Cranberry Orange Sourdough Scones

Six Sourdough cranberry orange scones on a white round platter with oranges and cranberries scattered around.

5 from 9 votes

These Cranberry Orange Sourdough Scones are bursting with tart fresh cranberries, bright orange zest, and a sweet orange glaze. They’re soft, tender, and have a cake-like texture. It's everything you want in a festive holiday treat!

Prep Time15

Cook Time13

Total Time28

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: scones

Author: Emily Christensen

Equipment

Ingredients

50 grams granulated sugar ¼ cup
9 grams zest of one large orange 1 Tablespoon
280 grams all-purpose flour 2 cups
5 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon
5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
5 grams salt 1 teaspoon
113 grams butter frozen, ½ cup
120 grams sourdough discard cold, ½ cup
1 large egg cold, 50 grams
60 grams orange juice ¼ cup
100 grams cranberries halved, 1 cup

Orange glaze

120 grams powdered sugar 1 cup
20-30 grams orange juice 1½-2 Tablespoons

Instructions

Before starting, add a stick of butter to the freezer for 30 minutes to freeze.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and orange zest. Rub the mixture together in between your fingers to help release the oils from the zest.
50 grams granulated sugar, 9 grams zest of one large orange
Then mix in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and halved cranberries.
280 grams all-purpose flour, 5 grams baking powder, 5 grams baking soda, 5 grams salt, 100 grams cranberries
Shred a stick of frozen butter and toss it in the dry ingredients.
113 grams butter
In a separate medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients.
120 grams sourdough discard , 1 large egg, 60 grams orange juice
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry mixture and mix with a fork or Danish dough whisk until the dough begins to come together.
Dump the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it together until the flour is incorporated and the dough forms. At first, it will seem like too much flour, but it will come together.
Shape the dough into an 8-inch circle.
Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges using a bench scraper or a sharp knife.
Place dough wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake scones in a preheated 425°F oven for 12-14 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown on the edges and top. Don’t over bake or they will get dry. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
In a small bowl, slowly add the orange juice to the powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Drizzle over the warm scones and enjoy!
120 grams powdered sugar, 20-30 grams orange juice

Notes

Use cold ingredients. One of my best tips for flaky, tender scones is to use cold discard and frozen butter. The colder the ingredients, the better. If your discard is at room temperature and/or butter is not frozen, place the scones in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or more to chill before baking, or the scones will spread.
Don’t over knead the dough. It will be flaky when mixing. Over kneading will turn a tender scone tough due to the gluten development.

Nutrition