Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Scones with Vanilla Glaze

I had a bad cold for nearly four weeks, complete with a fever, sore throat, watery eyes and plenty of sinus and chest congestion. That explains the gap between posts. Now that I can breathe through my nose again, I should be able to think clearly enough to keep up.

I have also started adapting more recipes for gluten-free baking. This cranberry orange scone recipe turned out particularly well. The flavor and texture are very close to traditional wheat-based scones.

The recipe is also easy to modify. You can replace the cranberries with other dried or fresh fruit, add chopped nuts or adjust the glaze to suit your preference.

Without the vanilla glaze, the scones are drier and only lightly sweet. For an unglazed but sweeter scone, increase the sugar in the dough as described in the recipe notes.

Jump to Recipe

Cranberries, orange zest, gluten-free flours, cream, honey and glaze ingredients for cranberry orange scones

The complete recipe and detailed instructions are at the end of this post. You will need cranberries, orange zest, white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, heavy cream, honey, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.

Combine the Dry Ingredients

White rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder and salt combined in a bowl

Fresh orange zest mixed thoroughly into the gluten-free flour blend

Heavy cream, honey and cranberries added to the dry ingredients

Gluten-free cranberry orange scone dough mixed until combined

Combine the white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly so the leavening and starches are evenly distributed.

Traditional scone dough should be handled carefully to avoid developing too much gluten. That particular concern does not apply here because the flour mixture contains no wheat gluten. The dough should still be mixed only as much as needed to keep the finished scones tender.

Add the orange zest and distribute it evenly through the flour mixture.

Add the Cream, Honey and Cranberries

Reserve 1/8 cup of the heavy cream for brushing over the tops of the scones.

Add the remaining cream, honey and cranberries to the dry ingredients. Mix until the ingredients come together into a cohesive dough.

Do not continue mixing once no major dry pockets remain.

Shape and Cut the Scones

Gluten-free cranberry orange scone dough placed on the work surface

Cranberry orange scone dough divided and shaped into two long portions

Gluten-free cranberry orange scone dough cut into triangular portions

Unbaked triangular cranberry orange scones arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet

Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a long rectangle approximately 12 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide.

Cut each rectangle into the desired number of triangular scones. For the stated yield, divide the dough into 20 large portions total.

Arrange the scones on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between them.

Brush and Bake the Scones

Reserved heavy cream brushed over the unbaked cranberry orange scones

Cream-brushed cranberry orange scones sprinkled with granulated sugar

Gluten-free cranberry orange scones after baking

Vanilla glaze drizzled over cooled gluten-free cranberry orange scones

Brush the tops with the reserved heavy cream and sprinkle them with granulated sugar.

Bake at 425°F (219°C) for approximately 15 minutes, or until the scones are set and lightly browned.

Transfer them to a wire rack positioned over parchment paper and let them cool before glazing.

Make the Vanilla Glaze

Combine the powdered sugar, two tablespoons of milk and the vanilla in a small bowl.

Stir until smooth. Add additional milk a little at a time until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle but not watery.

Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones. Let it set slightly before serving.

Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Scones

Tender gluten-free cream scones flavored with tart cranberries, fresh orange zest and honey, then finished with vanilla glaze.

Yield: Approximately 20 large scones

Oven Temperature: 425°F (219°C)

Bake Time: About 15 minutes

Cranberry Orange Scones

10 ounces cranberries (283 grams)
Finely grated zest of 1 medium orange
1 pound 8 ounces white rice flour (680 grams)
4 1/2 ounces potato starch (128 grams)
4 1/5 ounces tapioca flour or tapioca starch (118 grams)
8 ounces granulated sugar (227 grams)
3 tablespoons baking powder (36 grams)
1 teaspoon salt (5 grams)
3 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided (840 milliliters)
4 ounces honey (115 grams)
Granulated sugar, as needed for sprinkling

Vanilla Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 425°F (219°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the dry ingredients. Mix the white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Add the orange zest. Mix until it is distributed evenly through the flour blend.
Reserve some cream. Set aside 1/8 cup of the heavy cream for brushing over the scones.
Mix the dough. Add the remaining cream, honey and cranberries. Mix only until a cohesive dough forms.
Divide and shape the dough. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a rectangle approximately 12 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide.
Cut the scones. Cut the dough into approximately 20 triangular portions total.
Arrange the scones. Place them on the prepared baking sheets with space between each piece.
Finish the tops. Brush each scone with the reserved cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the scones are set and lightly browned.
Cool. Transfer the scones to a wire rack placed over parchment paper and let them cool completely.
Make the glaze. Stir the powdered sugar, two tablespoons of milk and vanilla together until smooth.
Adjust the consistency. Add more milk as needed until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle but not runny.
Glaze the scones. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones and let it set slightly before serving.

Recipe Notes

The original metric conversions contained several significant errors. Twenty-four ounces of white rice flour is approximately 680 grams, not 704 grams.
The original listing paired 4 1/2 ounces of potato starch with 397 grams. The corrected weight is approximately 128 grams.
The original listing paired 8 ounces of granulated sugar with 85 grams. The corrected weight is approximately 227 grams.
Potato starch is different from potato flour. Use potato starch for this recipe.
Tapioca flour and tapioca starch are generally the same ingredient in this recipe.
Fresh, frozen and dried cranberries produce different moisture levels, textures and degrees of sweetness. The original recipe does not specify which type was used.
If using frozen cranberries, add them while still frozen to reduce bleeding and excess moisture.
The glaze contributes much of the perceived sweetness. Without it, the scones will taste less sweet.
For sweeter unglazed scones, increase the sugar in the dough. The original post suggested adding approximately 1/2 cup more.
For anyone with celiac disease or significant gluten sensitivity, confirm that all packaged ingredients are labeled gluten-free and avoid cross-contact during preparation.

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Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Scone FAQs

What type of cranberries should I use?

The original recipe does not specify fresh, frozen or dried cranberries. Fresh or frozen cranberries will be tarter and add more moisture, while dried cranberries will produce a sweeter, less moist scone.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Yes. Add them directly from the freezer so they remain firm and do not release as much color into the dough.

Can I use dried cranberries?

Yes, but the scones will be sweeter and less tart. Because dried fruit weighs less and contains less water, you may prefer to use less than the listed weight.

What is the difference between potato starch and potato flour?

Potato starch is a fine white starch extracted from potatoes. Potato flour is made from whole dried potatoes and behaves very differently. This recipe requires potato starch.

Why does this recipe use three gluten-free flours?

White rice flour provides structure, potato starch adds softness and tapioca starch contributes elasticity and tenderness.

Can I substitute a commercial gluten-free flour blend?

A commercial blend may work, but the result will vary because each blend contains different ratios of flour, starch and binders.

Why is there no butter in these scones?

Heavy cream supplies both liquid and fat. Cream scones rely on the milk fat in the cream rather than pieces of butter.

Why did my scones spread?

The dough may have been too warm or too wet, or the flour measurements may have been inaccurate. Weighing the flours is especially important in gluten-free baking.

Why are my gluten-free scones dry?

They may have been overbaked, too much flour may have been used or the dough may not have contained enough cream. The glaze also adds moisture to the surface.

Can I omit the vanilla glaze?

Yes. The scones will be less sweet and slightly drier. Sprinkle the tops generously with sugar before baking or increase the sugar in the dough.

Can I add nuts?

Yes. Chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds can be folded into the dough with the cranberries.

How should the scones be stored?

Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for short-term storage. Refrigerate or freeze them for longer storage.

Can gluten-free scones be frozen?

Yes. Freeze the baked scones without glaze, then thaw and warm them briefly before adding fresh glaze.

What equipment do I need for this recipe?

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What is the estimated nutrition per large scone?

Estimated nutrition per large scone: Calories: 373 calories; Carbohydrates: 53.8 g; Protein: 5.1 g; Fat: 15.5 g; Saturated Fat: 9.7 g; Unsaturated Fat: 5.8 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 46 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Fiber: 1.1 g; Sugar: 23.4 g.