Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley
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!
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.
