Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Scones

These Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Scones Come Together in Minutes!

These quick and easy scones are perfect for a weekend brunch or when you need something special for unexpected coffee guests.

Can I Use Fresh Cranberries?

Yes! While this recipe uses dried cranberries since they’re easy to keep on hand and always available, fresh cranberries can work just as well if you have them.

Yield: 8 scones
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes

Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Scones

Ingredients

For the Scones:

• 1 ¼ cups brown rice flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup tapioca starch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (plus extra for brushing, optional)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (for sprinkling on top, optional)

For the Orange Glaze:

• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

To Make the Scones:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust it lightly with rice flour. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice flour, sugar, tapioca starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the orange zest and stir it in with the dry ingredients.
4. Grate the cold butter into the dry mixture, then stir until the butter is evenly distributed.
5. Stir in the dried cranberries. For best results, place this mixture in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes while you prepare the wet ingredients.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, heavy cream, egg, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring until a dough ball forms. Handle as little as possible to keep the butter cold.
7. Turn the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, then shape into an 8-inch circle about 1 inch thick.
8. Cut into 8 wedges, separating them to leave at least 2 inches between each wedge.
9. (Optional) Brush the tops with whipping cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
10. Bake for 17-19 minutes, until golden brown.
11. Remove from the oven, allow to sit for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Drizzle with the orange glaze if desired.

To Make the Orange Glaze:

1. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth. Start with 1 tablespoon of orange juice, adding more as needed for a thick glaze.
2. Warm the glaze in the microwave briefly to thin it, making it easy to drizzle.
3. Drizzle over the warm scones. Let sit a few minutes to set before serving.

Notes

These gluten-free Cranberry Orange Scones use dried cranberries for convenience, but fresh cranberries work well too if you have them on hand.