These flaky cranberry orange scones are an ultra buttery and zesty breakfast-for-dessert option. Fresh out of the oven and with a sweet glaze, they’ll be ready faster than you can drive to the nearest coffee shop.

Cranberry orange scones with golden exteriors.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Orange Scones
What You’ll Need
How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones
Tips for the Best Scones
Serving Suggestions
How to Store Cranberry and Orange Scones
More Scone Recipes
Get the Recipe

Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Orange Scones

You’ll have to keep an eye on them as they cool if you don’t want to find an empty tray before they’re even glazed.

Great for the holidays. Give them away in cute bags or boxes, or serve them for breakfast on Christmas morning.
Beginner-friendly. Scones are some of the easiest treats for beginner bakers because the dough barely needs to be handled.
Quick. They’re ready in exactly 24 minutes— that’s less than it’ll take you to drive to your favorite coffee shop and back.
Perfect for on-the-go. Pack them in Ziploc bags for a quick breakfast you can grab on your way out.

Freshly baked cranberry orange scones in the baking sheet.

What You’ll Need

Tart cranberries and sweet oranges are an under-rated holiday flavor combination. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

All-Purpose flour – Feel free to use whole-wheat flour. Avoid plant-based flours.
Sugar – Granulated or light brown sugar are great.
Orange zest – Lemon zest works too.
Baking powder – Always check the expiration date before adding it in.
Baking soda – Don’t swap it for more baking powder, otherwise the scones will have a metallic aftertaste.
Unsalted butter – Skip the salt in the rest of the recipe if you use salted butter.
Greek yogurt – Unsweetened vanilla yogurt is my favorite for this. Plain yogurt it okay as well.
Egg – They add richness and help the dough come together.
Vanilla extract – Almond extract works too.
Cranberries – Use fresh or dried.

Orange Glaze

Powdered sugar – This is also called “confectioners’ sugar”. Avoid granulated sugar because it’ll make the glaze grainy.
Orange juice – Make sure it’s pulp-free.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones

Don’t worry if the loose dough looks lumpy as you shape the scones. They’re not supposed to be completely smooth. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.

Prep the oven. Preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.

Incorporating the butter into the dry ingredients. — Work the butter into the dry ingredients.

Adding the wet ingredients to a bowl. — Work the butter into the dry ingredients.

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. If your baking powder has clumps, sieve it.
Incorporate butter. Quickly rub the butter into the dry ingredients until you get a coarse, sandy mixture.
Prepare the wet mixture. Mix the egg and yogurt in a separate bowl until well combined.

Mixing the wet and dry mixtures. — Combine the wet and dry mixtures.

Adding the cranberries to the dough. — Combine the wet and dry mixtures.

Combine the mixtures. Stir the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. You should have a very loose dough. Don’t over-mix.
Add cranberries. Stir in the cranberries, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
Knead the dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently “knead” it 3-4 times until it holds its shape. It will be crumbly, but do your best to bring it together.

Patting the dough into a circle. — Flatten the dough into a 1/2″ thick circle.

Sliced scones on the baking sheet. — Flatten the dough into a 1/2″ thick circle.

Shape it. Pat the dough into a circle about 1/2″ thick.
Cut it. Slice the dough into 8 wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Adding the glaze. — Bake the scones until golden.

Bake. Pop the baking sheet into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are beautifully browned. Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool completely.
Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth.
Drizzle them. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let it set for 15-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Scones

Using egg-wash and cutting them into even sizes will give any scones recipe a bakery-style feel.

Watch the temperature. Make sure all of the ingredients are cold, especially the butter, for the flakiest texture possible. It also helps avoid over-mixing.
Chill it. Pop the dough into the fridge for 15-20 minutes before shaping and baking to help the dough relax. It also firms up the butter and contributes to more yummy layers.
Add a wash. Use egg-wash, milk, or water to brush the tops of the scones before baking to ensure a lovely golden exterior.
More add-ins. Mix 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or chocolate chips into the dough for more flavor.
Swap the glaze. Substitute the orange juice for lemon juice for a lemon glaze. You can also add your favorite cream cheese glaze or leftover frosting.
Even sizes. The scone wedges should be more or less the same size to ensure even baking. If not, some will be under-baked and others will be over-baked.

Three stacked cranberry orange scones with orange glaze.

Serving Suggestions

Cranberry orange scones are the perfect breakfast with a cup of tea or your favorite coffee. Try them with my Iced Chai Tea Latte or Sweet Cream Iced Coffee. If you want something plant-based, go for my Coconut Milk Thai Iced Coffee. For a festive drink, pair them with hot chocolate. If you want something fruity, then serve them with my Strawberry Banana Smoothie or orange juice.

How to Store Cranberry and Orange Scones

Cranberry & orange scones can be stored at room temperature, in the fridge, or freezer depending on when you plan to eat them.

Counter: Place the scones in an airtight container or paper bag for up to 3 days. Avoid the paper bag if the area where you live is humid.
Fridge: Refrigerate the scones in airtight containers or bags for up to 7 days. Keep them away from strong-smelling foods to avoid the transfer of odors. Set them on the counter for 10-15 minutes before serving so they come down to room temperature.
Freezer: Wrap the cooled scones in plastic wrap twice. Place them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 30 minutes.
To reheat: Sprinkle the scones with 1/4 teaspoon milk and microwave them for 10 seconds at a time until warm. You can also enjoy them at room temperature.

Cranberry Orange Scones