Tangy cranberries and tons of orange flavor take these rustic cranberry cornmeal orange scones to the next level! Easy to make for holiday brunch and SO pretty on a brunch table!
I donno about you, but the cranberries have been out and in heavy use for a hot sec around here already.
Scones have been flying out of the oven in heavy abundance as well. And flying into my face.
Here today we see the glorious results of when cranberry orange scones meet cornbread and it.is.freaking.bomb!! Kinda like a dessert-style cornbread only with a super flaky, buttery scone texture and studded with little cranberry jewels.
And sprinkled with glittery little piles of sugar on top because that’s just how things tend to roll around here, thank the Lord.
If you’re new to the scone game, DO NOT let these pretty little guys intimidate you. Scones are one of the humblest of baked goods and yet, they are SO incredible when done correctly.
And done correctly is accomplished by keeping our butter ice cold to form all the flaky layers. Loading up the dough with tons of fragrant orange zest, packing in the cranberries like they’re going outta style, and dusting ’em up with all the pretty sugar you can get your hands on.
I recommend face shoving these approximately 30 seconds after you remove them from the oven to prevent anyone else from knowing they ever existed. (p.s. please don’t actually – scone face burns are a real thing)
Seriously I kid you not. Cornbread taken up to a whoooole new level of holiday breakfast. The juicy little pockets of tart cranberries are honest to goodness life goals.
And if your goal is to be the most popular person at the holiday brunch…..well, here are yo winners. <3
Cranberry Cornmeal Orange Scones
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Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2/3 cup cane sugar
- 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup cold butter, shredded on a box grater and frozen
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, halved
- Melted butter and granulated sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Cut in frozen butter chunks until crumbly.
- In a small bowl, whisk half and half, egg, orange juice, zest, and vanilla extract. Pour over flour mixture and fold with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Gently knead in cranberries.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and pat into a 1-in thick circle. Using a 1-in biscuit cutter, cut out scones, rerolling dough as necessary. Place scones 1-in apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Brush scones with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake scones at 375F 15-18 minutes, turning pan once halfway through baking. Let scones cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
This recipe is brought to you by my recent collaboration with Florida Crystals Sugar! I used their raw cane sugar to bring you this recipe today! Florida Crystals Sugar is hosting a pretty sweet recipe challenge right now and I am honored to be able to participate! Check out their website for more details. xoxo
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