I perfected a gluten free cranberry scone with homemade orange icing using fresh or frozen cranberries that even convinced skeptical friends, and I now call it the Best Gluten Free Breakfast.

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I didn’t expect these scones to turn out this good, but here we are. I wanted a quick fall bake that didn’t feel fussy, and with a good gluten free all purpose flour blend and a pop of fresh or frozen cranberries it became exactly that.

They’re tender and flaky in a way that surprised me, with just enough orange icing to make you curious without being sickly sweet. I kept tweaking timing and little tricks so you get consistent results, and people keep asking for the recipe.

This one sits pretty in my Gluten Free Breakfast Sweets round up, honestly.

Ingredients

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Gluten free flour: mostly carbs, adds structure, can be lower fiber than whole grains
Xanthan gum: helps bind dough, tiny amount makes scones less crumbly
Unsalted butter: adds richness, tender flake and flavor, lots of saturated fat
Cranberries: tart bursts of vitamin C and fiber, fresh or frozen both work
Orange zest and juice: bright citrus notes, adds acid and aroma, balances tartness
Heavy cream: makes dough rich and tender, adds fat and small amount protein
Powdered sugar: for icing, gives sweetness and smooth texture, very fine carbs

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (240 g) gluten free all purpose flour blend, preferably one that already has xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum, only if your flour blend does not contain it

1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted cold butter, cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 medium orange)

1 large egg

3/4 cup (180 ml) cold heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (100–120 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, either works fine

2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar for sprinkling, optional

1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted for the icing

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice for the icing

1/4 teaspoon orange extract, optional, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla instead

Pinch of salt for the icing

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease it.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups (240 g) gluten free all purpose flour, 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum only if your flour blend does not already have it.

3. Add 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, your fingertips, or grate frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater to get pea sized pieces; stop when mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits left.

4. Toss 1 cup (100–120 g) fresh or frozen cranberries with a teaspoon of the dry mix if theyre frozen so they dont sink, then fold them gently into the flour-butter mixture.

5. Whisk together 1 large egg, 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract in a small bowl. Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. Dont overmix or the scones will be tough.

6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (use a little extra gluten free flour), press it together and pat into a 7 to 8 inch disk about 1 inch thick. If the dough is too sticky chill for 10 minutes in the fridge, it makes cutting cleaner.

7. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper cut the disk into 8 wedges and place them on the prepared sheet about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops with a little extra cream and sprinkle 2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar if using for extra crunch.

8. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean, rotating the pan once if your oven is uneven. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

9. Make the orange icing while they cool: in a bowl sift 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar then whisk in 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 1/4 teaspoon orange extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you prefer, add the 3rd tablespoon of juice only if needed to reach a drizzling consistency, finish with a pinch of salt to brighten the flavor.

10. Drizzle or spread the icing over slightly warm scones, let the icing set for a few minutes, then serve. Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temp up to 2 days or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or lightly greased)
2. Parchment paper (or nonstick spray)
3. Digital kitchen scale and measuring cups/spoons
4. Large mixing bowl and a small mixing bowl
5. Whisk and a fork (or two) for mixing and whisking the egg/cream
6. Pastry cutter or box grater (to cut or grate cold butter into pea sized bits)
7. Sharp knife or bench scraper (to cut the scone disk into wedges)
8. Pastry brush (for brushing tops with cream)
9. Wire cooling rack
10. Oven mitts and a spatula for transferring scones

FAQ

Do I need xanthan gum in this recipe? If your gluten free all purpose flour already has xanthan gum, skip the extra 1/2 teaspoon. If it does not, add the 1/2 teaspoon – it helps bind the scones so they hold together and dont crumble into sad crumbs.

Can I use frozen cranberries or do they need to be thawed? Use frozen, dont thaw. Toss them in a tablespoon of flour so they dont bleed into the dough, fold in gently, and expect to bake a minute or two longer if the dough feels colder than usual.

Why do my gluten free scones fall apart or get dry? Most common reasons: overmixing, too much flour, or missing xanthan gum. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling, keep butter very cold, mix only until combined, and dont overbake. The egg and heavy cream are important for moisture so dont skimp.

Can I make these dairy free or vegan? Yes but expect small texture changes. Swap cold unsalted butter for a firm vegan butter 1:1 and use canned full fat coconut milk or a thick non dairy cream for the heavy cream (start with same amount). Flavor will be slightly different but still tasty.

Can I freeze the scones or the dough? Both work. For dough: shape and cut, flash freeze on a tray then transfer to a bag, bake from frozen adding 3 to 6 extra minutes. For baked scones: cool, wrap well and freeze, then reheat at 300 to 325 F until warmed through. They reheat great in a toaster oven.

How do I get the orange icing just right? Start with 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and mix into 1 cup sifted powdered sugar until smooth, add more juice a little at a time to thin. Stir in the optional orange extract or a pinch of salt to brighten it. If it gets too runny add more powdered sugar, too thick add a drop more juice.

Easy Gluten Free Cranberry Scones With Orange Icing Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Gluten free all purpose flour blend: If you dont need these to be GF, swap 1:1 with 2 cups regular all purpose flour (skip the xanthan gum). Or make a quick home GF mix by weight: 150 g white rice flour + 60 g tapioca starch + 30 g potato starch to total ~240 g, works pretty well though texture will vary.
Unsalted cold butter: Use 85 g chilled solid coconut oil or an equal amount vegetable shortening, chill before cutting in. Coconut oil gives a faint coconut taste, shortening makes a slightly flakier, less buttery scone.
Cold heavy cream: Substitute 3/4 cup buttermilk for a tangier scone, or use 3/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons milk to reach the same volume for a similar richness.
Powdered sugar / orange juice for the icing: If you dont have confectioners sugar blitz 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a blender until powdery then sift, or skip powdered icing and whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey with 1 tablespoon orange juice for a thinner, tasty drizzle.

Pro Tips

– Keep everything cold, especially the butter and the cream. Cold butter gives those flaky pockets, so grate or cube it and work quickly. If the dough feels sticky, chill it for about 10 minutes, then cut — it slices cleaner and bakes higher.

– Don’t overmix. Stir until the dough just comes together, shaggy and a little lumpy, or your scones will end up tough. Let the gluten free flour hydrate for 5 to 15 minutes before shaping, it helps the texture a lot.

– Use the cranberries from the freezer if you want an even color and firmer texture, toss them in a teaspoon of the dry mix first so they dont sink. Fold them gently so they dont bleed too much into the dough, and if using big berries cut them in half so each scone gets some.

– Make the icing slowly, add juice one teaspoon at a time until you get the perfect drizzle. A tiny pinch of salt wakes the citrus up, and drizzle it over slightly warm scones so it sets nice but not melts away. For storing, freeze wrapped individually and reheat in a low oven to refresh the crunch.