Dairy Free Cranberry Orange Scones

Two dairy free scones on a plate next to a napkin.

Whether you want a delicious Christmas morning breakfast treat, or you’re looking for something to whip up for brunch with friends this winter – you’ll love these dairy free scones! These scones are made using dairy-free cream, which makes them much easier than traditional scones (no cutting in cold butter alternatives!). They’ll still come out with that slightly crisp exterior and tender interior – and packed with cranberry orange flavor.

This recipe was inspired by a traditional cream scone recipe on Budget Bytes, which I have modified to make dairy-free.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:

Flour, powdered sugar, dairy-free cream, baking powder, salt, orange, vanilla, and dried cranberries.
  • Dairy-free cream – I used Country Crock plant cream for this recipe, which works incredibly well. Other dairy-free cream substitutes or canned coconut cream may also work. However, note that each has a slightly different moisture content, which can affect the total amount of flour needed.
  • Powdered sugar – This is necessary for the scone itself and the glaze. Do not substitute regular granulated sugar in this recipe; it will not work the same way.
  • Orange – You’ll use both the zest and juice, so be sure you zest it first before cutting it up to juice it.

Instructions

You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.

Start by preparing your orange, which you’ll use in both the scones and the glaze. Zest the whole orange and set that aside. Then juice the orange and set that in another bowl.

Now combine the dry ingredients for the scones: the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, salt, dried cranberries, and two teaspoons of the orange zest.

Dry ingredients for scones mixed in a glass mixing bowl.

Stir well, then pour in the dairy-free cream and vanilla. Stir until a ball of dough forms. Note the dough will be a bit moist; this is normal.

Scone dough in a glass mixing bowl.

Pour that onto a well-floured surface, and sprinkle some extra flour on top. Break into two balls, and pat each down into a disc.

Two discs of scone dough on a well-floured surface.

Cut each disc into 6 wedges, and carefully move the dough over to the baking sheet. I find sliding a butter knife under to help lift it out then transferring it by hand is useful for moving it to the baking sheet. Remember, the dough will be a bit fragile and moist.

Unbaked scones on a baking sheet.

Bake those at 400 degrees F for about 17-20 minutes, or until they start to turn a light golden brown at the edges.

Just-baked scones on a baking sheet.

Let them cool on the pan completely.

While they’re cooling, make the glaze: mix together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. You want just enough orange juice to make a thick glaze, so you may want to start with a tablespoon and then add another splash if necessary.

Powdered sugar mixed with orange juice and zest to make a glaze.

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let them sit for another 5-10 minutes, so the glaze will harden a bit.

Then dig in and enjoy!

Dairy free scones on a baking sheet topped with orange sugar glaze.

Recipe FAQ

Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:

How should you store dairy free scones?

These can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. If you plan to keep them on hand longer than that, it’s best to freeze them. You can reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 5-10 minutes if desired, or just allow to thaw at room temperature if you’re not as concerned with the fresh-baked slightly-crisp exterior.

Can you use different add-ins?

Sure. This recipe focuses on orange and cranberry, but you can choose other flavor combos that suit your tastes. Popular combinations could be lemon zest and dried blueberries, finely chopped pears and dark chocolate, or a scone with lime zest, coconut, and white chocolate.

Allergens in this Recipe

Disclaimer:  Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe.  While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.

As written, this recipe is dairy free, egg free, and peanut free.

Depending on the choice of dairy-free cream, it may contain soy – check labels. At the time of publish, Country Crock plant cream was soy free and would be an acceptable option.

This recipe does contain wheat (in the flour). I am not confident that a gluten-free flour substitute would work in this particular recipe, however you can certainly always try it to see if it does work.

This recipe also contains coconut (in the plant cream). Some people with tree nut allergies cannot consume coconut, so always check with your doctor.

A woman's hand holding a dairy free cranberry orange scone.

More Dairy Free Holiday Breakfast Recipes

If you’re looking for more dishes that would be perfect for a holiday breakfast, be sure to give one of these a try:

I hope you enjoy these dairy free scones as much as my family does. My husband and I are both huge fans of this recipe (as is his entire workplace, haha).

Dairy Free Cranberry Orange Scones

These dairy free scones are simple to make using a dairy-free cream – no cutting in butter! They’re packed with cranberry and orange flavor.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American, Scottish
Keyword dairy free scones
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings 12 scones
Calories 165 kcal
Author Dairy Free for Baby

Ingredients

For the scones:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • cup powdered sugar
  • cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup dairy-free cream (recommend Country Crock Plant Cream; see notes)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ tbsp orange juice
  • ½ tsp orange zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the scones: the flour, powdered sugar, dried cranberries, orange zest, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well combined.
  3. Add the dairy-free cream and vanilla extract. Stir until a ball of dough forms. (It will be a bit moist; this is normal).
  4. Pour the dough onto a well-floured surface. Sprinkle some additional flour on top, then break into two equal balls of dough. Shape into two discs.
  5. Cut each disc into six even wedges. Carefully move the wedges to the parchment lined baking sheet. I find it helpful to slide a butter knife underneath to help lift it off the floured surface and transfer to the baking sheet.
  6. Bake at 400 degrees F for 17-20 minutes, or until they start to turn lightly golden brown at the edges. Let cool on the pan.

  7. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar with the orange juice and orange zest.
  8. When scones are completely cool, drizzle glaze over the top. Let sit for a few minutes so the glaze solidifies, then enjoy.

Recipe Notes

  • The dough will be quite moist for this recipe and a bit more fragile than traditional butter-based scones. Be sure you are pouring it out on a well-floured surface and sprinkling extra flour on top before dividing into two discs and cutting the wedges.
  • If you cannot find Country Crock plant cream, you can also use Silk Heavy Cream or canned coconut cream (note – coconut cream, not milk). If you are using these different options, you may need to slightly modify the flour content, as each product has a somewhat different moisture content. See the process photos in this recipe post for what the dough should look like.

 

Nutrition analysis (approximate per scone): 165 calories, 6 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 190 mg sodium, 24.5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 11.5 g sugar, 1.5 g protein, Vitamin D: 0%, Calcium: 4%, Iron: 5%, Potassium: 0%

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A woman's hand holding a dairy free cranberry orange scone with a text overlay with the name of the recipe.

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