Tender Buttery Cranberry Scones (Printable)

Tender, buttery scones studded with tart dried cranberries for a delightful bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - 2/3 cup cold buttermilk
08 - 1 large egg

→ Add-Ins

09 - 2/3 cup dried cranberries

→ Optional Topping

10 - 1 tablespoon milk or cream (for brushing)
11 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Add cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work butter in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Stir dried cranberries into the crumbly mixture.
05 - Whisk buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl. Pour into dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick round.
07 - Cut the dough into 8 wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
08 - Brush scone tops with milk or cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
09 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
10 - Allow scones to cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're genuinely tender and flaky, not dense and crumbly like so many homemade versions.
  • Ready in under an hour from craving to first bite, making them perfect for unexpected guests.
  • Cranberries add natural tartness that keeps these from feeling one-dimensional or overly sweet.
02 -
  • Never use warm or room-temperature butter—it creates dense, greasy scones instead of light, tender layers; keep it in the fridge until the very moment you cube it.
  • Overmixing the dough is the biggest mistake, turning beautiful scones into tough hockey pucks; stir just until you see no dry flour and stop immediately.
  • Cold buttermilk matters as much as cold butter; warm liquid will start melting the butter and compromising your flake structure.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut wedges cleanly instead of sawing—a decisive cut gives you better rise than a jagged one.
  • If your butter is too soft and the dough looks greasy, stick it in the freezer for ten minutes to firm up before moving forward; cold dough bakes up infinitely more tender.

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