This Starbucks Cranberry Orange Scones Copycat Recipe is easy to make on your first try and you're going to love the sweet orange glaze that is drizzled over top of these buttery scones. They're perfect for the holiday season!
If you love Starbucks, you've likely enjoyed or drooled over their cranberry orange scones, pumpkin scones and cranberry bliss bars at the baked goods counter.
We think this copycat recipe is as good, if not better than Starbucks cranberry orange scone.
These tender scones have fresh cranberries with orange zest sprinkled throughout the soft dough. The citrus flavor in the glaze combines beautifully with the cranberry flavor.
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you can usually find in the grocery store. If you can't find fresh cranberries, many store have frozen cranberries in their freezer section.
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Orange Zest
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Butter - you will need cold butter for this recipe. Do not take it out of the refrigerator until you are ready to add it to the recipe. Cut the butter into small cubes.
- Buttermilk - fresh buttermilk is best or you can make a substitute (instructions in recipe note).
- Fresh Cranberries - you can use frozen cranberries in this recipe as well. Dried cranberries work too!
- Large Egg
- Powdered Sugar
- Orange Juice - use fresh sueezed orange juice from the orange that you will zest for the dry ingredients.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
You 'can' use a food processor to make scones, but I love to make them by hand. It's quick, easy and less cleanup!
In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest. (Note: set aside 2 teaspoons of orange zest to use in the glaze).
With clean hands, or using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms.
Fold in the cranberries. Lightly flour your hands and press dough into a ball.
Sprinkle work surface with a little all purpose flour and knead dough 6 to 8 times.
Pat dough into a ten inch circle and cut into wedges using a pastry cutter, sharp knife or a pizza cutter will work as well.
Separate wedges and place on preapred baking sheet. Brush with lightly beaten egg.
Bake in 425°F for 13 to 16 minutes. Move to wire cooling rack and cool for a few minutes before glazing.
For glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange juice and 2 teaspoons of orange zest.
You might need to add a little more powdered sugar or and little more orange juice to get the right drizzling consistency.
Use a spoon to drizzle glaze on top of each scone. Enjoy!
How to Serve Cranberry Orange Scones
Cranberry orange scones are delicious warm and fresh from the oven or at room temperature. They taste delicious with a cup of tea or hot cup of coffee.
My Top Tips for Making This Recipe A Success
- Use cold butter. Resist the urge to take the butter out of the fridge early.
- Mixing this recipe completely by hand reduces overmixing that can sometimes happen when using a food processor. You've got this!
- The dough circle and size of the scones does not have to be perfect. You want the scones to be close in size for even baking but they do not have to all be identical!
Other Recipes to Enjoy
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PrintStarbucks Cranberry Orange Scones Copycat Recipe
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones
Description
This Starbucks Cranberry Orange Scones Copycat Recipe is easy to make on your first try and you're going to love the sweet orange glaze that is drizzled over top of these buttery scones. They're perfect for the holiday season!
Ingredients
2 and ½ cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped (leave a few whole)
Zest from one orange, divided (reserve 2 teaspoons for glaze)
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Glaze
2 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest. (Note: set aside 2 teaspoons of orange zest to use in the glaze).
-
With clean hands, or using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
-
Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms.
-
Fold in the cranberries. Lightly flour your hands and press dough into a ball.
- Sprinkle work surface with a little all purpose flour and knead dough 6 to 8 times.
-
Pat dough into a ten inch circle and cut into wedges using a pastry cutter, sharp knife or a pizza cutter will work as well.
-
Separate wedges and place on preapred baking sheet. Brush with lightly beaten egg.
-
Bake in 425°F for 13 to 16 minutes. Move to wire cooling rack and cool for a few minutes before glazing.
-
For glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange juice and 2 teaspoons of orange zest.
-
You might need to add a little more powdered sugar or and little more orange juice to get the right drizzling consistency. Use a spoon to drizzle glaze on top of each scone. Enjoy!
Notes
Store cooled scones in airtight container for best freshness up to 2 days .
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Scones
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 34.3 g
- Sodium: 271.6 mg
- Fat: 13.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 68.2 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 57.1 mg
Keywords: Orange Cranberry Scones
Nat
Thank you for this recipe! I had some cranberries in the freezer that I didn't know what to do with and then I came across your recipe by chance and whipped these up today. They were pretty easy and I like how you don't need to use a lot of sugar or any heavy cream in the dough, which is the reason I usually avoid making scones from recipes I have seen! The orange glaze is so sunny and an awesome finish!
I can't say how they compare to the Starbucks ones since I haven't tried them but I always prefer homemade 🙂
If I make these again, next time I would chop or halve the cranberries before adding them to the mix and I would use a lighter hand with the egg wash. It turned golden and made me think the scones were ready before they were completely cooked so my batch is a but underbaked. Still tastes good though!
Sandra Flegg
That's great!! Cranberries freeze so well. Happy to hear that you enjoyed them!
Sandra Flegg
These scones are so easy to make and the rise up beautifully. The orange glaze on top is delicious!
★★★★★
Tim
So yummy the orange glaze takes the scones to another level! Big hit in our house even with non cranberry lovers!!
★★★★★
Traci
Yumm! Cranberry orange scones are my favorite way to use fresh cranberries, besides cranberry sauce. These are stunning and so easy to make!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
★★★★★
Sandra Flegg
Thanks Traci! They are a great way to enjoy leftover cranberries!
Stephanie
We don't live near a Starbucks so I can't compare, but these were delicious! I love the orange glaze and I'm thinking it would be great on a few of my other baked treats, too.
★★★★★
Sandra Flegg
Thanks so much Stephanie!
cyndy
This was the best flavor combination. I had a gorgeous bag of cranberries in the freezer and a bunch of juicy oranges from my tree so this was ideal. I love the combo of oranges and cranberry!
★★★★★
Julia
The scones came out perfect as described, loving the orange glaze on these!
★★★★★
Sandra Flegg
Thanks Julia! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
Kushigalu
This cranberry-orange scone sounds amazingly delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★