Cranberry Orange Scones (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)
These Cranberry Orange Scones are proof that gluten-free and dairy-free baking can be just as delicious as traditional treats. With bright citrus flavor from fresh orange zest and the tartness from fresh cranberries, these easy-to-make scones are perfect for breakfast or a cozy snack. Soft on the inside with a delicate crunch on the outside, this cranberry orange scone recipe will change the way you think about gluten-free baking—no complicated steps, just straightforward ingredients and fantastic texture and flavor!
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Don’t stress if you don’t have fresh cranberries!
If you’re unable to find fresh cranberries, feel free to swap in 3/4 cup of dried cranberries for the 1 cup of fresh cranberries. Please note that most dried cranberries are sweetened. Because of this, I recommend using 2/3 the amount of glaze listed in the recipe. If you don’t mind a sweet scone, then do not worry about adjusting the glaze, the scones will taste fantastic either way!
Not dairy-free? No problem!
Not dairy-free? No problem! This cranberry orange scone recipe works just as well with regular milk and butter. Just swap the plant-based milk for your choice of whole, low-fat, or fat-free milk, and replace the dairy-free butter with regular butter—either salted or unsalted will do. Since dairy-free butter is often salted, if you’re using unsalted butter, add an extra pinch of kosher salt to the dry ingredients for balance. Enjoy!
Tips on how to make these gluten-free dairy-free cranberry orange scones:
- Use cold dairy-free butter. This will ensure the flaky texture quintessential to scones. The same applies if using regular butter.
- Make the orange sugar. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and fresh orange zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar, pressing and mixing until the sugar is fragrant and has a slightly damp, sandy texture. This step helps release the essential oils in the zest, infusing the sugar with a vibrant orange flavor. Doing this before adding other ingredients helps to evenly distribute the orange essence throughout the dough!
- Don’t discard the zested orange! You’ll use its juice to make the glaze. To make it, combine powdered sugar with a pinch of salt, and add 1 tablespoon of orange juice at a time, stirring until the glaze is smooth and reaches a thick, pourable consistency (similar to wet glue). You may not need all the juice, but this technique ensures minimal waste.
- Add vinegar to wet ingredients. Essentially, I use vinegar in this recipe to create a makeshift dairy-free buttermilk. This step is particularly important because the vinegar will activate the leavening agents which helps these scones become light and fluffy.
- Use the flour blend listed in the recipe. I swear by Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (not sponsored) as I use it in all of my recipes. This recipe has not been tested using other flour blends, so for best results, I reccommend sticking to what’s listed in the ingredient’s list.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients just until combined. This way the scones still have pieces of butter that’ll help create flakiness.
- Both dried and fresh cranberries work well, but I recommend fresh cranberries for their deliciously tart flavor. If you only have dried cranberries, they’ll still do the trick! Just use 3/4 cup instead of a full cup, and consider reducing the glaze to about two-thirds of the recommended amount if you prefer a less-sweet scone
- Let dough chill. This will allow the gluten-free flour time to absorb moisture from the wet ingredients which will result in a moist crumb. at the same time, chilling the dough allows the pieces of butter to harden which will contribute to flakiness.
- Fold the dough three times. This step will create those quintessential layers that’ll make these scones, scones.
- Sprinkling Sanding Sugar: Sanding sugar is a specialty ingredient that’s optional in this recipe, but it adds a delightful touch. With its coarse texture, sanding sugar doesn’t melt in the oven, giving the scones an extra crunch and a touch of sparkle—just like the ones you’d find in a bakery. It’s a simple addition that elevates the scones to a more decadent, bakery-quality treat.
What you need to make this gluten-free dairy-free cranberry orange scone recipe:
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Bowl
- Fork
- Rubber Spatula
- Measuring Cups
- Tablespoon & Teaspoon Measurements
- Large Knife
- Kitchen Towel or paper towel
Ingredients
- 2 Cups 1:1 Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- ¾ Cup Dairy-Free Butter Cold
- ⅓ Cup Granulated White Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Plant Milk Unsweetened
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ Tsp Vinegar any kind
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Baking Soda
- ¼ Tsp Kosher Salt
- Zest from an entire orange approximately 1 tbsp of zest, and make sure to save the orange for the glaze!
- 1 Cup Fresh Cranberries washed and dried (also can sub fresh cranberries with 3/4 cup dried cranberries)
Topping (optional)
- 3 Tbsp Sanding Sugar
Orange Glaze
- 1½ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Orange Juice Use the juice from the zested orange
- ⅛ Tsp Salt
How to make gluten-free and dairy-free cranberry orange scones:
Prepare the wet ingredients:In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, plant milk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Whisk until the egg is fully combined. Set aside.
Prepare the orange sugar: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, plant milk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Whisk until the egg is fully combined. Set aside.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the orange sugar. Whisk until everything is evenly combined.
Add Butter: Add the cold plant-based butter to the flour mixture. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs, with pea-sized bits of butter throughout.
Add Cranberries: Gently toss the fresh cranberries (or dried cranberries, if using) into the butter and flour mixture until evenly distributed.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture just until it comes together, scraping the bottom to incorporate any dry bits.
Use a spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture just until it comes together, scraping the bottom to incorporate any dry bits.
Shape the Dough: Place a sheet of parchment paper on your counter or a large cutting board. Lightly flour the surface, then turn the dough out onto it. Sprinkle a bit more flour on top and gently press the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold one-third of the dough over the center.
Then fold the other third over it, like folding a letter.
Then fold the other third over it, like folding a letter.
Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough in parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut and Arrange the Scones: After chilling, unwrap the dough and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into halves and then into quarters, then cut each quarter in half, creating 8 wedges.
Space the wedges about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Sprinkle sanding sugar over the tops.
Bake: Bake for 14–16 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown.
Prepare the Orange Glaze: While the scones bake, prepare the orange glaze.
Whisk together 1–2 tbsp of orange juice, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth.
Finish and Serve: Remove the scones from the oven and drizzle with the orange glaze while they’re still warm. Sprinkle with additional sanding sugar if desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
- Fork
- Kitchen Towel or paper towel
Ingredients
- 2 Cups 1:1 Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- ¾ Cup Dairy-Free Butter Cold
- ⅓ Cup Granulated White Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Plant Milk Unsweetened
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ Tsp Vinegar any kind
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Baking Soda
- ¼ Tsp Kosher Salt
- Zest from an entire orange approximately 1 tbsp of zest, and make sure to save the orange for the glaze!
- 1 Cup Fresh Cranberries washed and dried (also can sub fresh cranberries with 3/4 cup dried cranberries)
Topping (optional)
- 3 Tbsp Sanding Sugar
Orange Glaze
- 1½ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Orange Juice Use the juice from the zested orange
- ⅛ Tsp Salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, plant milk, vanilla extract, and vinegar until fully combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the orange zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the mixture is fragrant and turns pale orange.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the orange sugar. Whisk until everything is evenly combined.
- Add the cold plant-based butter to the flour mixture. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs, with pea-sized bits of butter throughout.
- Gently toss the fresh cranberries (or dried cranberries, if using) into the butter and flour mixture until evenly distributed.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture just until it comes together, scraping the bottom to incorporate any dry bits.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on your counter or a large cutting board. Lightly flour the surface, then turn the dough out onto it. Sprinkle a bit more flour on top and gently press the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold one-third of the dough over the center, then fold the other third over it, like folding a letter. Form the folded dough into a circle, about 1.5–2 inches thick.
- Wrap the dough in parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- After chilling, unwrap the dough and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into halves and then into triangles, creating 6 wedges. Space the wedges about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle sanding sugar over the tops.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp of sanding sugar on the tops of each scone before baking.
- Bake at 425º for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese icing using the following steps.
Orange Glaze
- In a clean medium sized bowl, mix together juice from remaining orange slices (you likely won't use all of the juice, squeeze 1 tbsp at a time) powdered sugar, and salt. Mix until the powdered sugar is completely smooth.
- Remove the scones from the oven and drizzle with the orange glaze while they’re still warm. Sprinkle with additional sanding sugar if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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