Recipe: Christmas Cranberry Scones with Dried Cranberries and a Touch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg (2024)

Recipe: Christmas Cranberry Scones with Dried Cranberries and a Touch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg (2)

These easy to make scones are perfect for the holidays but tasty any time of year.

Despite the sad profusion of truly mediocre scones out there, you have no reason to be scared of them. With a light touch and the right recipe, anyone can produce a pile of perfect scones in about 40 minutes. Really. Update: Click here to read rave reviews of this scrumptious recipe from several first time scone bakers!

I once spent an afternoon demonstrating how to make these scones during a holiday open house at a kitchenware store. Talk about a fun job. People who didn't even know what a scone was would wander over, take a tentative nibble of a warm sample, let out a little moan of delight, devour the rest of their scone while watching in fascinated disbelief as I mixed up another batch in minutes, then snatch up a copy of the recipe and scurry home to make scones of their own.

This happened over and over. It was wonderful.

Beautifully golden brown and dotted with jewel-like cranberries, these cute little scones are sure to brighten any holiday table. They're buttery and crumbly and rich, moist on the inside, with a satisfying light crunch on the outside. They are, in a word, scrumptious. They are also very easy to make.

You can whip up a batch of warm scones for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea in no time, much to the delight of your starving friends and loved ones. Or you can make them when you have a few spare minutes and freeze them for later. Defrost them at room temperature and heat at 375° for about 5 to 8 minutes (I put them in my little

toaster/convection oven).

I plan to pull a few of these out of the freezer and treat myself to warm scones and a large cup of café au lait on Christmas morning—that is if I have any left by then.

With such a simple recipe, top quality ingredients are particularly important. Fresh baking powder is essential. I always have good results with Rumford brand, which is aluminum free. Organic butter, milk, flour, and sugar are easy to find these days and really do make a difference.



The optional egg glaze gives the scones a beautiful shine and dark golden color. Look for locally produced eggs at your farmers' market or natural foods store, or search on
Local Harvest for a farmer near you. You won't believe the difference compared to commercial eggs. The yolks are sometimes so dark they're a gorgeous deep orange like these, and the eggs actually taste like eggs!Recipe: Christmas Cranberry Scones with Dried Cranberries and a Touch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg (3)

If you've never grated your own fresh nutmeg, now is your chance. It took me years to get around to trying this, and I will never use pre-ground again. It tastes amazing, plus you get to use a cute little nutmeg grater. The scent alone as you're grating is worth the tiny bit of extra effort, and whole nutmeg will stay fresh for years.

I highly recommend investing in a couple of heavy duty rimmedcommercial baking sheets. At about $15 each, they're one of the best kitchen deals around. I've been using some of mine for over 20 years for everything from

baking rolls to roasting brussels sprouts, not to mention perfectly baking thousands of cookies. I line them with sheets of unbleached parchment paper, which is wonderful stuff, and I reuse each piece several times before discarding it.

To round out your easy scone repertoire, I suggest my popular , which are made with cream cheese instead of butter. Add them to your holiday bread basket, serve them for breakfast or high tea, or split and toast them to make satisfying little leftover turkey or ham sandwiches. Enjoy!

Recipe: Christmas Cranberry Scones with Dried Cranberries and a Touch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg (4)

Farmgirl Susan's Christmas Cranberry Scones
Makes 12 small scones

**Click here to print this recipe**

2¼ to 2½ cups organic all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
(make sure it's fresh!)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
(or 1 teaspoon pre-ground)


1/2 cup (4 ounces/1 stick) organic butter, chilled & cut into small pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)


1 egg
2 Tablespoons yogurt + milk to make 3/4 cup
(or 3/4 cup buttermilk)

Optional Egg Glaze:
Beat well with a fork:
1 egg & 2 Tablespoons milk
Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top

Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine 2¼ cups of the flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Using a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers, cut butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbles. Add cranberries and pecans (if using) and toss gently until combined.

Use a fork to beat the yogurt/milk mixture with the egg, then gently fold into the dry ingredients, mixing lightly just until blended. Add up to 1/4 cup additional flour if dough is too sticky.

Recipe: Christmas Cranberry Scones with Dried Cranberries and a Touch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg (5)

On a floured surface, divide the dough in half and gently pat each half into a circle 5 or 6 inches in diameter. With a sharp knife (I use a large serrated knife dipped in flour), cut each circle into 6 wedges and place on a heavy duty baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper.

Recipe: Christmas Cranberry Scones with Dried Cranberries and a Touch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg (6)

Brush the tops and sides of the scones with egg glaze if desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container or freeze.



Can't survive on scones alone? You'll find links to all my sweet and savory Less Fuss, More Flavor recipes in the Farmgirl Fare Recipe Index.

© FarmgirlFare.com, the proud to be a sconehead foodie farm blog where Farmgirl Susan shares recipes, stories, and photos from her crazy country life on 240 remote Missouri acres.

Recipe: Christmas Cranberry Scones with Dried Cranberries and a Touch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making good scones? ›

Top tricks I learnt from the experts for baking perfect scones:
  • Resist the twist.
  • Use frozen butter.
  • Don't overwork the dough.
  • Freeze the dough. ...
  • Create rise and shine.
  • Follow this recipe.
  • Reduce the juice.
  • Fresh is best.
May 10, 2024

Can craisins be substituted for cranberries? ›

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®.

How much sugar is in a cranberry scone? ›

Amount per serving: Calories 390, Total Fat 13g (17% DV), Saturated Fat 7g (35% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 50mg (17% DV), Sodium 460mg (20% DV), Total Carbohydrate 65g (24% DV), Dietary Fiber 2g (7% DV), Total Sugars 29g, (Includes 11g Added Sugars, 22% DV), Protein 7g, Vit.

Why do my scones not hold their shape? ›

My scones have spread and lost their shape

The mixture may have been too wet or the baking tray might have been too heavily greased. Twisting the cutter when cutting the scones can also have this effect.

What to avoid when making scones? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
  1. Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
  2. Only using all-purpose flour. ...
  3. Overmixing the dough. ...
  4. Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
  5. Baking them ahead of time.
May 1, 2019

Which flour is best for scones? ›

Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour.

Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh in a recipe? ›

Can I substitute dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries? Yes, dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

Are craisins and dried cranberries the same thing? ›

Raw cranberries (fresh or frozen) are high in nutritional value and fiber while being low in carbohydrates and calories. Dried cranberries (often known as "Craisins," a brand name), however, can be quite different. Since cranberries are so tart, most dried versions have added sugar.

How long to soak dried cranberries for baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

Should diabetics eat scones? ›

"I have been making these scones for a long time now and they are so quick to make and if like me you are a diabetic you can have these as they are very plain or you can add to them by the way of reduced sugar jam or cheese.

What kind of sugar is in cranberries? ›

NameAmountMin
Total Sugars4.274.75
Sucrose0.160.2
Glucose3.443.78
Fructose0.670.8
19 more rows

Are scones unhealthy? ›

They are typically extremely high in calories from the heavy butter and cream. And, although scones with fruit might seem healthier, most are even higher in calories and still high in saturated fat. Steer clear of scones.

What is the secret to making scones rise? ›

Once you've cut out your scone shapes, flip them over and place upside down on the baking tray. This will help them rise evenly and counteract any 'squashing' that happened when you cut out the dough. Perfect scones should rise to about 2 inches high.

How long should you rest scones before baking? ›

You want to avoid twisting until the cutter reaches the work surface, if you twist as you cut it can lock up the sides and prevent the scones from rising evenly. Place the scones, smooth side up onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover the scones with clingfilm and rest for an hour before baking.

Should scones be baked touching? ›

Scones like to cosy up to one another in the baking tray. This helps them to rise evenly in the cooking process. When placing the scones in the baking tray they need to be touching.

Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›

Keep scones cold before putting them in the oven: For best results, chill the mixture in the fridge before baking, this will help to stiffen up the butter again, which will stop your scones from slumping as soon as they hit the oven's heat.

How to get scones to rise higher? ›

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

What are the qualities of a perfect scone? ›

Among the myriad baked goods in the breakfast pastry canon, scones are uniquely delicious in their humble simplicity. The best scones have a crisp, slightly caramelized exterior and a tender, buttery, just-sweet interior. They can be dressed up with a glaze, studded with fruit or nuts, or gently spiced.

Why aren t my scones light and fluffy? ›

Overworking the dough: when you overwork your dough, your scones can come out tough and chewy, rather than that desired light, crumbly texture. The trick is to use light pressure and only the work the dough until it just comes together.

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