Flaky, soft, and bursting with holiday flavor! These Vegan Cranberry Orange Scones are golden on the outside, tender inside, and studded with tart cranberries and fragrant orange zest. Finished with a sweet orange glaze, they’re festive, cozy, and so easy to make. Perfect for Christmas morning, holiday brunch, or an afternoon tea treat.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
Cut in butter: Add the cold vegan butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Add wet ingredients: In a small bowl or measuring glass, whisk the coconut milk and vanilla. Pour over the flour mixture, add the cranberries, and gently stir until the dough just comes together. It should very shaggy and a bit sticky, don’t overmix.
Shape the dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into an 8-inch (20 cm) disc about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Cut into 8 wedges for large scones or 16 for smaller ones. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes while you preheat the oven (this helps with flakiness.)
Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the scones with plant-based milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until golden brown at the edges. Let cool at least 10 minutes before glazing.
Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over the scones and enjoy!
Notes
Make ahead: Shape the scones and refrigerate overnight, then bake fresh the next morning. Or freeze unbaked wedges until solid, then store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes.Storage: Once the glaze sets, store scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for 5 days, or freeze baked scones for up to 2 months.Vegan Butter: Some vegan butters or margarines are soft and spreadable, which makes them perfect for toast but not great for baking scones. Use a firm vegan butter made for baking (it should say so on the package).