Cranberry Eggnog Scones
Cranberry eggnog scones are tender, scrumptious, and spiked with eggnog! My go-to scones recipe is made with rich, heavy cream.
For a festive change of pace, I swapped out the cream for eggnog and made this tender Scones Recipe for the holidays!
Why You Must Make
Knowing my family would look suspiciously at anything I made containing both eggnog and cranberries, I had to bake up these scones for friends living outside this house (though I think they’d indulge if I served this Cranberry-Eggnog Cheesecake!). I meet with a group of knitters every other Friday morning, so they’ve gotten used to being my guinea pigs.
- These are a fun treat for the Christmas season.
- This is a tasty way to use up leftover eggnog.
- If you’re having a Christmas brunch, these holiday scones would be a yummy addition to the menu.
What People Are Saying
I am obsessed with these! I made them for a Christmas tea my sister-in-law hosted. They were a hit!! I actually made the dough the night before and froze the pre-cut scones. In the morning I just placed them in the oven while frozen and they were fantastic! They don’t spread and are so creamy and delicious. I now have 2 batches made, cut, and ready in my freezer for grab and bake while the eggnog season is over! This recipe is incredible!
Recipe Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Flour, Sugar, Salt
- Butter – Make sure it’s cold, then dice into ¼-inch cubes
- Baking Powder (affiliate link) – As mentioned above, make sure your baking powder is fresh or your scones will be too dense.
- Dried Cranberries AKA Craisins (affiliate link)- If your craisins have dried out, you can refresh them by soaking them in some very hot water. Make sure to let them dry on paper toweling before using.
- Eggnog – You may need a touch more or less depending on the humidity. Use enough until the dough comes together.
Christmas Scones
My friends swooned when I shared my raspberry cream scones, so why not substitute dried cranberries for the raspberries and eggnog for the cream? One word: delectable! Just as tender as those made with cream, plus you get just a nuance of the eggnog flavorings.
The subtle hint of rum and nutmeg plus cranberries provided a festive twist. These cranberry eggnog scones would be a fabulous addition to your holiday brunch. Perfectly delicious plain or go ahead and splurge by serving with them clotted cream and jam.
Recipe Tips for Scones
- PRO-Tip: Make sure your baking powder is fresh. It often expires before you can use it all. To test for freshness, place a spoonful of baking powder in a cup of very hot water. It should bubble vigorously if it’s still active. If not, replace your can before making this recipe. You don’t want your scones to be as dense as hockey pucks!
- PRO-Tip: Keep your eggnog and butter cold. This will help make for flaky, tender scones.
- Do not overwork the dough or your scones will be tough. You’ll want little bits of butter throughout, not a perfectly smooth dough.
- If you feel your butter warmed up during the mixing process, pop your cut scones into the freezer to chill. They will rise much better with cold butter.
- Bake and enjoy! Note that scones taste best on the day they’re baked.
- PRO-Tip: Eggnog freezes well. Either freeze it in the carton or measure out the amounts needed for this or another recipe. Label with what it will be used for.
What to Do with Leftover Eggnog
I’m more likely to use eggnog for a festive recipe than actually drink it, so there are always leftovers. For most recipes, just substitute eggnog for milk or cream in a tried-and-true recipe. Here are some creative ways to use up any extra eggnog:
- Scones, of course!
- French Toast (use as your part of your liquids for soaking the bread before cooking).
- Quick Bread and Muffins
- Cheesecake
- Rice Pudding
- Homemade Ice Cream
- Smoothies
- Plus, I saw recipes for truffles, frosting, cookie bars, and fudge! Just do a Google search to find the details. PRO-Tip: In most of these recipes, eggnog can be used instead of the milk or cream in the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Though they are similar, biscuits typically have more butter and are fluffier and flakier. Scones are denser, crumblier, and not as sweet.
Scones are usually served for breakfast or tea. They are served with coffee or tea, clotted cream, and jam.
There are three top reasons scones turn out dry. First is kneading them too much. Mix just until they hold together. Also, make sure you cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like cornmeal with a few pea-sized pieces of butter interspersed. Finally, not adding enough liquid will also make for dry scones.
You May Also Like:
- Cranberry Christmas Cake from Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Cranberry Feta Pinwheels from Spend with Pennies
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies from Mom on Timeout
- Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars
- Streusel Topped Cranberry Orange Walnut Bread
- Cranberry White Chocolate Crystallized Ginger Cookies
- Cranberry Fluff Salad
- Gingered Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Plus, more of my Best Holiday Recipes.
Cranberry Eggnog Scones Recipe
A festive holiday scone recipe that can be made with leftover holiday eggnog.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup eggnog (may add more or less until the dough comes together)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º.
- Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it looks like coarse cornmeal with a few slightly larger lumps.
- Stir in dried fruit and mix in. Add in the eggnog and stir with a spatula or fork till dough begins to form.
- Pour out onto the countertop and knead by hand till comes together into a slightly sticky mass...only about 5-10 seconds. Pat into a round about 1 inch tall. Cut into 8 wedges.
- Place onto an ungreased or Silpat-lined baking sheet. May brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar if desired.
- Bake 12-15 minutes till light brown. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before serving.
- May serve warm or at room temperature. These freeze well.
- You may also make these in the food processor. Be careful not to over-process.
Notes
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen.
Make sure your baking powder is fresh. Check the expiration date. It expires much faster than baking soda.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 sconeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 390mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 5g
90 Comments on “Cranberry Eggnog Scones”
About how much longer would you bake frozen scones!
Hi, Barbara, all ovens bake a little differently, so it’s hard to give an exact number. If you defrost them first, you’d just need to add on a few more minutes. It will take longer if they go into the oven frozen. When you start to smell a delicious aroma coming from the oven, they’re almost done.
Cranberry eggnog scones are delicious and easy to make, My kids loved it a lot and asked me to make it again.
My husband and I loved these!! Will be making again!
I am obsessed with these! I made them for a Christmas tea my sister in law hosted. They were a hit!! I actually made the dough the night before and froze the pre-cut scones. In the morning I just placed them in the oven while frozen and they were fantastic! They don’t spread and are so creamy and delicious. I now have 2 batches made, cut, and ready in my freezer for grab and bake while the eggnog season is over! This recipe is incredible!
I’m so glad they were a hit, Shay! And thanks for the tip about making them ahead and freezing before baking!
How many grams/oz is your cup of flour? Thank you! Just prefer to weigh my ingredients
The flour in my kitchen is 5 1/8 ounces/cup. Hope that helps! P.S. My sister’s name is Maddy 🙂
We love these scones so much!