Cranberry Orange Scones

Sweet crumbly edges, soft centers, crunchy golden exterior with bright flavors of orange and cranberry are what make these scones a bite of joy. Simple and easy, these are made with MinusG Pie Crust Mix.

Gluten-free Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe

Makes: 8 scones | Bake: 20-25 min

Ingredients

For the Scones

• 2 c. Pie Crust Mix, (plus more for hands and work surface)
• ½ c. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh orange zest, (about 1 orange)
• 2½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt 
• 1 stick butter, frozen or 1 stick Earth Balance
• ¾ c. heavy cream or coconut whole milk (plus 2 Tbsp. for brushing)
• 1 ½ tsp. GF pure vanilla extract
• 1 heaping c. cranberries (fresh or frozen)

For the Orange Icing

• 1 c. confectioner's sugar
• 3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)

Directions

1. PREP: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. MIX: Mix 2 c. Pie Crust Mix, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Cut butter into pie mixture (with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your hands) until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Refrigerate while mixing wet ingredients next. (Cold butter will produce a flaky biscuit texture. If the butter begins to melt, the scones will become more dense). Whisk ¾ c. heavy cream and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the pastry mix, add the cranberries and mix together until everything appears moistened.
3. MAKE: Lay plastic wrap on work surface for easy clean up. Turn dough onto the plastic wrap surface. With floured hands, work dough into a ball. If it’s too sticky, use a little more pie mix. Press ball into a flattened 8-inch disc. Cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife or bench scraper. Brush scones with remaining heavy cream.
4. BAKE: Place scones on lined baking sheet 2-3 inches apart and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (If using a dairy-free butter like Country Crock or Earth Balance, freeze at least 30 minutes as dairy-free butter melts much faster than regular butter). Preheat oven to 400°. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for a 5-8 minutes before topping with orange icing.
5. TOP: Stir icing ingredients together. Drizzle over warm scones.

How to Make Scones Ahead

1. Prepare scones through step 3. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Continue with the recipe the following day.

1. Freeze scone dough wedges on a plate or baking sheet for 1 hour. (Pro-tip: Once relatively frozen, you can layer them in a freezer-friendly bag or container.)
2. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time, or thaw overnight, then bake as directed.