I am a cranberry hoarder. Every Fall/Winter I squirrel away fresh cranberries in my freezer for baked goods all year long. I LOVE fresh cranberries. I love the tart burst in a scone or bread and orange is the perfect flavor pairing. The secret to a scone that “stands up tall” is to allow the dough to become firm and cold before placing in a hot oven, so they rise and then dropping the temperature a bit to allow them to bake further. The scones a delight with a cup of hot coffee or tea and perfect for guests or family for a nice breakfast treat.

Cranberry Orange Scones

1/2 Cup whole milk

1  1/2 tsp. white vinegar

1 large egg

2  1/4 C all purpose flour

1/4 C sugar

zest of one large orange, divided

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 stick (1/2 C) unsalted butter, cut in 1/2 inch pieces and kept cold

1 Cup heaping fresh cranberries, some cut in half

Egg wash: one large egg whisked well

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl or measuring cup mix the milk with the vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes, then whisk in the egg.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and half the orange zest. Using a pastry blender cut in the butter until mixture resembles the butter in size of peas. Add the milk mixture and mix until dough just comes together. Fold in the cranberries. Mixture will be sticky. Turn out the mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. With floured hands, flatten the dough into a circle about 1 inch thick. Wrap the round securely with the plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

Unwrap the dough and using a pastry cutter, cut in 8 pieces. Place scones onto prepared baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart.  Brush each of the scones with egg wash. Place the entire baking sheet in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400° F.

Remove baking sheet from fridge and bake scones in middle of oven for 10 minutes, then decrease oven temperature to 375° F and bake for another 5-6 minutes or until scones are golden brown and set. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet over a wire rack. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then spoon orange glaze over each scone. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Orange Glaze:

1 Cup confectioners sugar

2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

zest of half the orange

pinch of salt

In a small bowl stir the ingredients together vigorously until no lumps of sugar remain.