Cranberry Scones with Walnuts

Cranberry Walnut Scones are perfect for an easy, delicious baking recipe to enjoy during the holiday season. Full of fresh, tart cranberries and the wholesome goodness of walnuts, these cranberry scones offer a perfect blend of seasonal flavors and festive vibes. They’re quick and easy to whip up and are a great way to add some warmth and cheer to your home this holiday season. Give them a try and enjoy some tasty baking!

These Cranberry Walnut Scones can be your ultimate time-saving ally during the holiday season. You can prepare them in advance, freeze them unbaked, and then enjoy freshly baked scones anytime. It’s like having a secret stash of joy in your freezer!

Plus, these American scones are a perfect solution for those leftover cranberries. You don’t have to let them go to waste, as you can turn those seasonal fruits into a deliciously buttery scone that will impress anyone. Bake these scones on your schedule, and let the aroma of cranberry bliss fill your home.

Why this is the best cranberry scones recipe

• No-Fuss Baking Fun: Forget the complicated stuff! These cranberry scones with walnuts keep it easy – mix, form, and bake!
• Perfect make-ahead recipe: Life can be hectic, but these cranberry scones can be made ahead, frozen, and baked fresh whenever you want.
• Use up those berries! Don’t let leftover cranberries go to waste. These scones make perfect use of seasonal berries.
• Great for gifting: Bake up a big batch and share these scones with your favorite people to spread the joy. They’ll thank you for the delicious surprise.
• Perfect Winter baking recipe: These scones are perfect for winter, offering a cozy, comforting, and irresistible treat without needing a reason to indulge in something this good. One of my favorite things to bake on Christmas morning!

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Cranberries – I prefer fresh cranberries because they add a tartness to the sweet biscuit. You could also use dried cranberries.
• Walnuts – You can substitute walnuts for pecans or another nut or add in.
• Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, plus a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar
• Egg
• Heavy cream – for use in the dough and coating the tops before baking.
• Vanilla
• Butter – use unsalted, frozen butter. I always grate my butter with a box grater since it helps break down the butter into the ideal pea-sized pieces without having to use your hands too much.

How to Make Cranberry Scones with Walnuts

To begin, preheat your oven to 400°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugars, salt, and baking powder. Grate in the frozen butter and mix until pea-sized balls form. Place the mixture in the freezer or fridge to chill.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together heavy cream, vanilla, and egg. Retrieve the chilled flour mixture and add the liquid mix to it. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix until just combined. Then, gently fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, fold it four times, and shape it into an 8-inch round. Cut into 8 triangles and freeze for 15 minutes.

Before baking, brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges turn golden. Once cooled, you can top the scones with powdered sugar or glaze. To make the glaze, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream (or another milk of choice) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Helpful Recipe Tips

• Keep the butter and ingredients cold – For the best texture, make sure to use frozen butter, cold eggs, and cream, and also freeze the scones before baking. While baking, the frozen butter gradually melts creating steam pockets, resulting in perfectly tender and flaky scones.
• Don’t overmix – To ensure that your scones turn out tender and flaky, avoid overmixing the wet and dry ingredients. Gently mix them until they are just combined, and once the dough is shaggy, fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Following this method will help you achieve the perfect texture for your scones.
• Prevent sticking while forming your dough disc – To help prevent the dough from sticking to the surface, I like to lightly flour wax paper for easy cleanup.
• Cut into any shape – As long as you’re not handling the dough too much, get creative and try different shapes instead of the classic triangle shape.

Variations

• Cranberry Orange Scones – Zest a large lemon and massage it into the flour mixture. Then, follow the recipe as directed. You can also make an orange glaze with juice and powdered sugar!
• White Chocolate Cranberry Scones – Replace the walnuts with white chocolate chips!

What to serve with cranberry scones

• Butter or jam
• Mulled cider
• Fresh fruit

Frequently Asked Questions

These cranberry scones are like a festive hug for your taste buds. It’s a simple recipe that captures the essence of the holidays. Easy tips and friendly swaps make it your go-to for a cozy, homemade winter treat. Happy baking!

More Similar Recipes

• Cranberry Apple Crumb Tart
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
• Banana Nut Scones with Chocolate Chips

Cranberry Walnut Scones

Recipe by DiannaCourse: All Recipes, BreakfastCuisine: American, BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

35

minutes

These Cranberry Scones with Walnuts are a delicious seasonal bake, perfect for breakfast or snack. They’re sweet, tart and a great way to use up those cranberries!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 stick frozen butter, grated

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup heavy cream, + 2 tbsp (for brushing)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 1 large egg

• 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugars, salt, and baking powder. Add in grated butter and incorporate it into the flour until small pea-sized balls form.
• In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together heavy cream, vanilla, and egg.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined. Do not overwork. Then, gently fold in the cranberries and walnuts.
• Dump the dough on a lightly floured surface. I will be a little crumbly but fold into together about 4 times, gently pressing in the addins.
• Press into an 8-inch round, about 1 1/2 inch thick. Cut round into 8 equal triangles and place on the prepared sheet pan. Chill in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Then, right before baking, brush the tops with heavy cream.
• Bake scones for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown and tops are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool, then top with powdered sugar or glaze.

Notes

• Tips: Use cold butter, freeze before baking
• To make the glaze, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream (or another milk of choice) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.