Every season calls for favorite baked goods but autumn and winter SCREAM for Cranberry Scones - as soon as bags of fresh cranberries appear in the stores. Beautiful, scarlet, shining gems!
I make a lot of scones but these are surely the favorites of family, friends, and our B&B guests. Best yet - they freeze well (baked or unbaked) and the recipes adapts perfectly to be chocolate chip or apricot or raisin - or anything else you can think of. It's just a great basic scone. I never make less than 2 batches at a time -- usually 3 or 4!
Cranberry Scones
Heat oven to 425
combine:
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
with pastry blender or forks, cut in
(until mixture resembles coarse crumbs):
1/4 c butter
then stir in, using a large fork:
about 1 to 1 1/4 c heavy cream
3/4 c cranberries, halved (or mini chocolate chips)
until mixture clings together and just forms a soft dough - don’t over-mix.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently 5-6 times.
Form into 7” round and cut into wedges or cut with cookie cutter (heart-shaped are my favorite!).
Place onto parchment-lined baking sheet, pierce tops with fork and brush with cream. After they've baked for a couple minutes so that the cream isn't completely wet, sprinkle with sparkle sugar (I think it's must but it IS optional!).
Bake 15-18 minutes until bottoms are lightly brown. Watch closely so scones don’t burn!
