?
Cold butter and a light hand. Grate the butter straight from the freezer, and stop mixing as soon as the dough holds together. Overworked dough is what makes scones tough and dry.
What is the 15 minute rule for scones?
It usually means chilling your shaped scones for about 15 minutes before they go in the oven, so the butter firms back up. They rise taller and spread less. With this recipe, chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes if it’s sticky.
Can I make cranberry orange scones without heavy cream?
Yes. This recipe doesn’t use any heavy cream. Sour cream keeps the scones tender, and plain Greek yogurt works too.
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes. Add them straight from the freezer. If they thaw first, they’ll streak the dough.
Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh ones?
Yes, you can use dried cranberries if fresh ones aren’t available. For the best texture, soak them in warm water or orange juice for about 10 minutes, then drain before adding to the dough. This helps them stay soft and plump while baking.
Can I use white chocolate instead of the orange glaze?
Yes. Melt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and drizzle it over the cooled scones instead of the orange glaze.
How long do scones keep?
Store baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to two months and reheat in a low oven until warm.
More to Cook and Eat
- Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Bars – Soft, chewy bars loaded with fresh cranberries and white chocolate. They come together fast for holiday cookie trays.
- Yogurt Cranberry Poppyseed Cake – A one-bowl cake full of tart cranberries that works for brunch, dessert, or a potluck.
- Lemon Blueberry Bread – Moist and tender, with a sweet lemon glaze on top.
- Pumpkin Scones – Tender, never crumbly, with a warm spice glaze.