November is a good time to start talking about Christmas baking, right? And I think to kick it off, there’s nothing better than these tender, crispy topped, super easy scones packed with fresh orange zest and dried cranberries. There’s something incredibly festive about them!

This year, I’ve been working my way through ancient posts on this blog and refreshing them. These scones used to be here before (inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction) but my new version is made without eggs, modified to be a quick one-bowl recipe and they’re somehow even more delicious than I remember. Super rich with cream and butter but yet light and tender, I’m not sure how this magic happens!

If you’re lucky enough to get fresh cranberries, go ahead and use them. Dried cranberries work well here though, and they remain a little soft and jammy even after baking. I’m generous with using orange zest and the flavour shines through so beautifully. I did think of adding a quick glaze made with orange juice and powdered sugar but quite honestly, the scones don’t need it. They are not overly sweet, but just sweet enough even without the glaze.

Chilled cream and frozen butter keeps the dough nice and fold which results in flaky, crumbly scones. Dried cranberries are a little harder to cut through while slicing the dough, but nothing that can’t be managed. I love the little pops of red and orange throughout the scones! They’re divine fresh from the oven in case you were wondering!

Let’s make some scones!

Orange Cranberry Scones (Eggless)

Tender, eggless scones packed with orange zest and cranberries.

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 45

Makes: 8 scones

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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (240 gms)
2 and 1/2 tsps baking powder
½ tsp salt, if using unsalted butter
1/2 cup caster sugar (95 gms)
Zest of two medium oranges (I like Valencia oranges here)
100 gms frozen butter
1 cup dried cranberries (115 gms)
1/2 cup chilled cream (125 ml)
To finish: 1 tbsp cream + 1 tsp water

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir in the orange zest.
Grate the frozen butter into the bowl and using your fingertips, rub it into the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some bigger bits of butter scattered throughout.
Toss the cranberries in and then pour in the cream. Bring the dough together with a silicone spatula, then use your hands to shape it into a rough mass. Don't overwork the dough or you'll end up with tough scones.
Tip the dough out onto silicone baking mat and pat into an 8" wide circle. Slice into 8 equal triangles with a sharp knife to help cut through the cranberries.
Slide the mat onto a baking tray and chill the sliced dough for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 C.
Now separate the sliced dough, placing each scone at least an inch apart on the baking tray. Mix the cream and water in a small bowl, then brush over the top and sides of each scone.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden-brown on top and puffy. Let them cool for 15 minutes before diving in. Scones taste best on day one in terms of texture, but can be stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 days (if it's not super warm and humid) and in the fridge for a week, reheating as needed. Happy baking!