Cranberry Scones

Sweet and tart Cranberry Scones are the perfect fall or holiday treat for breakfast or with coffee. Quick and easy to make, plus they have a delicious glaze to finish them off!

Every bite of these homemade buttermilk scones is bursting with tart cranberries! If you’ve never made scones, I think you’ll love this recipe. They’re easy to do and are so delicious warm from the oven with a white chocolate latte!

I always love something special for holiday breakfasts and you can’t beat cranberry scones – the flavor and color are all about the holidays.

I’m showing you how to make the best scones with a few simple techniques. If it’s your first time, you’ll be surprised how easy they are to make. And, trust me, pulling a warm batch of cranberry scones out of the oven is about the best thing ever.

I use buttermilk to make them so they have a delicious subtly tangy flavor and delicious tender texture. The cranberries add a pop of tart flavor and the color is so pretty. All you need is a simple scone glaze for the finishing touch!

And if you love having this fruity baked good for breakfast then these strawberry pancakes will be a hit!

Why You’ll Love this Cranberry Scone Recipe!

• Tender, flaky scones are not hard to make and they are such a special breakfast treat!
• They are easier to make than you think!!
• Tangy delicious flavor from buttermilk, plus a tart pop from the cranberries.
• Topped with a delicious vanilla glaze for the perfect sweet finish.

Your family will love every bite of these delicious treats. I can’t wait for you to try them.

Ingredients for the Best Cranberry Scones

• All-purpose flour – For the best scones, use the spoon and level method to measure the flour. This will ensure you get the perfect amount!
• Granulated white sugar – There’s just the right amount of sweetness.
• Light brown sugar – I like the combo of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe, but you can omit the brown sugar and use all white sugar, too. It will just change the flavor a bit. Or try using dark brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
• Baking powder – This helps the scones puff up and works with the butter to get all those flaky layers.
• Salted butter – If you use unsalted butter, add a few pinches of salt. Make sure your butter is very cold – keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. Cold butter is the key to making the best scones!
• Large egg – A room temperature egg is easier to mix into the dough, so remember to leave it out of the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes before you make the scones.
• Buttermilk – If you don’t have any on hand, you can make buttermilk with ingredients you already have!
• Frozen cranberries – You don’t need to thaw them first! Just mix them right into the dough straight from the freezer.

Can you use fresh cranberries or dried cranberries?

If you can’t find frozen cranberries, you can substitute frozen or dried ones. Just keep these tips in mind:

• Fresh cranberries: Freeze them before you use them in this recipe. Fresh cranberries will add too much moisture to the scones but freezing them first works great!
• Dried cranberries: If you want to use dried ones, I recommend rehydrating them first so they aren’t as chewy. Just soak them in warm water until they soften up, pat them dry, and then mix them into the dough.

How to Make Homemade Scones

Dry ingredients: Mix the flour, both types of sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.

Cut in the butter: Slice the cold butter into cubes and place them in the bowl. Use a pastry cutter and cut the butter into the flour mixture. Do this until the mixture resembles coarse sand. You don’t want the butter completely mixed in – it should be about pea size.

Wet ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk until smooth.

Combine: Add the wet ingredients to the butter/flour mixture and mix until just combined. The flour should be completely moistened but don’t over mix.

Cranberries: Fold in the cranberries and then gather the dough up and place it on a floured surface.

Shape and cut: Divide the dough into two parts and form each into a disc about 1″ thick. Slice each disc into eight triangles (a pizza cutter makes this easy!).

Bake! Place the scones on a prepared baking sheet and bake them until they are lightly golden brown.

Glaze: While they bake, you can make a the glaze (details are in the recipe card!) and drizzle it over the warm scones before serving them.

Tips for the Best Scones!

• Measuring: Use dry measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquid ones for liquids! Also, when you measure the flour, lightly spoon it into the dry measuring cup and level it off.
• Mixing: The secret to tender scones is the mixing. When you combine the wet and dry ingredients, stir long enough to combine but not too much. Once the flour is absorbed you’re good to go.
• Cold butter: This is a must! The flaky layers are created when the cold butter heats up in the scones and releases steam. The steam causes the dough to puff up creating those delicious flaky layers.
• Baking: If you can’t fit all of the scones on one baking sheet, you can bake them in batches. Just stick the extra ones in the fridge so the butter in them stays cold.

How to Store Them

Room temperature: Store leftover cranberry scones in an airtight container for one to two days.

Refrigerator: Or you can store them in the fridge for three days.

Freezer: For longer storage, wrap the scones in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.

Everyone will LOVE these cranberry scones! You have to try a batch soon – you’ll want to make them on repeat all through the holidays!

More Holiday Recipes with Cranberries

• Sip on a Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail to get in the holiday spirit! It’s a refreshing drink that’s so easy to make.
• Cream Cheese Cranberry Bread is another great recipe to make for a holiday breakfast or brunch.
• Cranberry Orange Energy Bites are a festive snack to have on hand during the busy season!
• White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are soft and chewy – the perfect cookie for your dessert platter!
• Cranberry Cake with Caramel Sauce Recipe is a Moist vanilla cake filled with cranberries and covered in a warm caramel sauce you will also want to try.