Scones are one of those versatile baked goods that can be enjoyed for breakfast, afternoon tea, a snack, or even dessert if you want! One of my favorite fall flavor options for them are these cranberry orange scones, though you can totally make them for a Christmas brunch too.
What are Cranberry Orange Scones?
Cranberry orange scones are a type of pastry that combines the flavors of tangy cranberries and bright, citrusy orange. These scones are packed with fresh or dried cranberries (I use dried usually), along with orange zest and/or juice to add natural sweetness and fragrance.
Scones are flaky and slightly crumbly, with a tender, moist interior – similar to a biscuit, they get their flakiness from butter throughout the dough. An orange glaze on top adds color, flavor, and some additional moisture as well, for the perfect finishing touch!
Popular as a breakfast or tea-time treat, cranberry orange scones are particularly popular during the fall and winter, as they feature festive flavors that suit the season! I like to serve this scone flavor for Thanksgiving or Christmas brunch in particular.
Conveniently, you can bake them in your air fryer or a traditional oven. I find the air fryer particularly convenient since it’s quick and keeps the oven open for a holiday roast.
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Ingredients List
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp cold butter
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 Tbsp orange zest (or 1 tsp extract)
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 cup cranberries (fresh or dried)
For the Glaze (Optional)
- ½ cup powdered confectioner’s sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp orange juice
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- Instead of milk, you can use buttermilk, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream or a non-dairy alternative like almond milk
- The sugar can be swapped for brown sugar if preferred
- Fresh or frozen cranberries are fine, but I recommend halving them. For the dried cranberries, I soak them in the orange juice to soften them up a bit while I work on the rest of the dough
- If you don’t want to make a glaze, you can sprinkle the tops of the scones with a couple tablespoons of coarse sugar before baking for a nice finish, or leave plain and serve with butter or jam as desired
Step By Step Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt) and stir to mix evenly
- Cut the butter into cubes (or you can grate it to make it super easy) and mix it into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form. I use my hands because the heat helps mix it, but a pastry cutter works well too
- Add the wet ingredients (egg, milk, and orange juice) to the flour mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms
- Fold in the cranberries and orange zest (the dough may still be crumbly and that’s fine)
- Flour a flat work surface or cover it in wax paper, and turn the dough out onto it. Pat it into a circle that’s about 1” thick (add some extra flour to the top if your hands are sticking). Patting it together should be all you need – kneading the dough can cause your scones to become tough, so try to avoid overworking it. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the scone dough into 8 relatively even wedges
- Place the scones into your air fryer’s basket or rack in a single layer, allowing at least ½” air space between them for expansion. If you want to use perforated parchment under them for easier cleanup, feel free!
- Cook on the air fry setting for 10-12 minutes at 350°F, until the scones are golden brown. If you cook in batches, reduce the time by 1-2 minutes for subsequent batches
- While the scones are cooking, mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Start with 1 Tbsp orange juice and add more slowly, just until you get a drizzling consistency
- Remove cooked scones to a wire rack, then drizzle with the glaze
- Enjoy!
Alternate Oven Baking Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F
- Place your scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with at least 1” of air space between each one
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown
- Caramel Apple Scones
- Air Fryer Potato Scones
What to Serve With Cranberry Orange Scones
Cranberry orange scones pair wonderfully with a variety of foods and beverages, which enhance their sweet-tart flavor profile and buttery texture. Here are some of my favorite options:
Clotted Cream or Whipped Butter
Rich clotted cream or whipped butter complements a scone’s crumbly texture, providing a creamy counterpoint to the citrus and cranberry flavors
Fruit Preserves or Marmalades
Pairing scones with fruit preserves, like raspberry jam or orange marmalade, enhances their fruity flavor. The additional sweetness contrasts with the slight tartness of the cranberries.
Honey or Maple Syrup
Drizzling a touch of honey or maple syrup adds sweetness and brings out the orange notes in the scones, while creating a balance with the cranberries’ tartness.
Yogurt or Fresh Fruit
A side of Greek yogurt or fresh berries makes a lighter option for serving with scones, adding texture and a fresh, tangy flavor that complements the sweetness of the pastry.
Coffee or Tea
Cranberry orange scones are a classic pairing with coffee or black tea, but they also go well with herbal teas like chamomile or green tea, as the mild flavors won’t overpower the scone’s subtle citrus and cranberry notes.
Recipe FAQs
Can You Use Fresh Or Dried Cranberries?
Yes, you can use either fresh or dried cranberries. Fresh cranberries provide a more tart flavor, while dried cranberries are sweeter and less acidic.
Adjust sugar levels if using fresh cranberries to balance the tartness.
Should You Chill The Dough Before Baking?
There’s no need to chill the dough before baking, so long as you use cold or frozen butter for the recipe.
However, if your dough or butter is too soft, you can chill it for 20-30 minutes to help it firm up and make things easier.
Can You Substitute Other Citrus Flavors?
While orange is traditional, lemon or lime zest can be substituted for a different citrus twist.
This can add a unique flavor profile to the scones, but may slightly alter the sweetness. Feel free to add a little more sugar if needed, or a sweetened glaze on top to compensate.
Tips For the Best Cranberry Orange Scones
- Use a sheet of wax or parchment paper under your cooling rack when drizzling glaze to catch drips for easy cleanup!
- I do not preheat my air fryer for this recipe and 10 minutes cooking time is perfect in my Ninja. If you do preheat, you can usually cut 2-3 minutes off cooking time. Never preheat with parchment alone in the air fryer (it needs something on it to hold it down)
Storage and Reheating
- Store cranberry orange scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. For longer storage, you can wrap well and freeze them for up to 3 months
- To reheat scones, air fry at 350°F for 2-3 minutes, or microwave for 45-60 seconds (though they’ll no longer have crunchy edges). You can also just enjoy them at room temperature!
More Cranberry Orange Recipes
Final Thoughts
These cranberry orange scones are the perfect baked treat for fall, Thanksgiving, and Christmas alike thanks to their sweet, tart, festive, and citrusy flavor profile.
I like to serve them for brunch, but scones are excellent as a grab and go breakfast, afternoon snack, or even dessert, especially when glazed with a delicious orange icing.
Whether you choose to bake them in your air fryer or your oven, these scones come out perfectly brown on the outside, with tender, flaky, biscuit-like properties bursting with fruit inside for a delicious bite.
Looking for more great scones? Check out all of my amazing Air Fryer Scone Recipes for more inspiration!
Easy Cranberry Orange Scones (Air Fryer or Oven)
Equipment
- Air Fryer (or oven)
- Spatula (or spoon)
- Baking sheet (oven only)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (plus more for shaping dough)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp cold butter
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 Tbsp orange zest (or 1 tsp orange extract)
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 cup cranberries (fresh or dried)
For the Glaze (Optional)
- ½ cup powdered confectioner's sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp orange juice
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir to mix evenly2 cups all purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
- Cut the butter into cubes (or you can grate it to make it super easy) and mix it into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form. I use my hands because the heat helps mix it, but a pastry cutter works well too6 Tbsp cold butter
- Add the wet ingredients and stir until a shaggy dough forms1 large egg, ⅓ cup milk, 2 Tbsp orange juice
- Fold in the cranberries and orange zest (the dough may still be crumbly and that’s fine)1 Tbsp orange zest, 1 cup cranberries
- Flour a flat work surface or some wax paper, and turn the dough out onto it. Pat it into a circle that’s about 1” thick. Patting it together should be all you need – kneading the dough can cause your scones to become tough, so try to avoid overworking it. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even wedges
- Place the scones into your air fryer’s basket or rack in a single layer, allowing at least ½” air space between them for expansion. If you want to use perforated parchment under them for easier cleanup, feel free!
- Cook on the air fry setting for 10-12 minutes at 350°F, until the scones are golden brown. If you cook in batches, reduce the time by 1-2 minutes for subsequent batches
- While the scones are cooking, mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Start with 1 Tbsp orange juice and add more slowly, just until you get a drizzling consistency½ cup powdered confectioner's sugar, 1 ½ Tbsp orange juice
- Remove cooked scones to a wire rack, then drizzle with the glaze
- Enjoy!
Alternate Oven Baking Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F
- Place your scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with at least 1” of air space between each one
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown
Notes
- Instead of milk, you can use buttermilk, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or a non-dairy alternative like almond milk
- The sugar can be swapped for brown sugar if preferred
- Fresh or frozen cranberries are fine, but I recommend halving them. For the dried cranberries, I soak them in the orange juice to soften them up a bit while I work on the rest of the dough
- Use a sheet of wax or parchment paper under your cooling rack when drizzling glaze to catch drips for easy cleanup!
- I do not preheat my air fryer for this recipe and 10 minutes cooking time is perfect in my Ninja. If you do preheat, you can usually cut 2-3 minutes off cooking time. Never preheat with parchment alone in the air fryer (it needs something on it to hold it down)
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or sides added, exact size of pieces, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
I make a lot of scones and this is one great recipe. It is easy to make and taste better. Thanks so much.
So glad you enjoyed these scones, and they’re just perfect for the fall and winter season! Since you make a lot of scones, what other flavor combinations do you really enjoy? Maybe I can add them to my giant list of future recipes!