Skip to content

Cranberry Scones Recipe

Cranberry Scones: deliciously soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, buttery, flaky and so perfect in every way. These scones will fulfill your breakfast or afternoon tea with your friends.

Cranberry Scones: deliciously soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, buttery, flaky and so perfect in every way. | olgainthekitchen.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Scones are one of the easiest, quick breads to throw together, as long as you don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing creates dry scones and definitely not flaky.

Scones are so easy and take so little time to make. They taste as good as fresh the next day as well. Wrap them in a plastic food wrap, keep them at room temperature. Next day, microwave for 20-30 seconds and enjoy. Why go to a coffee place in the morning and pay $5 for a scone when you can get fresh, warm 8 scones for the price of one?

I would bake these the night before and my husband loves to grab few of these on his way to work. I could make him a batch of very fresh early morning, but who would want to wake up at 5 am to do some baking? Definitely not me!

Our 2 kiddos keep me entertained throughout the day and I really need my sleep if I want to keep up with their entertainment the next day. They’re both so full of energy, sometimes it’s impossible to cook and catch up with their energy at the same time 😀

What Makes Scones so Flaky

When making scones, it’s important to keep all the dairy ingredients cold. The eggs, sour cream and butter. Cold dairy ingredients will make the scones flaky, moist and melt-in-your mouth. You don’t need food processor to make the dough, all you need is your hands, grater, fork and pastry scraper. I keep running across recipes where they tell you to food process the scone dough, but I think it’s time consuming and you’ll only get another appliance to wash. I like to make it as easy as possible for me and for you! 🙂

Cranberry Scones Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp for dusting (or sparkling sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick) refrigerated
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

How to Make Cranberry Scones:

1. Preheat the oven to a 400°F. Line a parchment paper with a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, sift, combine and whisk: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp fine salt. Grate 1 stick refrigerated unsalted butter into the flour on the large holes of grater. Work in the butter with fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in 1/2 cup dried cranberries.

2. In a separate mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine and whisk 1 egg and 1/2 cup sour cream until smooth. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together.

3. Using your hand, continue by pressing the dough against the bowl into a ball. It would seem as there’s not enough liquid in dough and you’ll see lose flour, but as you press, the dough will come together. (Do not overwork the dough!) Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-8” circle about 3/4“ thick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of granulated or sparkling sugar. Using a pastry scraper, cut dough into 8 triangles.

4. With help of pastry scraper, carefully transfer scones onto prepared baking sheet, 1-2” apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden (I did 13). Transfer onto a cooling rack and serve warm and fresh with a cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy!!

If you make this recipe, share your creations with the rest of us. Hashtag your photos #olgainthekitchen or by clicking on social icons on top of this page.

More Scone Recipes to Explore:

Cranberry Scones

5 from 14 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
Servings: 8 scones
Cranberry scones: deliciously soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, buttery, flaky and so perfect in every way.

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to a 400°F. Line a parchment paper with baking sheet and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, sift, combine and whisk: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp fine salt. Grate 1 stick refrigerated unsalted butter into the flour on the large holes of grater. Work in the butter with fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in 1/2 cup dried cranberries.
  • In a separate mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine and whisk 1 egg and 1/2 cup sour cream until smooth. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together.
  • Using your hand, continue by pressing the dough against the bowl into a ball. It would seem as there’s not enough liquid in dough and you’ll see lose flour, but as you press, the dough will come together. (Do not overwork the dough!) Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-8” circle about 3/4“ thick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of granulated or sparkling sugar. Using a pastry scraper, cut dough into 8 triangles.
  • With help of pastry scraper, carefully transfer scones onto prepared baking sheet, 1-2” apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden (I did 13). Transfer onto a cooling rack and serve warm and fresh with a cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy!!