Rich, soft and buttery eggnog cranberry scones with orange zest are a delightful holiday treat. It’s a great recipe to use up any leftover eggnog you may have, and another reason to buy it in the first place!
I am a huge fan of eggnog, and not just as a beverage, but in desserts too! It’s a great substitute for cream or milk in baked goods, and I put eggnog in baked goods all the time during the holiday season. Last year I made eggnog cinnamon rolls and this year, these scones!
Dried cranberries, bright orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg add a festive touch, while the rich flavor and tender buttery texture make these eggnog scones truly special. They’re perfect for breakfast, a sweet treat anytime, or a holiday brunch!
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Why make these scones?
- Uses leftover eggnog in a delicious, creative way.
- Gourmet flavor and texture in less than 30 minutes start to finish.
- Great for holiday brunches, but also anytime any day of the week.
- Freezer-friendly and perfect for making-ahead.
Ingredients you’ll need
- All-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt: Make up the standard dry ingredients for homemade scones.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: To enhance the lightly spiced eggnog flavor.
- Orange zest: Use navel oranges, clementines, cuties, etc.
- Butter: Should be cold and cubed.
- Eggnog: I have only ever used full-fat dairy eggnog, though other varieties may work fine.
- Dried cranberries: Give them a rough chop for smaller bits of cranberry in every bite.
- Powdered sugar and vanilla extract: For the glaze, along with more eggnog.
How to make eggnog cranberry scones, step by step
- Cut butter into dry ingredients. Make sure the butter is cold, and use a pastry blender to cut it into small bits dispersed in the flour mixture. Stir in the cranberries.
- Add eggnog. Use a spatula and then your hands to gently knead it together into a shaggy dough.
- Make flaky layers with “fold and flatten method”. Flatten the dough, then fold in half on top of itself, like you’re closing a book. Repeat 2 more times. (This creates pockets of cold butter which will create rise and flakiness, don’t skip this step!)
- Slice into wedges. Form dough into a square, then divide into 4 equal small squares, and cut each square into 2 triangles, for 8 triangles total.
- Bake. Brush tops with more eggnog and bake in a 400° oven for 15-17 minutes until the tops and bottoms are lightly golden brown.
- Glaze with eggnog icing. Make a quick icing with eggnog, powdered sugar and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones.
- Enjoy! These scones are best the day they are baked but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-3 days.
baking tip:Why biscuit and scone ingredients need to stay cold
For tall, soft, and flaky biscuits and scones, make sure you start with cold butter and milk/buttermilk, and work the dough quickly so the butter doesn’t have a chance to warm up. If your kitchen is really warm, consider freezing your biscuits and scones on the sheet pan for 15 minutes before baking.
Make-ahead tips
Scones are the perfect recipe for making ahead, especially since you can bake them straight from frozen (and they
- If prepping up to 2 days in advance: Prepare and shape scones as directed, and set them on the lined pan you’ll bake them on and wrap in 1-2 layers of plastic wrap. Bake straight from the freezer (removing plastic wrap), when ready.
- If prepping farther ahead: Flash freeze on a parchment lined baking sheetpan for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for up to 6 weeks. When ready to bake, transfer back to a lined pan.
More brunch recipes
Add these eggnog cranberry scones to your brunch menu (I’m looking at you, Christmas morning!) along with any of these brunch recipes:
Here’s the recipe
Eggnog Cranberry Scones
Rich, soft and buttery eggnog cranberry scones with orange zest are a delightful holiday treat. It’s a great recipe to use up any leftover eggnog you may have, and another reason to buy it in the first place!
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Make the scones:
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Preheat oven to 400°F and line half or quarter-sheet pan with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and orange zest. 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon (25 grams) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 1 orange
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Add the cold cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or cutter until the butter is the size of small peas. Stir in the cranberries.6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold unsalted butter, ¼ cup (28 grams) dried cranberries
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Add the eggnog to the flour mixture and mix until the dough starts to come together. Turn the mixture out onto the counter and use your hands to finish forming a uniform dough.½ cup (115 grams) cold eggnog
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Pat dough to about 1-2 inches thick. Fold one half of the dough over onto the other half. Flatten again to 1-2 inches thick and repeat fold and flattening 2 more times (3-4 times total).
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Form dough into an approximate 6-inch square 1-inch tall. Cut into 4 smaller squares, and then cut each small square into 2 triangles.
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Arrange wedges on prepared sheet pan and brush with more eggnog (this helps them brown nicely).
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Bake until the edges and tops are lightly browned, 15-18 minutes (Don’t overbake or scones will lose their soft texture). Let cool while you make the icing.
Make the icing:
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Whisk the powdered sugar, 1 eggnog, and vanilla together. Add more eggnog as needed to make a thick but pourable icing.
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Drizzle over cooled scones and let set for a few minutes before serving.
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Scones are best served the day they are baked.
- I recommend full-fat dairy eggnog for this recipe, and I have not tested other options.
- Make-ahead instructions: If prepping up to 2 days in advance, prepare scones and place on lined baking pan, wrap in 1-2 layers of plastic wrap, and bake straight from the freezer when ready. If prepping farther ahead, flash freeze on a lined pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for up to 6 weeks. When ready to bake, transfer back to a lined pan.
Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 192mg, Potassium: 199mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 336IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 2mg
