White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Scones

 

Scones make me feel fancy.  Plus, they're delicious, and when you have scones in your house it's fun to offer them to guests because then they think you are fancy.  Scones are great for breakfast, brunch, a late night snack, and are wonderful for entertaining.  These particular scones are so moist and flavorful that you don't need any butter or jam.  Make sure you try one right out of the oven- a warm white chocolate cranberry orange scone will change your life.  Or, at the very least, it will change your breakfast.

 

• 3 1/2 C. all purpose flour
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1 3/4 Tb. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C. VERY cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 3/4 C. milk
• 1/4 C. half and half
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tb. orange zest
• 1 C. white chocolate chips
• 1 C. sweetened dried cranberries, chopped

 

 

Preheat the oven to 400.


In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. 


Add the cold butter to the flour.  Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter. If you don't have a pastry cutter you have two options- go old school and use two knives, or go new school and freeze the butter, then grate it into the flour using a cheese grater.


In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla, and orange zest.


Add the milk mixture into the flour mixture and combine.  Make sure not to overwork the dough because you don't want the butter to get too warm.


Add the cranberries and white chocolate chips to the dough.  You might have to use your hands at this point, the dough is relatively thick.


On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 30-40 seconds.  Form the dough into a log 2 inches in diameter. 


Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces on a little bit of a diagonal.  Place the pieces on a lightly greased baking sheet. 


Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.