Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Cranberry Scones, perfect for holiday breakfasts or teatime treats. Fluffy and buttery with bursts of tart fresh cranberries, these scones combine simple ingredients with a quick baking method to create a crowd-pleasing seasonal favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it’s hot and ready for baking your scones.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt evenly to create the base mixture.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture becomes crumbly with pea-sized pieces, this gives the scones their flaky texture.
- Add Cranberries: Stir in the chopped fresh cranberries, distributing them evenly through the crumbly flour and butter mixture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, large egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
- Mix Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry mixture and gently stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix to maintain tender scones.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a few times to bring it together into a smooth dough.
- Shape and Cut: Shape the dough into a circle about 1 inch thick and cut it into 8 equal wedges, resembling traditional scone shapes.
- Bake: Place the wedges onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the scones cool slightly on a wire rack before serving warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use cold butter to achieve the ideal flaky texture.
- Chopped fresh cranberries add tartness and freshness; dried cranberries can be used but expect a sweeter flavor.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep the scones light and tender.
- Serve warm with butter, clotted cream, or your favorite jam for extra indulgence.
- These scones can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for longer storage.
