Cranberry Buttermilk Scones

 Note:  Updated with new pictures on November of 2018.  These are still my favorite scones that are often the first ones that I make when I'm in need of a good scone for coffee dates or something to bring for brunch.  Most of the time, I have all of the ingredients in my fridge or pantry, so it's super easy! 

I recently stumbled across a scone recipe and made it for Christmas. They were so yummy and so easy that I made them again yesterday. I found them on the blog pinchmysalt.com. I highly recommend them for a quick breakfast treat. I used my food processor to make them and it only took a couple of minutes. I didn't follow these directions exactly, I just poured everything into the processor and pulsed until everything is soft and crumbly. I also used milk instead of cream and sprinkled a bit of sugar and sanding sugar over the top of it to give it a bit of a sparkle.

Cranberry Buttermilk Scones
adapted from Pinchmysalt.com

Ingredients: 
2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped fine

finely grated zest from one small lemon (about 2 teaspoons)

heavy cream (optional, for brushing tops of scones)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.2. In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Add butter chunks and toss lightly with flour; place bowl in fridge.3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, and lemon zest; place bowl in fridge.4. Get organized: measure out and chop the cranberries; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat; set aside. Lightly dust a counter top with flour. Pour a little bit of heavy cream in a bowl and have a pastry brush handy.5. Remove bowls of flour and buttermilk from fridge. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender or rub together with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries and stir to combine.6. Add buttermilk mixture all at once to flour mixture and stir until the mixture clumps together. Dump mixture out onto floured counter top and, with floured hands, gather into a ball and knead once or twice to combine everything. Pat into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 8 slices, like a pie, or cut with biscuit or cookie cutters into whatever shape you prefer. Put scones on lined baking sheet and brush lightly with heavy cream (optional).7. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 13-15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to cooling rack.