The first time I had ever tried a orange-cranberry scone was when I worked part time at Starbucks inside the Wellington Mall (back in 2005). I wasn’t much for treats nor coffee at this time in my life but that was all sure to change. This version of mini orange cranberry scones is sure to light up your morning.
I have been wanting to make my own scones for some time now and figured I better get on it since my que of recipes to try is a mile and a half long. The trick to this, which is probably no real trick but rather a cure to my OCD, was to find the perfect scone pan. I found a mini scone pan via a chef’s catalog I received recently but $36 seemed a bit steep for me. I searched eBay for the exact one and lo-and-behold I found it for $12 with shipping already included. It’s a mini-scone making kind I might also want to add, which to me is the perfect size being that full sized scone is a bit too big for me to finish at times. I was sold and it came in three days. I am confident the scone pan will become your best friend, especially on the weekend where there is obviously more time for things of this nature. Grab a cup of hot coffee, sit back, and enjoy your delicious scones! Stay tuned for other variations of this scone recipe!
MINI ORANGE-CRANBERRY SCONES
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more if necessary
baking spray
PREPARE
- First, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a mini-scone pan with baking spray.
- With a stand mixer, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in dried cranberries and the rest of the dry ingredients as well.
- Next, make a well in the center of the mixture. Add buttermilk, and stir until just combined; do not over mix. Use a little more buttermilk if dough is too dry to work with.
- Then transfer dough into mini-scone pan and distribute evenly.
- Place in oven and bake for 18 – 20 minutes until golden in color.
- Finally, remove from oven and enjoy!
