Cranberry Orange Scones

In a scone—which should be dense yet flaky—you can end up with a dry, flat triangle that crumbles when you butter it.

Because of the lower atmospheric pressure at high altitudes, the cold butter in your scone dough creates steam that expands with greater force than at sea level.

Below is a high-altitude cranberry orange scone recipe that maintains a moist crumb despite the dry mountain air, achieves a beautiful vertical lift, and features that iconic sugary crust.

The High-Altitude Science

To get these results, we made three key shifts:

1. Structural Support: By increasing the oven temperature to 425°F, this sets the outer edges and the flour’s protein structure quickly. This keeps the scone rising up instead of out before the lower air pressure can cause it to slump.

2. Hydration Balance: High-altitude air takes moisture from flour. By increasing the heavy cream and adding orange juice in the dough, this extra hydration ensures the scones stay tender for days.

3. Leavening Adjustment: At altitude, too much leavening creates large, unstable air pockets that lack the strength to hold up the heavy weight of the dried cranberries.

• Baking Powder: Reduced to 1 Tablespoon for a controlled, sturdy, rise.

• Liquid: Increased heavy cream + fresh orange juice for added moisture.

• Temperature: Baked at 425°F to set the height.

• Chill Time: A 15-minute freezer rest before baking solidifies the butter.

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Cranberry Orange Scones

PREP TIME: 20 minutes      COOK TIME: 12-15 minutes      SERVINGS: 8 large scones

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour


• 1/3 cup granulated sugar


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 Tablespoon baking powder


• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen and grated


• 3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon heavy cream (cold)


• 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice


• 1 Tablespoon orange zest


• 1 large egg, cold


• 3/4 cup dried cranberries


• Optional Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons orange juice.

Directions

1. Whisk Dry Ingredients : In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and orange zest.

2. Cut in Butter : Grate your frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. Toss with a fork until the butter is coated and the mixture looks like coarse meal. Mix in the dried cranberries.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients : In a small jug, whisk together the ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream, orange juice, and the egg.

4. Combine : Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. It should be slightly tacky; if it's too dry, add one more tablespoon of cream.

5. The Stack & Fold : Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Pat into a rectangle, fold it in half, and repeat 3 times. This "lamination" creates the flaky layers that withstand low pressure.

6. Shape & Chill : Pat into a 7-inch circle (about 1 inch thick). Cut into 8 wedges. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. This is the secret to a high-altitude rise!

7. Bake : Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Brush the tops with a little extra cream and bake for 12–15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

8. Glaze : Once cooled slightly, drizzle with the orange glaze.

Simply Altitude Pro-Tips

• Freezer Chill: At high altitude, because the oven is set to a higher temperature, butter melts faster. If the butter melts before the flour structure sets, your scones will puddle.

• Grate Your Butter: Grating frozen butter creates perfect size pieces that create steam pockets without overworking the dough—overworking is the #1 cause of dried out scones in the mountains.

Explore More High-Altitude Baking

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to check out our High Altitude Baking Made Simple page. It’s the ultimate resource for mastering the science of mountain baking.

Looking for more mountain-tested treats? Try these next:

• High-Altitude White Cake: A no-sink mountain classic.

• High-Altitude Blueberry Muffins: Perfectly domed and filled with blueberries.