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 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, that first one I ever tasted still holds a special place in my heart. And now, too many years later, I’ve finally perfected the recipe for my own version: these Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones!
These have the same bright flavors and tender texture, even with no heavy cream or eggs, and contain nearly 5g of protein too. They’re also quick and easy to make. You only need 30 minutes!
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES
Let’s chat about the ingredients you’ll need to make these healthy cranberry orange scones! I’m assuming you already have common baking staples like baking powder and vanilla, so we’ll mainly cover the more interesting ones.
Flour. To make these scones healthier, I opted for white whole wheat flour. I know… It sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? White… Whole wheat?… But such a thing actually exists — and it’s not just a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!
Here in the US, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of softer white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, closer to that of all-purpose flour, but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour (like extra fiber and micronutrients!). That difference in appearance and texture is perfect for creating the irresistibly tender insides of these healthy cranberry orange scones!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy cranberry orange scones gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve included how to do so there!
Unsalted butter. Whereas the original scones probably included a full stick of butter (or two) as well as heavy cream, these lighter ones are the exact opposite! You just need 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. That really helps keep your healthy cranberry orange scones low calorie and low fat in comparison! Yet they’re still just as soft on the inside because of…
Greek yogurt. It’s one of my favorite ingredients in healthy baking, especially when making homemade scones! In this recipe, Greek yogurt adds the same moisture as extra butter or cream for a fraction of the calories, and it also gives your healthy cranberry orange scones a protein boost.
Orange. You’ll use both freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest to make the dough. Don’t skip the orange zest — it provides the majority of the bright citrus flavor!
Sweetener. To boost the natural sweetness of the fresh OJ, you’ll also add a bit of sweetener. Instead of refined granulated sugar, I opted for honey. It worked beautifully and paired so well with the fruit flavors!
Cranberries. I absolutely love baking with fresh cranberries, so that’s what I chose to make these healthy scones. They contain such a fun and vibrant flavor! While it’s currently cranberry season and easy to find them in the produce section of grocery stores, frozen cranberries would work as well.
Tip: If you’d like to substitute dried cranberries, see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve shared some tips there!
Milk. You only need a teensy tiny amount, so feel free to use whatever you already have stashed in your fridge. Almost any type will work!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES
Let’s quickly go over how to make the best healthy cranberry orange scones! Like I promised earlier, this recipe is quick and easy to make. I also have some tips to ensure your batch turns out beautifully soft and flavorful!
Measure correctly. You’ve probably heard this a time or two before… Perhaps you can even recite it with me from memory? If so, then you know what I’m about to say.
It’s extremely important to measure the ingredients correctly. For the flour, use this method or a kitchen scale. Do NOT scoop it directly from the container with your measuring cups! This can result in adding 1 ½ times as much flour, which dries out the dough, makes your scones taste bland, and yields a very crumbly and dry texture too. Yet if you measure the flour properly, you’ll end up with a lovely moist texture inside and irresistible fruity flavor throughout!
For the orange juice and zest, use measuring spoons. Do NOT measure by “1 large orange!” Not all “large” oranges are the exact same size. If yours is on the bigger side, you’ll end up adding too much juice, which will add more acid and liquid to the dough and also prevent your scones from fully baking all the way through. On the other hand, if your orange is on the small side, your dough will be too dry, and your scones will turn out crumbly. However, if you use measuring spoons, your scones will be perfectly soft and citrusy!
For the honey, use measuring spoons again. Please oh please… Do NOT use a kitchen scale! I know many kitchen scales offer a liquid ounces option, but that only works for liquids with a density of exactly 1.0g/mL (like water). Honey’s density is different, so unless you’d like to do the math to convert it into grams… Measuring spoons are more accurate — and faster too!
Cold butter. It’s also really important that you use very cold butter, straight from the refrigerator. (Freezing isn’t necessary for this recipe!) 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. If your butter is at room temperature when you begin — or starts to soften ahead of time while making the dough — you’ll miss out on that really moist texture!
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 quickly turns to liquid once you begin mixing it into the dough.
Mix by hand. Although quite useful for some recipes, skip the stand mixer and hand-held mixer when making these scones. Those tend to overmix low-fat doughs, like this one. Overmixing leads to a tough, gummy, or dense texture… Not good! But if you mix by hand, your healthy cranberry orange scones should turn out really moist and soft inside.
Tip: I highly recommend a pastry cutter for working the cold butter into the dry ingredients! It’s really efficient and does a fantastic job, so your butter shouldn’t start to soften or melt. Pastry cutters are really affordable — and useful too! They’re perfect for making scones, homemade pie crust, and even mashing bananas for banana bread.
Shape, brush + slice. Once you’ve made the dough and transferred it to your baking sheet, you’ll shape it into a large ¾”-tall disc. The dough is sticky (that helps make these scones so moist!), so use a spatula to do this — not your hands! I turn to my mini spatulas for this. They’re so helpful!
Next, you’ll brush the tops and sides of the dough with milk. This seals moisture into the dough, which yields that supremely soft texture inside, and it also creates a hint of a crust on the outside.
Finally, slice the circle into eight triangular sections — but don’t separate them! Leave those wedges touching. When you bake your scones like this, it traps more moisture into the dough, prevents them from drying out, and helps them turn out perfectly tender.
Bake. It’s time! These scones bake at a higher temperature, which helps them rise and creates that subtly crisp exterior. They’re done when the tops look golden and the center — where those eight points of the triangles meet — feels firm.
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES
Are these healthy cranberry orange scones gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, low fat, low calorie, or clean eating?
Yes! These scones are naturally egg-free, clean eating, low fat, and low calorie (compared to many more traditional recipes). They’re also nut-free! In the Notes section of the recipe, I’ve shared how to make them gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
Can I use a different flour?
Sure! Whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour work really well. You can also substitute regular whole wheat flour, but your scones may have a very subtle “wheaty” flavor in the background.
What can I use instead of butter?
Stick-style vegan butter is the best alternative. (I like this one and this one). I strongly advise against using coconut oil, and I’ve shared why underneath the “Unsalted butter” header in the “Key Ingredients to Make Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones” section above.
Is there something I can substitute for the plain nonfat Greek yogurt?
Other types of Greek yogurt also work, like 2% or full-fat! Otherwise, regular (non-Greek) yogurt and non-dairy yogurt (ie soy- or almond-based) perform really well too.
Can I use a different type of milk?
Absolutely! Nearly any kind will work, so feel free to use whatever you already have on hand.
Can I use dried cranberries?
Yes — but I highly recommend hydrating them first! This makes them soft and plump. I’ve outlined how to do this in the Notes section of the recipe, and it’s really quick and easy!
My scones turned out dry and crumbly. Why is that?
There are a few common culprits! The first is adding too much flour — or not enough honey or orange juice. Make sure you’re measuring these properly! (See the “Measure correctly” header in the “How to Make Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones” section above for more info.)
Second, don’t substitute coconut flour! It’s about three times as absorbent as most other flours, so it immediately dries out the dough and yields a super crumbly consistency.
Finally, overbaking the scones will make them dry. Try pulling them out of the oven a bit sooner, and see the “Bake” header in the “How to Make Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones” section above for more visual cues about how to tell when they’re done.
I had the opposite problem, where mine were gummy inside and collapsed while cooling. Why did that happen?
There are some typical culprits here too! First, adding too much orange juice or honey will yield those results. Excess liquids makes the dough too wet, prevents your scones from baking properly, and often results in them collapsing while cooling. Review the “Measure correctly” header in the “How to Make Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones” section above for more info about how to properly measure these ingredients!
Next, overworking or overmixing the dough will make them gummy, tough, or dense. Make sure you’re mixing by hand, and I highly recommend using a pastry cutter, if you aren’t already! (See the “Mix by hand” header in the “How to Make Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones” section above for more info.)
Finally, substituting sugar-free maple syrup — or another sugar-free liquid sweetener — will also make your scones collapse while cooling and yield a gummy consistency. It’s because many of them are water-based. Use honey or one of the other alternative sweeteners in the Notes section of the recipe instead for the best results!
What’s the best way to store these healthy cranberry orange scones? How long will they last?
Store your scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week or more!). These healthy cranberry orange scones freeze and thaw really well too!
Tip: I highly recommend reheating leftover scones in the microwave before eating. It really improves their texture and makes them soft and fluffy again! I heat them on 30% power until they’re warmed all the way through. It works like a charm!
Hello breakfast bliss! I wonder if that restaurant would ever 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 healthy cranberry orange scones!
Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ 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
Instructions
- 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. Make a well in the center. Pour in the Greek yogurt, honey, orange juice, and vanilla. Stir until just incorporated. Fold in the diced cranberries with a spatula.
- Using a spatula, shape the dough into a ¾” tall circle on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides with the milk. Slice the circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife (but don’t separate them!). 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.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
♡ Cranberry Orange Pecan Granola
♡ Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
♡ Dark Chocolate Cranberry Coffee Cake
♡ Cranberry Banana Bread
♡ Cranberry Quick Bread
♡ Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy scone recipes and healthy cranberry recipes!
Amy…..I absolutely love this recipe! I wanted to add that since I am lactose intolerant, I have made these scones with SILK, which is a non-dairy yogurt, using the vanilla flavor, and they were equally as fabulous! There was no difference in the taste. Light, healthy, and now even tummy friendly. Yum…
I’m so glad you love these muffins, Kim! It really means a lot that you’d take the time to let me know. That’s great to know about non-dairy yogurt too! I’ve used Silk’s non-dairy yogurt in some of my baking recipes (including these fun cupcakes — they’re completely dairy free, so they might be up your alley!). I’m thrilled to hear you didn’t notice any taste or texture difference when you used it in these scones! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Amy…Do you have a lemon blueberry scones recipe, or have you ever substituted lemons and blueberries in this recipe? Thanks….Kim
I do, Kim! Here’s a quick link to it: lemon blueberry scone recipe. I’ve actually posted 45+ different scone recipes on my blog, so there’s a decent chance I’ve shared the flavor you’re looking for. You can find all of those scone recipes by clicking on the “Recipes” tab in the top pink menu bar on my blog! There, my recipes are sorted into categories, and “Scones” is one of those categories. There’s also a search bar on that “Recipes” page, which you can use to quickly find something specific. 🙂
I’d love to hear what you think of my lemon blueberry scones if you try making them!
Thank you so much!! I will let you know how they turn out. I love that you cook with healthy and natural ingredients l like yogurt and honey. So healthy…so delicious. 😋
You’re welcome, Kim! I’m happy to help. 🙂 I’m so excited to hear about your scones!
could I brush the top with almond mild instead of dairy milk? I don’t have any in the house
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Esther! I’ve actually answered this in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones once you get a chance to make them!
I was disappointed with these scones. They seemed rather flavorless in spite of orange and cranberries. Maybe need some spice as well. And they didn’t seem to have the usual scone consistency.
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Gayle! I’m so sorry I’m just now getting back to you; I had to take a lot more time off than I anticipated to take care of some family things.
That sounds disappointing and not like how these scones are supposed to turn out, so I’d love to help figure out why that happened. In order to do so, I have some questions for you. 🙂
Can you describe the texture of your fully baked scones? Were they wet and raw, dry and crumbly, or something else?
By “flavorless,” do you mean not sweet enough? Or that you couldn’t taste the orange flavor, the cranberry flavor, or both?
Did you make any modifications or substitutions, including those listed in the Notes section?
Which flour option did you use: white whole wheat flour or the homemade gluten-free blend I provided in the Notes section?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons to measure all of the ingredients, especially the flour, yogurt, and honey?
Did you use the full amount of orange zest?
Can you describe the consistency of the dough prior to baking, while you were shaping it on the baking sheet?
How thick/tall was your circle of dough?
How long did you bake your scones?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit once I know your answers to all of them!
Amy
Life got in the way of an earlier response. It’s been weeks ago now that I made your scones. I always want a recipe on the healthier side but I have struggled with your recipes in the past. I used a scale for measuring, used w/w flour, white ww. With the chopped cranberries I’d have thought there would be plenty of flavor, but I didn’t feel the cranberry nor,orange flavor came through. I think a bit more salt might have helped. I don’t remember if your recipe called for any salt. Also, they probably needed a bit more time in the oven, were a bit more damp than scones usually are when bake time was finished. That’s basically what I remember at this point regarding my disappointment with these scones.
Gayle
Thanks for sharing this information, Gayle! My recipe does call for salt. It’s the 3rd ingredient. 🙂 I seem to be missing the answers to some of my previous questions. Until I know those answers of yours, I won’t be able to help you to the best of my ability. Would you please answer the questions below so I can solve the issues that you experienced?
Did you use your kitchen scale for measuring the honey and orange juice?
Did you use the full amount of fresh cranberries and orange zest?
Did you make any modifications or substitutions, including those listed in the Notes section?
Can you describe the consistency of the dough prior to baking, while you were shaping it on the baking sheet?
How thick/tall was your circle of dough?
How long did you bake your scones? Did you stop after 21 minutes, or did you bake them for any additional time?
Thanks Gayle!
Hi Amy,
I’m an avid home baker who feels pretty confident in the kitchen…. But boy did these go awry! So gross and gluey/gooey in the middle. Fully cooked (even added time) but just a horrible texture. What could I have done wrong?
Changes made:
1) Use bob’s red mill GF flour
2) Added an extra (scant) tbsp of Orange juice bc GF flour runs dry
3) Used a food processor to pulse the butter in (one second pulses until crumbly), much like I do with pie crusts
Other than that I followed your lovely looking recipe to a tee! So sad because my batch is just inedible.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Warmly,
Vivian
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Vivian! I’m so sorry I’m just now getting back to you; I had to take a lot more time off than I anticipated to take care of some family things. That sounds disappointing and not like how these scones are supposed to turn out at all, so I’m happy to help figure out what happened.
I really appreciate you including the modifications that you made. That’s so helpful! I have some follow-up questions for you to help me narrow down the culprit.
Did you make any other modifications or substitutions, including those listed in the Notes section?
Was it Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons to measure all of the ingredients, especially the flour, yogurt, and honey?
Did you use the food processor solely to incorporate the butter? Or did you also use it to mix in the other ingredients as well?
Can you describe the consistency of the dough prior to baking, while you were shaping it on the baking sheet?
How thick/tall was your circle of dough?
Did you brush the outsides of the dough with milk prior to baking?
How much extra time did you bake your scones?
When you say they were gluey/gooey, do you mean raw? Or more of a gummy texture? (Just want to make sure I fully understand! 🙂 )
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit once I know your answers to all of them!
Hello Amy, I just made them tonight, first time making scones, they are extremely delicious 🤤 and on the healthy side. Very tasty and the texture is perfect! Merry Christmas 🎄 and,,,I will definitely try other of your recipes!
Maryse (from Canada)
I’m so glad you enjoyed these scones, Maryse! I’m really honored that you picked my recipe to try for your first time making scones. That truly means a lot — especially that you’d call their texture perfect too! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. ♡ Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones as well, and I’m excited to hear what recipe you pick to make next!
Hi Amy, I made these for Christmas and they turned out wonderfully!!!! Thank you for all of your yummy and healthy recipes. It is a joy to have discovered you on Pintrist and it is so exciting to be able to bake and have recipes be healthy at the some time! 😊. – Beth
Oh my goodness!! I’m truly honored that you’d make these scones as part of your special Christmas celebration, Beth! That’s such a huge compliment. I’m so glad you loved them, and thank you for taking the time to let me know and rate the recipe. That means so much to me! ♡ I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Christmas!
425 for 18 minutes and they are BURNED. Very disappointed.
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, MaryEllen! That sounds disappointing and not at all like how these scones should turn out, so I’d love to work with you to figure out what happened. In order to do so, I have some questions for you! 🙂
Did you make any substitutions or modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons to measure all of the ingredients — especially the flour, Greek yogurt, and honey?
Can you describe the consistency of your dough when you were shaping it on the baking sheet? Was it dry and barely holding together? Or sticky yet firm? Something else?
In Step 3, did you separate the scones after slicing them into 8 wedges? Or did you leave them touching, like in the 2nd and 5th photos in my blog post above the recipe?
Do you have a standard oven or a convection / fan-assisted oven?
Is it a regular oven or a smaller countertop-style oven?
How many oven rack positions does it have, and which one did you use? (For example, the oven has 5 different rack positions, and the 2nd from the bottom was used.)
Were the scones completely black all around — tops, bottoms, and sides?
If you happened to break any apart and look inside, what was the texture like? Really dry and crumbly — or was there still some softness to the dough?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit (and how to fix it!) once I know your answers to all of them. 🙂
These sounds delicious. Do you think regular whole wheat flour would work in these scones?
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Heather! Amy actually has the answer to your exact question in the Notes section, directly below the recipe. I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones if you decide to try this recipe!
I’ve made these twice & I love them. I didn’t have white whole wheat flour, so I used 100 grams of regular whole wheat flour & 80 grams of all purpose white flour. I love cranberries & orange, so I upped the cranberries to one cup & the orange zest to almost two tablespoons. I also added a little extra orange juice, about 3 1/2 tablespoons all together. I grated some frozen butter & kept all ingredients in the fridge including flour. I think this may have made the batter a little easier to mix, even though I had to use my metal whisk like a pastry cutter, as I don’t have one of those. The scones are delicious and so nutritious. I think next time I’ll try all regular whole wheat flour to see how that works. I might even try adding an egg. Do you think that would work? Thank you so much for your recipe. It’s definitely a keeper.
We’re so excited to hear that you love these scones, Heather! That’s such a huge compliment, if you’d rate this recipe so highly and call it a keeper. We really appreciate you taking the time to do that and let us know — it means so much! Thank you for including your modifications too. We always love hearing what tweaks work out!
We haven’t tried adding an egg, so we’re not personally sure about how that might affect the scones. If you’d like to experiment, it might be worth reducing the liquid ingredients by a touch (like the orange juice or Greek yogurt) to compensate for the added “liquid” volume from the egg to maintain a similar dough consistency. We’d absolutely love to hear how that goes if you do give it a try! 🙂
Near my area only whole wheat flour is available not the whole wheat flour. Is it okay to use whole wheat flour in this recipe?
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Anjani! We actually answered your exact question in the Notes secion, directly below the recipe. I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones if you decide to make some!
Loved this recipe! The combination of cranberries and orange is so delicious and perfect for the holidays. Can’t wait to make them again for my family’s Christmas gathering.
I’m so happy you enjoyed these scones! Thanks for letting us know, it really means a lot! 🙂
I can’t wait to make these today. I made these last year and loved them!!! I love the cranberry and orange combination. I use maple syrup instead of honey because my sweet tooth ☺️.
It’s so great to hear that you’re back to make another batch of these scones, Kela! We’re honored to hear that you enjoy this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to share and rate this recipe, it really means a lot! 🙂