Cranberry Orange Scones w/Orange Glaze

Some mornings I wake up craving scones, especially these Cranberry Orange Scones. I found the recipe on Smitten Kitchen a few years ago, but I added my own twist with fresh orange zest and a fresh orange glaze (isn't everything better with glaze?). I think these are quite possibly the best scones I've ever made. While I get the most requests for my Lemon Blueberry Scones, these are my personal favorite. I love the tart-sweet combination and using fresh orange zest and fresh orange juice really makes them extra special.

If you love scones, I also recommend these Fresh Strawberry and Meyer Lemon Scones and Cherry Lemon Scones.

Cranberry Orange Scones with Fresh Orange Glaze
Makes 8 scones

Scone Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh orange zest
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold, cut into cubes)
1 cup heavy cream (cold)
3/4 cup dried cranberries chopped (I used Craisins)

Glaze Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
A few tablespoons of fresh orange juice


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest.

Sprinkle the cold cubed butter over the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter (or two knives), cut the butter into the flour until small crumbs are formed. You should still see some small chunks of butter. Using a pastry cutter makes this process really easy, or you can also use a food processor. Just be careful not to over process.

Pour in the heavy cream and, using a rubber spatula, fold the cream into the flour a few times. Sprinkle the dried cranberries over the mixture, then fold a few more times until just incorporated and a "shaggy" dough is formed. Careful not to overmix the dough, this makes the scones tough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently form into a disk approx 3/4-1" thick.

Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the disk into 8 triangles. I decided to make mine round this time using a biscuit cutter. I was able to cut six scones with the biscuit cutter, then I had to gently reshape the dough scraps to cut two more scones.

Place the scones onto the parchment lined baking sheet and lightly brush with heavy cream.

Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown. I rotated my baking sheet halfway during the cooking process to ensure even browning.

When scones are a light golden brown, remove from oven and cool a few minutes before glazing. Remove from baking sheet & serve.

These scones can be stored at room temperature and are best eaten within 2 days. Note: Scones that are made with fresh fruit should be eaten the same day.

To make the glaze:

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter (the butter needs to be really soft), powdered sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Mix well with a whisk to combine. The glaze should be a thick pouring/drizzling consistency. If too runny, adjust by gradually adding a little more powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. If glaze is too thick, adjust by gradually adding more orange juice a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.