Sweet Potato-Cranberry Scones with Molasses-Orange Butter Recipe

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley
Active :
15
Total :
60
Yield:
8 scones 
By Maggie Battista

These cranberry-speckled scones make the perfect food gift to bake for friends and family alike this holiday season. Seasonal flavors come together for a pastry as festive and mouthwatering as a hearty dollop of that Molasses-Orange Butter. These scones look great and travel well when tucked in a bowl wrapped up in a large linen kitchen towel. While you can enjoy these scones sans the sweet, citrus butter, we can’t think of a better way to complement the not-too-sweet scone. Not to mention, orange and cranberry work so well together!

Ingredients

Scones

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 tablespoons maple sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half
  • 1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato (from 1 [8-oz.] potato), at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (from 1 orange)

Molasses-Orange Butter

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon molasses
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest plus 2 tsp. orange juice (from 1 orange)
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; lightly coat with cooking spray.

Step 2

Stir together flour, maple sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter, and, using your fingertips, blend quickly and lightly into flour. (Don’t let it melt on your fingers.)

Step 3

Add egg yolks, and stir until just combined. Stir in cranberries.

Step 4

Whisk together half-and-half, sweet potato, and orange zest in a separate bowl until well combined. Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir gently just until dough holds together without crumbling. Add additional milk or flour, if needed.

Step 5

Transfer dough to center of prepared baking sheet, and, using oiled hands, shape dough into an 8-inch round. Slice round into 8 large wedges, pulling them apart slightly as you cut.

Step 6

Lightly beat egg whites until barely foamy. Brush tops of scones with egg whites.

Step 7

Bake scones in preheated oven until lightly browned, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on wire rack 20 minutes before serving with Molasses-Orange Butter (recipe below). Store scones in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Step 8

Prepare the Molasses-Orange Butter: Whisk together unsalted butter, molasses, orange zest, orange juice, and sea salt in a bowl until well combined. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Store butter in refrigerator up to 1 week.

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