This homemade Iced Cranberry & Orange Swirl Scones recipe makes the perfect breakfast, snack, or after-school treat.
I originally created this cranberry orange scone recipe for Christmas. I love the combination of these fruits around the holidays, that said, they are so good I think they’re great all year round!
If you like this scone recipe why not try my Raisin Scones or Cinnamon Swirl Scones. Scones are the perfect bake for any occasion.
Why This Recipe Works
- The fruity tartness of the cranberries & orange zest is balanced perfectly by the sweetness of the icing.
- Heavy cream and eggs make these scones delightfully moist and tender.
- Baking powder gives them a light and airy texture
- The icing goes perfectly with the tartness of the cranberry and orange flavors.
These scones are fantastic freshly baked and warm or served the next day (although I have to say I had them warm and thought they were amazing).
They are light, flaky and so good that you will make them again and again! I know they may look complicated to make, but making scones isn’t hard and take little effort.
How to make iced cranberry and orange swirl scones
- Combine the butter and dry ingredients until they resemble breadcrumbs.
- Mix in the wet ingredients.
- Roll out the dough and cover with the filling.
- Roll up and cut like a cinnamon roll.
- Bake for around 20 minutes.
- Cover with the icing, serve and enjoy!
Step By Step Instructions
Cut the butter into dry ingredients until it looks similar bread crumbs.
After that, you really just mix in the other ingredients with a wooden spoon – simple!
After that, you roll out the dough, spread over the filling,
For the filling I used, fresh cranberries, orange zest & cranberry jam you can get it here on Amazon (#paidlink). If you can’t find cranberry jam, the jarred cranberry sauce (the kind that’s more like a jam; not the canned kind that’s like jell-o) will work too.
Roll it up like a cinnamon roll, and cut them out.
Place on a baking tray leaving enough room for them to rise.
Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes.
Place on a cooing rack. Drizzle over the icing mixture.
Serve and enjoy!
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Let’s Make Iced Cranberry and Orange Swirl Scones
Ingredients
For the scones:
- 3 cups all-purpose/plain flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold butter cut into small pieces
- 1 cup whipping cream or milk (plus extra for brushing)
- 2 large eggs
For the filling:
- 1 cup of fresh cranberries
- the zest of 1/2 an orange
- ½ cup cranberry jam/jelly or in the UK jarred cranberry sauce see post for link to buy
For the glaze:
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- the zest of 1/2 orange
- 3 to 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar baking powder, and salt.
- Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together, the cream and eggs. Stir in the wet ingredients until combined. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If the mixture seems too dry add more cream/milk until the dough comes together
- Scoop the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hands, knead until smooth and free of cracks, about 25 to 30 times. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 10-x-14-inches.
- Spread the cranberries, zest and cranberry jam (as pictured) evenly across the dough.
- Roll the dough up tightly from the 10-inch side.
- Slice the dough into 12 rounds and place them on a parchment-lined cookie tray.
- Brush the tops of the scones with milk.
- Bake the scones for about 20 minutes until lightly browned. Allow the scones to cool for at least 10 minutes before adding the glaze.
- For the glaze:
- In a mixing bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the juice, the melted butter and powdered sugar.
- Add in more juice as needed 1 teaspoon at a time until it is the desired consistency.
- Once the scones have cooled ten minutes, drizzle with the glaze and serve.
Tips + Notes
- If you are outside the US or Canada, Please use the Metric recipe (by clicking the metric button above the ingredients in the recipe). Ingredients like flour and butter are different from country to country. The metric recipe is not a conversion but a recipe that differs according to the ingredients available in your region (when I lived in the UK, I created the metric recipe using European ingredients). Happy Baking!
- For the filling I used, fresh cranberries, orange zest & cranberry jam you can get it here on Amazon (#paidlink). If you can’t find cranberry jam, the jarred cranberry sauce (the kind that’s more like a jam; not the canned kind that’s like jell-O) will work too.
Nutrition Information:
Are you making this recipe? I love to see your creations so please tag @ErrensKitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #ErrensKitchen
Marlene says
Not sure if anyone noticed in step #5 the ingredients of milk and vanilla are advised to be added. These 2 are not listed in the ingredients. Please update the recipe on the milk and vanilla required. I winged it and put no milk and had no oranges so used a Tbl spoon of orange extract instead of vanilla. Folded the wet into the dry, no stirring. Patted the dough into a round and pre-sliced triangles. Topped w/leftover cream and sprinkled sanding sugar, baked and watched to best results. Came out quite puffed and perfect w/or w/o the missing ingredients. No glaze made.
Erren Hart says
Hi Marlene, I’m sorry for the confusion! It looks like my assistant updated the wring recipe. The vanilla is for the cinnamon scones, not this one. It was not mentioned before because it was only just updated. Thank you for letting me know so nobody had the same confusion.
Marcie says
The BEST scone I’ve ever made! What a great idea
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed them Marcie 🙂
DoLee says
Do you think the dough could be frozen, unbaked, to bake later.
Erren says
Hi Dolee, I don’t know. I’ve never tried it with scones. Sorry I can’t help more, but please let me know if you try it.
Vicki says
If I use frozen cranberries, should I defrost them or leave them frozen? Thanks!
Erren says
Hi Vicki, sorry about the late reply. I think you can just throw them in frozen without any problems. Did you end up making them?
Angie says
I make them all the time using them straight out of the freezer
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Angie!
Sandi says
I’ve made all of you variations of this recipe! LOVE Them! Love your blog!
Erren says
Awesome, Sandy! Thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂