Scones are considered a pastry and working with pastry doughs (especially gluten free) can sometimes be tricky, but I’ve laid it out step by step to make it as quick and easy as possible to get the gluten free spiced cranberry scones of your dreams! Make sure you read through the whole recipe and notes section before getting started so you know exactly what to do 🙂
How to make gluten free spiced cranberry scones
First things first, everything needs to stay COLD!
The first step in making gluten free spiced cranberry scones is to put your butter in the freezer for at least 15 minutes or overnight if possible. For this dough, everything needs to stay as cold as possible, so starting everything at the lowest temperature possible is the easiest way to ensure success.
While your butter is chilling, you can gather your other ingredients. Scones typically contain very common ingredients with a mix of flour, sugar, a leavening agent (in this case – baking powder), eggs, and cream.
The first step is to mix together the dry ingredients. Next, whisk together the eggs and cream and set them aside. Measure out the dried cranberries and set aside.
Then, your frozen butter comes into play. Using a box grater, grate in the whole stick of butter moving as quickly and carefully as possible so that the butter doesn’t warm in your hands. Using your fingers, mix the butter and flour mixture together. The butter should break apart and become smaller pieces. The smaller the pieces the better. If at any point you feel as though the butter is starting to warm from your hands or come to room temperature, pop the whole mixture into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before continuing.
Next, using a fork, mix in the egg and cream mixture and the dried cranberries just until combined. It can be easy to overmix. It’s ok if there are still a few dry crumbs.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. I like to use a silicon baking mat covering my countertop as my work surface.
Shape the dough into roughly an 8×8 square. Using a sharp knife, cut the square into 4ths, then cut each 4th diagonally into triangles.
Place scones on a baking sheet and place into the freezer while the oven preheats (or about 6-8 minutes). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brush the gluten free spiced cranberry scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with course sugar. Bake the scones for 15-18 minutes or until bottoms are just lightly browned.
Making the glaze for gluten free spiced cranberry scones
This step is optional, but it definitely brings more sweetness to the gluten free spiced cranberry scones if that is what you are used to. They are not overly sweet on their own which I actually prefer. The glaze makes them more like a dessert than an afternoon snack with coffee, and I do like the contrast that the glaze brings with the already crunch sugar tops.
To make the glaze, just whisk the powdered sugar with maple syrup and cream. If you don’t have maple syrup, just use an extra tablespoon of cream.
If the glaze is still too thick for your liking in the end, just whisk in 1/2 tablespoon of cream at a time until it’s the consistency you’d like.
Try these other breakfast treat recipes!
- Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Crunch Muffins
- Baked Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
- Gluten Free Dairy Free Berry Puff Pastry Strudels
gluten free sugar and spice cranberry scones
- Yield: 16 scones 1x
Description
Good scones are less about ingredients and more about technique. Two key elements to remember are keep everything cold and don’t overmix the dough.
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cups gluten free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Mix)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream for brushing tops of scones
- 2 tablespoons of course sugar for sprinkling tops of scones
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Before starting, place butter in the freezer (for at least 15 minutes or overnight)
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Whisk together heavy cream and egg and set aside. Measure out the cranberries and set aside.
- Grate in 1 stick of frozen butter and using your fingers, mix with the flour mixture while breaking it up into small pieces.
- Using a fork, mix in the wet ingredients and cranberries into the dry ingredients just until moistened, being careful not to overmix. It’s ok if there are a few dry crumbs at the bottom.
- Turn the mixture out onto a lightly flour work surface (I like to use a silicon baking mat on my coutnertop). Form the dough into a roughly 8×8 square. Using a very sharp knife, cut the square into 4ths. Cut the 4ths diagonally both ways into triangles and place on a baking sheet. You should end up with 16 mini scones.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 6-8 minutes while the oven preheats to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with course sugar. Bake the scones for 15-18 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
- While the scones are baking, make the icing glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream until smooth and set aside.
- When the scones have cooled, drizzle with glaze and serve. They are best fresh and eaten the day of, but will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
Notes
Dairy free option: Use dairy free butter sticks and a heavy cream substitute such as Silk dairy free heavy cream. Dairy free butter tends to be more salty so omit the salt in the recipe if using.
If you don’t have maple syrup you can just use more heavy cream
Tip: Make sure everything stays cold. If at any point in the process you feel as though the butter is getting too warm, stop and put everything into the refrigerator for 10 minutes and continue where you left off.
Tip: Make sure the oven is completely pre-heated before baking and do not skip the chilling step or you may end up with scones that spread and have burnt edges.
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