Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Scones

Just like all good scones, these Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Scones are tender, with a flaky, buttery crumb and crisp edges. Made with fresh cranberries, freshly grated orange zest and finished with a sweet orange glaze they will quickly become a new holiday favorite. Serve them for breakfast, brunch, or whenever you're in the mood for a comforting, homemade treat.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I recommend using a "structure flour heavy" blend such as my gluten-free multi purpose flour blend or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 for this gluten free cranberry orange scone recipe. These blends provide a balanced texture without being too dense or gummy. It's important to avoid flour blends with excessive cornstarch content, like Cup4Cup, as they can result in a heavy batter. If you opt for a gluten-free flour blend without added xanthan gum, remember to include 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. This will help with binding and texture.

Oranges: Most of the flavor of oranges can be found in fresh orange zest. I like to use organic oranges especially when I plan on using zest. No matter what, make sure to give the orange a good rinse before using. Also - make sure to zest the orange before juicing it.

Cranberries: Fresh cranberries have a more vibrant and intense flavor compared to dried cranberries. Make sure to give them a quick chop, especially if they happen to be on the larger side. If you are using frozen cranberries, do not thaw. Dried can be used in a pinch but the cranberry flavor won't be as intensive.

Buttermilk: I tested this scone recipe with buttermilk and a homemade buttermilk substitute using milk and vinegar. The gluten-free orange cranberry scones made with buttermilk rose taller and had a much better flavor than those made with the homemade buttermilk substitute. I also believe buttermilk is the secret to moist and tender scones.

Butter: To achieve flaky and tender scones, using butter is a must. I recommend using unsalted butter for baking. If you prefer using salted butter, please reduce the amount of salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon (1 gram). If you follow a non-dairy diet, you can use your preferred dairy-free or vegan butter substitute (avoid the spreadable kind).

How to make Cranberry Orange Scones

Scones are easier to make than you may think. There is no need for any fancy equipment like a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Just grab a few bowls, a whisk, a flexible spatula, a zester for orange zest, a pastry brush, and a sharp knife to cut the scones before baking. These basic tools are all you need to whip up a batch of delicious Cranberry Orange Scones.

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
2.  In a small bowl sift or whisk together the gluten free baking flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
3. Give the fresh cranberries a quick rinse and pat dry with some paper towels or a kitchen towels. Make sure to remove any cranberries that are past their prime. With a large chef knife give them a few quick chops, especially if they are on the larger side. If you use frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before using but still give them a rough chop (if possible)
4. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and orange zest (around 1 tablespoon). Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to rub the zest into the sugar, infusing it with a delightful orange flavor.

5. Add the flour mixture to the orange infused sugar and stir until well mixed. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add them to the dry ingredients. Alternatively, you can use a box grater to grate the cold, frozen butter.
6. Using a fork, a pastry blender, pastry cutter or your clean hands, incorporate the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
7. In a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk, the cold large egg, vanilla extract and orange juice using a fork until frothy.
8. Pour the wet ingredients into the mixture of flour and butter. Add the cranberries and with a spatula stir everything together. Don't worry if the dough looks dry and shaggy. The dough will come together.

9. Transfer the gluten-free cranberry orange scones dough to the parchment-lined large baking sheet and gently knead until the dough comes together (a brief 30 seconds).
10. With your hands, shape the dough in a 7-inch circle, around ¾" - 1" thick. Do not go thinner than ¾" or you will end up with flat, sad scones. If the dough is sticky, add a little bit of additional gluten free flour (around 10-15 grams)
11. Place the uncut gluten free cranberry orange scone dough in your fridge for at least 10 minutes. This gives the butter in the dough to chill down again and will ensure light and flaky gluten-free cranberry scones. Chilling the dough also makes it a lot easier to cut. In the meantime, fully preheat your oven to 400°F. At this point, one can refrigerate the scone dough up to 48hrs.

12. When your oven reaches 400F, remove the scone dough from the fridge and use a sharp knife to cut it into eight equally sized wedges. Arrange the gluten-free cranberry orange scones on the prepared sheet tray.
13. With a pastry brush lightly brush them with some additional buttermilk and sprinkle the tops of the scones with some raw sugar.
14. Bake at 400F for 22-26 mins until golden brown.
15. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely for at least 15 minutes before glazing. If the cranberry scones are too warm, the glaze will melt right away and create a mess.

Sweet Orange Glaze

Make sure the cranberry orange scones are completely cooled before topping them with this simple orange glaze. To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and fresh-squeezed orange juice in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle it over the top of the scones. Garnish with additional orange zest if you like. Allow for the icing to set before serving.

Storage & Freeze

Scones in general (not just gluten-free scones) taste the best the day they have been baked. If you happen to have any leftover scones, store them in an airtight container at room temperature on your counter for up to 3 days. I like to nuke them at 50% for maybe 30 seconds to warm them up before serving.

To freeze baked scones, place them in a freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze up to 2 months. Allow thawing at room temperature. Please be aware that the orange glaze may become sticky during freezing.

I actually recommend freezing scones before baking. Cut the gluten free scone dough, place it on a baking pan, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 1 month. If you would like to freeze them for an extended period of time, I recommend wrapping each unbaked scone in plastic wrap for extra protection from freezer burn. When ready to bake, bake them straight from frozen, but please be aware they will need an additional 4-6 minutes to bake (depending on your oven).

FAQ - Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Scones

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.