Cranberry Lemon Scones

If you’re into sweet rather than savory breakfasts on Christmas morning, make these scones.  Just a few pulses in the food processor and a quick baking time will let you get back to enjoying the holiday in a flash.  You can easily alter this recipe to include whatever ingredients you have.  Some suggestions: dried cherries with orange zest, almonds with raisins, or chopped dried apricots with walnuts.  Merry Christmas!

Cranberry Lemon Scones

Preheat oven to 375.  Place flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and cinnamon in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine.  Add cold butter pieces and pulse until the “dough” looks course, then pour in the buttermilk and cranberries and pulse again until you have a mixture like this:

Empty the contents of the food processor onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and use your hands to form into a 1-inch thick disc, then cut into wedges:

(Don’t over-handle the dough, otherwise your hands will partially melt the cold butter and your scones won’t be flaky).

Rub the whole disc with a little buttermilk then sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.  Separate the wedges and place them a couple inches apart from each other on the sheet, then bake for 15-20 minutes, turning pan halfway through.  Let cool a few minutes before digging in.

Optional:  Mix some lemon juice with powdered sugar to make a lemon “glaze.”  (Start with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 cup powdered sugar.  Add more or less of each ingredient until you have a mixture that looks “drizzle-able”).  Drizzle this over the scones before serving.

Warning: a very hungry and enthusiastic crowd may be standing by while you make these!

Cranberry Lemon Scones

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup (not packed) dried cranberries
• ½ cup cold buttermilk
• Turbinado (the coarse kind) sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and cinnamon in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add cold butter pieces and pulse until the “dough” looks course, then pour in the buttermilk and cranberries and pulse again.
2. Empty the contents of the food processor onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and use your hands to form into a 1-inch thick disc, then cut into wedges
3. (Don’t over-handle the dough, otherwise your hands will partially melt the cold butter and your scones won’t be flaky).
4. Rub the whole disc with a little buttermilk then sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Separate the wedges and place them a couple inches apart from each other on the sheet, then bake for 15-20 minutes, turning pan halfway through. Let cool a few minutes before digging in.

Notes

Optional: Mix some lemon juice with powdered sugar to make a lemon “glaze.” (Start with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and ¼ cup powdered sugar. Add more or less of each ingredient until you have a mixture that looks “drizzle-able”). Drizzle this over the scones before serving.

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