; Supermarket Serenade: Brown Sugar Cranberry-Orange Oatmeal Scones

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Brown Sugar Cranberry-Orange Oatmeal Scones


As I sat sipping my green tea and eating scones early this morning I had a bit of a scare.

I was watching out the window at my fluffy little dog Duffy sniffing around the side yard when from across the cul-de-sac comes a big red fox...my heart stopped. All I could think of was my little dog was going to be breakfast for this big red fox.

I tapped on the window to distract the dog, ran to the refrigerator for the bag of Boar's Head Ham (the ultimate retrieval device for small fluffy dogs f.y.i.) and dangled a pink slice out the front door. The approaching red fox went completely unnoticed as fluffy little Duffy came running for a piece of ham (pathetic, I know). We have so many foxes in the woods next to our house-it really does make me nervous. This fox was particularly healthy looking for this time of year-often they'll look a little mangy about now which makes me even more nervous.

My scone unfortunately got cold while tending to all this animal drama but a quick reheat in the microwave solved that problem.
One of the things I love about this time of year is that fresh cranberries are once again plentiful in the produce aisle of the supermarket.
While I love the dried variety like Craisins...I really enjoy the unsweetened tartness of fresh cranberries. For this recipe you can use the dried variety if fresh are not available or if you prefer a sweeter scone.

The texture of these scones is a tender almost muffin like texture as opposed to the flaky, drier texture of many scones. A nice addition might be pecans or walnuts if you would like a little crunch.

Brown Sugar Cranberry-Orange Oatmeal Scones

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar (plus additional for sprinkling)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal
12 tablespoons cold butter, sliced into tablespoons
zest of 1 orange, finely chopped
1 cup fresh cranberries
2/3 cup half and half
2 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and oatmeal; pulse until combined and the oatmeal is somewhat ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

Using a wooden spoon stir in the zest and the cranberries. Gradually add the half and half and the orange juice, stir just until combined. Spoon the dough onto a floured work surface. Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick disc.
Using a floured cutter (I used an oval shaped cutter, but round is fine), cut the dough into discs and arrange on the prepared baking sheets.
Brush the tops lightly with a bit of half and half then sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool or eat them warm from the oven.

Yield: about 1 dozen scones

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad you saved your puppy! This scones look great. don't forget to buy some extra cranberries to freeze for when they aren't available!

RecipeGirl said...

Glad you outfoxed the fox :) We have to watch for coyotes around where I live. They eat up the little animals if they're outside at night :(

I haven't bought any new bags of cranberries yet this season. I was kind of waiting to see if the price would drop. Maybe now they're cheaper. Scones are my fave morning treat. These look yummy!

Allie said...

Great save you're such a quick thinker to grab the ham! Your scones look very tasty.

Patsyk said...

Your scones look wonderful! I just bought a couple more bags of cranberries to freeze so I can bake with them all winter long. Yum!

Mary Bergfeld said...

You have another customer here. The scones look wonderful and I can't wait to try them. I'm glad your pooch is OK --- quick thinking.

Kirsten said...

I'm so glad you saved your pup! I can't imagine what I'd do if I saw a fox heading for my dog! Your scones look great!

Karen said...

I haven't made scones in several years! I almost bought some cranberries the other day but decided to wait until a little closer to TG. These would be good for the freezer - there to take out and enjoy anytime!

Barbara Bakes said...

I love using fresh cranberries in recipe too! I left you a MEME on my blog!

Mansi said...

This is my favorite scone recipe in the world! I make these often, pretty much the same way...your scones look absolutely wonderful Veronica! I'd love it if you could send these in for my vegetarian thanksgiving recipe event!:)

That Girl said...

We don't have foxes, but we certainly have coyotes - another reason why pets shouldn't be left outside unattended!

Barbara said...

I do have coyotes and have to watch my dachshunds carefully. I just discovered scones this summer (I don't know where I've been). I am in love with them. Your picture looks so yummy. Scones are my type of breakfast.

The Blonde Duck said...

I'd switch out the oranges for apples, but otherwise I love them! I've never made scones before..I see a new adventure!

Veronica said...

Blonde duck...I think apples would be a great sub.

Emily said...

Oh, wow, these scones sound amazing. I've got to buy some fresh cranberries.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I love the tartness vs sweetness of cranberries in baked goods too.

Cathy said...

Cranberries and oranges are a wonderful pairing. Your scones look delicious. Wish I had one with my cup of coffee right now.

grace said...

i don't usually like scones, but there's no way these wouldn't be scrumptious. cranberry and orange make a delightful combination, and brown sugar improves everything. :)
also, i love foxes, but i love pups more. glad yours is okay. :)

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

I love how these are soft. Glad your pup is okay. I don't think I ever saw a real fox.

Cathy said...

Wow -- you were so cool under pressure! I probably would have done something that wasted time and was not useful, like call my husband at work to tell him about the fox. Never would have made a quick move for ham -- nice job! These scones look fabulous -- I'll definitely be trying these!

Maria said...

Glad your dog is ok!!
I love cranberry everything! I am sure these scones will be a new favorite!

Robin said...

Yeah Duffy is ok. That would have been terrible if something bad happened. The scones look fantastic. Perfect with a hot mug of tea in the morning.

Tracy said...

We have fox in the woods next to our house, too. I can't imagine one getting near my Charlie!
Your scones look delicious!

Meg said...

I love scones! This flavor combination is fabulous!

Anonymous said...

Oh lucky Duffy for a fast-thinking mom! We have a big goofy dog next door who likes to come over and say hi when the cats are on the back porch... my heart stops every time.

The scones look great! Can't wait to catch up on everything you've been cooking up! I've missed my friends!

~Cat

Anonymous said...

OH! I can't believe this. Have you ever made Cranberry Curd? I'm dying to find a good recipe... especially since all of the cranberries are on sale right now!

~Cat