Cranberry Orange Scones

These Cranberry Orange Scones are perfect for the holiday season. They’re soft, fluffy, crispy on the outside, infused with orange flavor, and loaded with fresh cranberries. Gluten-free and refined sugar-free!

Gluten-Free Cranberry Scones with Orange Zest

In my opinion, cranberry and orange is one of the most underrated flavor combinations. Sweet citrus paired with the tangy sweetness of cranberries? They’re a match made in heaven! 

These cranberry orange scones are one of my favorite holiday breakfasts. They’re packed with seasonal flavors like orange, cranberry, cinnamon, and maple (unless you use honey), and they’re so easy to make! They’re also gluten-free and refined sugar-free making them perfect for everyone.

If you love scones as much as I do, then check out my Gluten-Free Apple Scones or Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Scones.

Ingredients Needed:

• Almond Flour: The perfect base to keep these scones gluten-free.
• Himalayan Sea Salt: A pinch of salt enhances flavors and offsets the sweetness slightly.
• Baking Powder: Baking powder is the key to lighter, fluffier scones. Without it they will be dry and dense.
• Cinnamon: The warm sweetness of cinnamon rounds out the citrus and cranberry flavors.
• Egg: Binds everything together so the scones can hold their shape.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce adds tons of moisture and provides a little extra natural sweetness.
• Sweetener: Pure maple syrup or raw honey both work. Use whatever you have on hand!
• Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor depth and warmth. 
• Add-Ins: Our mix-ins include a touch of orange zest and fresh cranberries which provide a pop of tangy sweetness in each bite.

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How to Make Orange Cranberry Scones

This cranberry orange scone recipe really is so easy to make. Here’s a quick summary of the recipe: 

1. Make the dough: In a bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Combine the dry and wet ingredients together until a dough forms, then fold in cranberries and orange zest. 
2. Roll and cut the dough: Roll the dough into a ball, place it onto a lined baking sheet, then flatten into a circle. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into pizza-like slices. Separate the slices slightly, but leave in a circle. 
3. Bake: Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes, separate the scones further, then bake for another 5-7 minutes until cooked through.

How Do I Make My Scones More Moist?

There are a couple of ingredients contributing to the moist texture of these scones, but the key is the applesauce! It’s the perfect way to add extra fruity flavor and more moisture at the same time. 

How Do I Get My Fruit Scones to Rise and Be Fluffy?

There are a couple of things you can do to make sure your orange cranberry scones don’t end up too dense:

1. Use fresh baking powder: Double check that the baking powder you use is fresh. If it’s expired, it won’t serve its intended purpose which is to make the dough rise.
2. Don’t over-mix: Mix everything up just until the dough comes together, but don’t mix past that. Over-mixing can result in a tough, dry texture.

Variations

• Make them sweeter: If you like a little extra sweetness, add an extra tablespoon of sweetener to the dough and/or sprinkle the top of the dough with sugar crystals before baking. This also adds a delicious crunchy finish to the top of the scones!
• Add nuts: Mix in a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans for a nutty crunch.
• Top them off: Drizzle your baked and cooled scones with maple glaze or your favorite icing.

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Serving Suggestions

These scones are delicious on their own with your morning coffee or as a post-dinner dessert, but they also make a great addition to brunch.

Serve them alongside Baked Egg Cups, Loaded Breakfast Hash, Apple Sage Breakfast Sausage, or a Fall Hash Brown Breakfast Skillet for a well rounded way to start your day!

How to Store

I love to serve these scones warm out of the oven, but leftovers will last in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw at room temperature, then serve or warm slightly in the microwave.

More Cranberry Recipes You’ll Love

• Orange Cranberry Margarita
• Orange Cranberry Roasted Chicken
• Crockpot Cranberry Sauce
• Cranberry Walnut Roasted Acorn Squash
• Orange Cranberry Overnight Oats

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