During the spring of my freshman year of high school, my dad and I flew to Seattle for a special weekend trip. We arrived late Friday afternoon, and after checking into our hotel, we walked a few blocks west to the Pike Place Market to start our sightseeing. After browsing the multitude of food stalls, ranging from seasonal produce to fresh fish to artisan cheese and even a few bakeries, I decided I wanted to own one of the flower booths someday. So many sweet scents and brightly colored blooms!
We started the next day by walking in the other direction until we reached the Space Needle. After purchasing tickets, we rode over 500 feet to the top, where we snapped plenty of pictures of the views in every direction. The weather even cooperated that day, miraculously holding off any showers, so we could see for miles.
That afternoon, we walked two miles south of our hotel to the main event we traveled to Seattle to attend… The Mariners baseball game! If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you already know how big of a fan I am. My dad and I are in the process of visiting all 30 MLB stadiums together, and although we’ve already checked off 22 from our list, Safeco Field in Seattle was #8!
After a long evening of cheering and the brisk two-mile walk back to our hotel (I nearly had to jog to keep up with my dad!), we collapsed into bed. When we woke up the following morning, we rode the elevator down to the lobby to eat breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant.
The hostess immediately seated us at a table, and once we had scanned the menus, Dad and I both settled on egg dishes. When our server set them down in front of us, I glanced down at the plate. I recognized the eggs, bacon, and hash browns, but… I had no idea what the circular pastry was!
Dad explained that it was a scone, and after tasting a few bites of everything else, I broke off a tiny piece to sample. Soft and tender on the inside, a crisp sugar-crusted outside, and bursting with sweet orange flavors and tangy cranberries… I almost forgot about everything else on my plate, and Dad even offered his to me when he saw how quickly I polished off mine!
Although I’ve baked and eaten plenty of scones since then, those first scones I ever tasted still hold a special place in my heart. And now, too many years later, I’ve finally created a healthier version of them: these Clean Cranberry Orange Scones! They have the same bright flavors and tender texture, but unlike the originals, they contain no heavy cream, refined flour or sugar—and nearly 5g of protein too!
You’ll start by measuring out white whole wheat flour. I know… It sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? White… Whole wheat?… But it’s actually made by finely grinding a special type of softer white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat, but they both have the same health benefits. White whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose, which is perfect for creating these scones’ absolutely irresistible tender insides!
Whereas the original scones probably included a full stick of butter (or two) and plenty of heavy cream, these lighter ones are the exact opposite! You just need 2 tablespoons of butter. That’s it! It’s extremely important that you use very cold butter, straight from the refrigerator. Really cold butter won’t heat up until you put the scones into the extremely hot oven, and it will create little air pockets and a very tender crumb when it melts.
Note: This is why I recommend against using coconut oil, if at all possible, because coconut oil has a much lower melting point than butter and will quickly turn to liquid once you begin mixing it into the dough.
With so little butter, the rest of the tender texture comes from one of my favorite ingredients in healthier baking… Greek yogurt! It adds the same moisture as extra butter for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your scones a protein boost too.
For those fresh fruity flavors, you’ll add in orange juice, orange zest, and fresh cranberries. Don’t skip the orange zest—it actually provides the majority of the citrus flavor! While it’s currently cranberry season and easy to find them in grocery stores, frozen cranberries would work as well.
Then brush the tops with a little milk to create a subtly crisp crust, pop the pan in the oven, and…
Hello breakfast bliss! I wonder if that restaurant would consider changing their recipe… My dad said these tasted even better! 🙌🏻 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 😊) I’d love to see your scones and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Clean Cranberry Orange Scones | Print |
- 1 ½ cups (180g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (7g) orange zest (about 1 large orange)
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp (45mL) honey
- 3 tbsp (45mL) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (82g) fresh cranberries, diced
- 2 tsp nonfat milk
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the orange zest. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the Greek yogurt, honey, orange juice, and vanilla. Fold in the diced cranberries with a spatula.
- Using a spatula, shape the dough into a ¾” tall circle on the prepared baking sheet, and brush with the milk. Slice the circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. Bake at 425°F for 18-21 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
For a gluten-free version, use the following blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if they’re measured like this.
The zest provides the majority of the orange flavor. Don't skip it!
Pure maple syrup or agave may be substituted in place of the honey.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
In a pinch, coconut oil may be substituted for the butter, but the texture of the scones will be affected. Very cold butter is required to achieve their tender texture, and since coconut oil melts at a much lower temperature, the results will not be the same.
It’s important to dice the cranberries finely, no larger than the size of chocolate chips, to ensure that the scones bake evenly. I typically use my food processor to do this—it’s so much faster!
Frozen and thawed cranberries that have been patted dry to remove any excess moisture may be substituted for the fresh. In a pinch, ⅓ cup of dried cranberries that have been hydrated may be substituted. To hydrate the dried cranberries, add them to a microwave-safe bowl, add water until it rises ½” above the cranberries, and cover the top with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Let the cranberries sit while preparing the scone dough. Just before mixing them in, drain and pat dry.
To how to make these scones, watch this video of mine above the recipe. (It's for a similar recipe!)
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥ Cranberry Orange Muffins
♥ Cranberry Orange Pecan Granola
♥ Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
♥ Dark Chocolate Cranberry Coffee Cake
♥ Whole Wheat Cranberry Sweet Rolls
♥ Cranberry Gingerbread Granola
♥ Whole Wheat Cranberry Banana Bread
♥ Dark Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Looks and sounds yummy!! Can’t wait to make the scones – which are a favorite!
Thanks Tammara! I’m excited to hear what you think of the scones!
Cranberry-orange is one of my favorite flavor combos!! 🙂
Me too! I always forget just how much I love it until I bake something… 😉
Happy Halloween Amy!🎃 I hope you enjoy celebrating – and what better way to do so than with some delicious baked treats! The Space Needle sounds amazing, and so do these cranberry orange scones! I love the flavour combination of cranberry & orange, especially around Christmas time which isn’t too far away now (once Halloween’s over, I start thinking about Christmas, so this is perfect timing!!) These scones will certainly be on my Christmas baking list.😊💜
I hope you had a wonderful Halloween too Katie! I always forget how much I love the cranberry + orange combo until wintertime… And then I remember that I enjoy it almost as much as pumpkin and chocolate! 😉 That means a lot to me that these scones will make your Christmas baking list, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
Scones are one of my favorite treats and a cranberry + orange version sounds delicious! Love that these are healthier. 🙂
Thanks Ashlyn! 🙂
Hi how can u substitute greek yogurt?
Thanks
The best substitute would be regular yogurt, and non-dairy yogurt substitutes (ie soy-based yogurt, almond-based yogurt, etc.) will work as well. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of the scones if you try them Blalissa!
These look so scrumptious. I’ve never made something like this and look forward to try it.
Could you share anything about how to store in case they don’t all get eaten at one time.
Can they be frozen and reheated? What advise would you offer? Thank you so much.
Thanks! If you think the scones will be eaten in less than a week, then follow the instructions on how to store included directly underneath the recipe title in the recipe box. If you prefer to freeze the scones to make them last longer, that would work fine as well. I recommend thawing individual scones in the microwave on 40-50% power until warmed through. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
Can I substitute dried cranberries? thanks! 🙂
I actually answered that already in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of the scones Dawn!
Hi I’m wanting to try these but I’m not sure what flour to use.. I’m in the uk do I get self raising flour or plain flour? Thanks x
Plain flour! I’m glad you asked. Many UK readers have reported that self-raising flour doesn’t work very well in my recipes. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the scones Sophie!
Hi Amy! How can I substitute the gluten free option with coconut flour and vanilla whey protein powder? I’m trying to expand my protein powder recipes beyond muffins and shakes.
I don’t recommend using coconut flour and whey protein powder in this recipe. All protein powders behave differently, and I can’t guarantee if these scones will turn out with those substitutes. However, I do have many protein muffin recipes and protein cookie recipes that utilize both ingredients, so those may be of interest to you! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try any of those Kimberly!
These look delicious, I’m so excited to make them!
Quick question… is the recipe calling for 3/4 cups of whole cranberries that must be diced or 3/4 of diced cranberries?
Thanks!
Lara
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Lara! You’ll measure the ¾ cup of cranberries when they’re whole, then dice them after. For more information about how ingredients are listed and how to measure them, check out my Baking Basics page here! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these scones!
These scones turned out beautifully and tasted absolutely scrumptious, but the dough before they were baked was not as stiff as it should have been and I wasn’t able to cut it into eighths. It was way to thin and gooey. Do you have any ideas about that? (By the way, I baked it for the same amount of time anyways, and it turned out fine)
I’m glad you enjoyed these scones Naomi! Did you use any substitutes, and did you measure with a kitchen scale or measuring cups?