Sourdough Cranberry Orange Scones
Homemade sourdough cranberry orange scones are deliciously flaky on the outside and moist on the inside. These discard scones are loaded with tart cranberries and orange zest, and drizzled with a sweet vanilla glaze.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Scones:
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard cold
- 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 large eggs cold, divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
- Zest of one medium to large orange
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt kosher or sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries roughly chopped (I like to use a food processor)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter frozen and grated
Vanilla Glaze
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine sourdough discard, half and half, 1 egg, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and brown sugar.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Roughly chop the cranberries using a sharp knife or food processor. Add to the flour mixture and gently stir to distribute evenly throughout.
- Grate the frozen butter using a cheese grater over the flour mixture. Gently fold in the butter until it is evenly distributed.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the flour is mostly incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky.
- Using damp hands, fold the dough over itself 10 times.
- Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 10-12 times. Shape into a thick circle about 8 inches in diameter .
- Using a sharp knife or pastry scraper, cut the dough into 8 even pieces. Dip the knife or scraper into flour for each cut to avoid sticking.
- Place the scones on a sheet pan or plate and place in the freezer for 40 minutes.
- While the scones are in the freezer, preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using the one remaining egg, make an egg wash. In a small bowl beat the egg and add 1 tablespoon of room temperature water.
- Once the scones are done in the freezer, lightly brush a thin layer of egg wash on each scone. You do not want the egg wash to drip down the sides.
- Place the scones onto the baking sheet evenly spaced and bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees. After 5 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 375 and continue to bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops are a golden brown.
- Once the scones are done baking, transfer them to a cooling rack and prepare the glaze. In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. If the glaze is too thick you can add more heavy cream. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Store baked scones on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze pre-baked or baked scones in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. To bake the frozen unbaked scones, follow baking instructions above, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time. To warm already baked scones, bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
To long ferment these sourdough scones, you can simply mix up the dough up to step 6, and then put it in an airtight container and store in the fridge for a day or two. After the dough has fermented, you can then proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions. Or, you can mix up and shape the scones and then store the shaped scones in the refrigerator overnight and bake the following day.
Make Ahead Instructions: To make ahead, you can follow the recipe up to step 9, where you cut the scones and put them in the freezer. Put them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 1 month. When you're ready to bake, remove them from the freezer and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
