Cranberry-Walnut Scones

Hi! Yes, I know. It's been a while. Too long actually. I can't tell you how many times I have looked at these empty pages promising that I will get back to it tomorrow, or maybe the day after, but more likely next week. But the truth is, we have to eat every day, so I should just quit procrastinating and just share what I am doing anyway.

Starting with a recent purchase, Anne Burrell's new book Own Your Kitchen has proved to be a winner in my first three choice recipes. This weekend, I decided to try my hand at scones for the very first time. I've always liked scones, but never found them so amazing that I craved them and I would never select them over pain au chocolat...until now. These cranberry-walnut scones are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Even the hubby, who is also not a true fan of scones, loved them enough to have seconds...and he cleaned up the kids' "crumbs."

I should point out that I made these with the help of a 5-year-old which in itself adds another complexity to the process and yet I am still raving about them. I want my kids to learn how to cook, maybe even enjoy it, and as a bonus, have some fond memories of cooking with mom in the kitchen. So this is a relatively easy recipe that fits the bill.

All the ingredients came from my pantry so nothing special is needed. Then again, I do keep heavy cream in my fridge at all times so that may be the exception for you. Whole milk may work as a substitute but I wouldn't go much thinner than that. They lend themselves well to slight imperfection when mixing (should you also have a sidekick in the kitchen). In the end, they come together well and make for a delicious breakfast or brunch treat for the entire family. Try this some Sunday morning when you have a few extra minutes to spend in the kitchen. You'll never think of scones the same way again.

Cranberry-Walnut Scones
Adapted from Anne Burrell's Own Your Kitchen

Makes ~ 8 to 10 triangular scones (depending on the size that you cut)
Prep time: 15 minutes  Cook time: 16-18 minutes


3 cups all-purpose flour (more as needed for dusting)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder (make sure it's not old!)
Zest of 1 orange (I used 3 clementines as that is what I had on hand)
Pinch of kosher salt
12 Tablespoons (1.5 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pea-sized pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Turbinado sugar/"Sugar in the Raw"


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, orange zest, and salt in the bowl of a food process and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse multiple times until it looks like crumbled Parmigiano cheese (a great description!), about 30 seconds. Add the cream and pulse some more until the consistency changes to that of little balls of gravel. Don't overwork the tough or it becomes tough.

Turn the mixture onto a slightly floured surface and add the cranberries and walnuts, working them into the dough with your hands. Don't knead it, just squish the dough between your fingers to combine.

Flatten the dough into a round disk so that it's about 1 inch thick all the way around. Then cut it in half and then cut each half into 4 triangles.

Place the dough triangles on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the Turbinado sugar. I should note that I did NOT have this sugar in the raw. Some internet research suggested that brown sugar could be substituted, so I did. However, the brown sugar likes to clump and it did not "melt" like I thought it would. The clumps of brown sugar in your mouth are not unpleasant but I can't say they look pretty in the final product (refer to my photo above to see what I mean). If you have the sugar in the raw, a small sprinkle would be a nice addition but it could easily be omitted. Use brown sugar if you would like but I would probably leave it off next time.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until golden on top. Served warm is better but they are just as good at room temperature or slightly reheated. Store at room temperature in a closed container...if you have any leftovers.

Note: The cookbook also comes with a recipe to make a whipped honey butter to serve on top of the scones, however, they could easily be served with plain butter or honey or even your favorite jam.