Sourdough Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
Yield: 8 scones
Tender, buttery, and bursting with tart cranberries and bright orange zest, this Sourdough Cranberry Orange Scones recipes is simple to make and the perfect way to use up any extra sourdough discard and fresh cranberries after Thanksgiving. The edges are slightly crispy, with a light crunch from the sugar on top. They’re sweet and delicious as is, but the orange glaze takes them to the next level.
Ingredients
Sourdough Blueberry Scones
- 265 grams all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups + 1 Tablespoon
- 100 grams sugar 1/2 cup
- 10 grams baking powder 2 1/2 teaspoons
- 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 113 grams unsalted butter, frozen 1/2 cup
- 125 grams frozen cranberries, halved *see notes heaping 1 cup
- 120 grams sourdough discard, cold 1/2 cup
- 45 grams heavy cream, cold 3 Tablespoons, plus more for topping
- 1 egg, cold about 62 grams
- 8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- zest of one orange
- coarse sugar optional
Vanilla Glaze
- 130 grams powdered sugar 1 cup
- 35 grams fresh orange juice about 2 Tablespoons
- orange zest optional
Instructions
Sourdough Cranberry Orange Scones
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk together until incorporated. If not using a kitchen scale, be sure to fluff the flour and spoon it into your measuring cups and level off with a knife. This will give you a more accurate measurement.265 grams all-purpose flour, 100 grams sugar, 10 grams baking powder, 3 grams salt
- Grate the frozen butter and add to the flour mixture. Cut in with a pastry cutter or mix with your fingers until the small pieces of butter are coated with flour and create pea-sized coarse crumbs.113 grams unsalted butter, frozen
- Next, sprinkle in your cranberries and mix until incorporated.125 grams frozen cranberries, halved *see notes
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, heavy cream, egg, vanilla extract and orange zest until smooth.You can use active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams. Using cold starter works best because it helps keep the butter from melting.120 grams sourdough discard, cold, 45 grams heavy cream, cold, 1 egg, cold, 8 grams vanilla extract, zest of one orange
- Pour the wet ingredients evenly on top of the butter mixture. Mix the scone dough with a rubber spatula until the cream mixture is combined. The dough will be crumbly with some bites of dry flour. Be careful not to over mix the dough, the flour will be incorporated in the next step.
- Turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle. Then, with a bench scraper, fold the dough in half, then press down to create the large rectangle again. Repeat this 3-4 times. Folding the dough helps to create all of those beautiful flaky layers!
- With your hands, form the dough into an 8″ disc. Cut the soft dough into 8 equal wedges with a bench scraper or a large knife. Be careful not to slide the bench scraper when cutting the scones! This will close off the dough, which prevents the scones from getting the flaky layers. Simply press straight down and pull straight up.
- Place the unbaked scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a plastic lid and chill them in the fridge for at least 15 minutes while the oven preheats. This plastic lid fits perfectly over my baking sheets!
LONG FERMENTATION TIP:
- If you prefer to long ferment your sourdough scones for easier digestibility, prepare the sourdough scone dough and store them in the fridge covered overnight and bake them the following day!
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- With a pastry brush, top the scones with more heavy whipping cream and sprinkle on a layer of coarse sugar, if desired.coarse sugar
- Bake the scones for 17-20 minutes, or until the top of the scones are lightly golden brown. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Orange Glaze
- In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Stir until smooth.130 grams powdered sugar, 35 grams fresh orange juice, orange zest
- Use a spoon to drizzle the tops of the scones with the sweet orange glaze. Enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
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- Flour - I use all-purpose flour for these tender scones.
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- Baking powder - This will bring a little lift to our scones! Double-check that it hasn’t expired.
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- Unsalted butter - To get light and flaky scones, it's best to use really cold or frozen butter. If you’re using salted butter, reduce the salt by ¼ teaspoon (1g).
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- Cranberries -You can use fresh, frozen, or even dried cranberries for this sourdough scone recipe, however, I prefer using frozen! The cold cranberries helps to keep the dough extra cold. Halve the cranberries before adding them to the dough.
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- Heavy cream - It’s important to use heavy cream instead of milk because the thick liquid brings just the right amount of moisture to these scones. If you add too much liquid or use one that's thinner, your scones will bake up flat and dry. Canned full-fat coconut milk is a fabulous non-dairy alternative.
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- Sourdough Discard - I prefer using sourdough discard that's no older than 1-2 days for sweet recipes like these scones. However, you can also use the same amount of active sourdough starter. Just make sure to measure in grams instead of volume. Using cold discard is another helpful trick to keep your butter cold!
How to Not End Up With Flat Scones
Nobody wants flat and dry scones. For the best results, use these baker’s tips for the most delicious orange cranberry scones.- Use a kitchen scale: For the most accurate measurement of your ingredients, use a kitchen scale. Add too much flour, and your scones will be dry. Add too much liquid, and your scones will bake up dense and flat. This is such a cheap investment and it allows you to precisely measure your ingredients.
- Use cold/frozen butter: To get the most light and flakey crust, you need cold butter. When the butter starts to melt while it’s baking, it releases moisture, which creates those flakey layers. If you use room temperature or the butter melts before baking, the scones will be flat and dry.
- Use cold ingredients: To help keep the butter cool, use as many cold ingredients as possible, like cold eggs, cold heavy cream, and cold sourdough discard.
- Work quickly: You don’t want your butter to melt into the dough, so work quickly.
- Chill the dough before baking: Letting the scones rest in the fridge keeps the butter cold, which helps create those light, flaky layers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 483IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg
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