Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Orange Scones – Easy Bakery

There is a reason the line at Starbucks always seems to pause in front of the pastry case. Those craggy, golden cranberry orange scones are tender inside, crisp at the edges, and perfumed with orange zest. This copycat recipe recreates that exact experience in your own kitchen, with a dough that comes together in one bowl and a glaze that tastes like pure sunshine.

The secret is not complicated equipment or fancy flour. It is cold butter, a light hand, and a hot oven. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you get pea-sized pieces, and the steam it releases while baking will push the scones up into tall, flaky layers. Dried cranberries plump up in the oven and burst with tart sweetness against the bright orange zest.

Whether you are baking for a weekend brunch, a holiday breakfast, or just because Tuesday needs a little sparkle, these scones deliver that coffee-shop indulgence for a fraction of the price. Serve them warm with a cup of coffee and you may never wait in that pastry line again.

About the Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

Spoon and level the flour or weigh it for accuracy; too much flour makes dry scones. Substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour for a nuttier version, but add 1 extra tablespoon of milk.

1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar

White sugar keeps the crumb light and lets the orange shine. You can swap in coconut sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor, though the scones will look darker.

1 tablespoon baking powder

Fresh baking powder is essential for lift; discard any that is more than 6 months old. There is no good substitute here, so check the date before you start.

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salt balances the sweetness and strengthens the gluten. Kosher salt works too, but use a slightly heaping 1/2 teaspoon since the crystals are larger.

1/2 cup (113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Freeze the butter for 10 minutes before cutting it in for the flakiest layers. Salted butter works in a pinch; just reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon.

3/4 cup (120g) dried cranberries

Look for fruit-juice-sweetened cranberries rather than sugar-coated ones for a cleaner tartness. Raisins or dried cherries are delicious substitutes.

1 large egg

A room-temperature egg blends more smoothly into the dough. If you are out, whisk 3 tablespoons aquafaba or 1/4 cup applesauce and use that instead.

1/2 cup (120ml) cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Heavy cream gives the richest crumb; whole milk or full-fat oat milk will also work. Keep it cold so the butter stays firm.

1 tablespoon fresh orange zest (from 1 large orange)

Zest only the bright outer layer, avoiding the bitter white pith. A grapefruit or tangerine will give a slightly different but lovely twist.

1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

Sift it first to avoid lumps in the glaze. For a less sweet finish, start with 3/4 cup and add more until the glaze coats the back of a spoon.

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Fresh juice makes a brighter glaze than bottled. Lemon juice or milk thinned with a drop of vanilla are fine stand-ins.

Tips & Tricks

Keep Everything Cold

Warm butter melts into the flour and creates dense scones. Freeze your butter cubes and chill your cream before starting, and work quickly with your fingertips.

Do Not Overwork the Dough

Stop mixing the moment the dough holds together. Overmixing develops gluten, which turns flaky scones into tough, bready wedges.

Pat, Do Not Roll

Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick circle and cut straight down with a sharp knife. A sawing motion seals the edges and prevents the scones from rising tall.

Glaze When Cool

Drizzle the orange glaze only after the scones cool for at least 10 minutes, or it will melt and slide right off.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat and Prep

Preheat the oven to 400F (204C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Position a rack in the center of the oven so the scones brown evenly.

2. Whisk Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the orange zest and rub it into the dry mixture with your fingertips until it smells strongly of citrus.

3. Cut in the Butter

Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

4. Add Cranberries and Wet Ingredients

Stir in the dried cranberries. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and heavy cream together, then pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms.

5. Shape the Dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 7-inch circle about 1 inch thick. If the dough is sticky, dust your hands with flour rather than adding more to the dough.

6. Cut and Bake

Cut the circle into 6 wedges with a sharp knife and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with cream and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 200F (93C).

7. Cool and Glaze

Transfer the scones to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of orange juice until smooth, adding more juice a teaspoon at a time until the glaze ribbons off the spoon. Drizzle over the warm scones and let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Delicious Variations

Blueberry Lemon Scones

Swap the cranberries for 3/4 cup fresh blueberries and the orange zest and juice for lemon. Reduce the cream to 1/3 cup since fresh berries add moisture.

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

Fold 1/2 cup white chocolate chips into the dough with the cranberries and skip the glaze for a sweeter, dessert-like version.

Gluten-Free Orange Scones

Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend and add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend does not include it. Bake 2 minutes longer and expect a slightly more tender crumb.

How to Store Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Orange Scones

Frequently Asked Questions

Bake a batch of these Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Orange Scones this weekend and let the smell of citrus and butter fill your kitchen. Snap a photo, tag me, and tell me in the comments whether you went with the classic glaze or one of the variations. Happy baking!

Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Orange Scones

Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Orange Scones bring buttery, zesty bakery flavor home with dried cranberries and a sweet orange glaze in 50 minutes.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings285 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup (120g) dried cranberries
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (120ml) cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest (from 1 large orange)
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

📋 Instructions

1. 1Preheat and Prep — Preheat the oven to 400F (204C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Position a rack in the center of the oven so the scones brown evenly.
2. 2Whisk Dry Ingredients — In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the orange zest and rub it into the dry mixture with your fingertips until it smells strongly of citrus.
3. 3Cut in the Butter — Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
4. 4Add Cranberries and Wet Ingredients — Stir in the dried cranberries. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and heavy cream together, then pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms.
5. 5Shape the Dough — Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 7-inch circle about 1 inch thick. If the dough is sticky, dust your hands with flour rather than adding more to the dough.
6. 6Cut and Bake — Cut the circle into 6 wedges with a sharp knife and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with cream and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 200F (93C).
7. 7Cool and Glaze — Transfer the scones to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of orange juice until smooth, adding more juice a teaspoon at a time until the glaze ribbons off the spoon. Drizzle over the warm scones and let set for 5 minutes before serving.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: For the tallest, flakiest scones, do not twist the knife when cutting the wedges; press straight down and lift cleanly. A sharp, straight cut gives the dough room to climb in the oven.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American

Course: Breakfast

Nutrition (per serving): 285 kcal · 12g protein · 22g carbs · 9g fat