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C R ANB E R RY C R E AM C HE E S E
SCONES

Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones

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2.26.21

Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones

I’m one of those scone lovers−who prefers them thick

and crusty or thin and crunchy−but not so fond of that
in-between thickness. It’s just one of my quirky
preferences and is more about the esthetics, how they
look, than flavor. The flavor will be the same
scrumptiousness no matter how you shape them. This
recipe is for one of my favorite chubby thick scones. For
the opposite version, click Cranberry Cream Cheese
Scone Thins, which are somewhat like #breakfast
cookies and satisfy the people who just want a few
bites of a good thing. They are also good for a coffee
break or teatime. The dough is the same for both so
also check the above link and you will see step-by step
photos for mixing, if that interests you.

But today we are making these fat thick scones for

breakfast or a snack. Below, you will see photos of the
steps I take to shape and bake. When freshly baked, not
only will their crustiness greet you, but also their
creamy interior crumb studded with dried cranberries.
The creaminess comes from a dough that contains
cream cheese−a remarkable addition that one doesn’t
usually think of as a scone ingredient. But it works; it’s
amazing. I think you’ll like it.

FINISHED SCONES: Ready to Serve

Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones

THE PROCESS: From Dough to Freshly

Baked

Shaping dough in 6″ cake pan. Wrapped for freezer.

shirloard.com

Frozen dough ready to cut. Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones Cut

into 6 Wedges

Thick Cranberry Cream Cheese On sheet pan brushed with heavy

Scones cream & sprinkled with sparkling
sugar. Ready for the oven.

@shirlgard.com

Just out of the oven. Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones:

Freshly baked.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones. When perfectly baked, Cranberry

Cream Cheese Scones will have an
internal temperature of 210° F (99°
C).

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES: That I Find

Helpful When Making This Recipe

1. Cake Pans: 6″ round cake pans for shaping

the dough (3 if possible). If you only have one
pan, the dough can be shaped in the pan, then
carefully lifted out holding onto the plastic
wrap, wrapped tightly and placed on a sheet
pan to freeze. I like to buy cake pans with
removable bottoms like those in the link and
below; they are very versatile.

6″ x 3″ (15 cm x 7.5 cm)

Cake Pans with removable bottoms.

2. Sheet Pans: Half sheet pans for baking.

Thick scones like this that need to bake 30
minutes or more will benefit from using
double sheet pans, which prevents over-
browning or burning the bottoms.

Half sheet pans Shiny half sheet pans Older half sheet pan
(no dishwasher). Baking that I wash in
with 2 pans stacked dishwasher. They lose
together is called their shiny finish when
“Double-panning.” I use you do this.
the double-pan
technique when
something like these
thick scones have to
bake longer than 30
minutes to prevent over-
browning or burning the
bottoms.

3. Parchment Paper: Half-size parchment

sheets for half sheet pans. Parchment is
available in different size packs, 100 sheets,
200 sheets etc., depending on how much you
need. If you do a lot of baking, I recommend
investing in a case of full-size parchment
paper, which is what I do. You can see it here
in my storage area. It’s the same as is used in
a bakery or restaurant where their larger
ovens can handle full-size sheet pans; home
ovens are only big enough for half sheet pans.
The full-size sheets come in a box of 1,000,
which I then I cut in half and quarters to fit
my sheet pans as shown below. When cutting
parchment, it works best if you fold it and
crease it; then run a sharp knife through the
crease. Four or five sheets can be cut at one
time.

My full-size case of Full-size parchment. Cutting half sheets of

parchment up on the top parchment.
shelf.

Half sheets of Cutting quarter sheets of Three sizes of

parchment. parchment. parchment: full, half &
quarter.

4. Digital Thermometers: There are many

different models available, but these are the
two kinds that I use :

The blue one has a probe that is inserted into

whatever you are baking; it also has a function
where the desired internal temperature can be set
and an alarm goes off when that temperature is
reached. What I do when baking scones is set the
lower temperature at 205° F (96° C) to remind me
that the scones are almost done. Then I set the
higher desired temperature at 210° F (99° C),
which is the internal temperature for fully baked
scones. I highly recommend using a thermometer
when baking thick scones, because color alone is
not enough of an indicator for doneness.

The red one is an instant-read thermometer.

ChefAlarm

CLEAR
HR
MIN
TIMER OP
STARTOST
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SETTEM

VOLUME 学

Digital thermometer Instant-read digital My favorite digital

with probe. thermometer. thermometers.

5. Cooling Rack
Rack:: For cooling scones after
removing from pans. I recommend racks that
fit inside half sheet pans and stainless steel so
the racks won’t rust.

I recommend getting cooling racks that fit inside a half sheet pan.

6. Large Stainless Steel Bowls

Bowls:: For mixing
scone dough. Use the bigger one for dry
ingredients and the smaller one for liquid
ingredients. It makes a lot of sense to get a
nest of these; you will find all kinds of uses
for them.

Large stainless steel mixing bowls.

7. Digital Scale
Scale:: For quick, easy, and accurate
weights of ingredients. I always weigh
everything when baking. This is my favorite
scale which I’ve had for years; it’s very
durable and not expensive.

Digital Scale.

8. Rubber Spatulas:

Rubber Spatulas. Rubber spatulas

9. Kitchen Aid Mixer: This may be my most

favorite thing in the kitchen and I use it all the
time. Honestly, though, I do like making scone
dough by hand; I just like the feel of the
dough. But if you’re in a hurry it’s nice to
have one of these. Scone doughs can be made
in a mixer, a food processor, or by hand,
whichever you’re in the mood for. If you are
thinking of getting a Kitchen Aid, be sure and
get the 6-Qt. Pro “bowl lift” model and not the
head lift. It’s much sturdier and will handle big
batches of scone dough, bread dough, or cake
batter.

162
083
0

Kaa cEh en/6

R O F S SIONAL
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Kitchen Aid Pro 6-Qt. Bowl-Lift

Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones: Baked to just the right color. The sparkling
sugar adds a lot of crunch to go with the crust.

gard.com

Cranberry Cream Cheese Scones

Shirl Gard

This recipe was created by the scone lover in me.

It's just a personal preference, but I like thick
scones like these or very thin ones and am not so
crazy about the ones in the between. For the "thin"
scones make these: Cranberry Cream Cheese
Scone Thins that are like #breakfast cookies, but
are perfect for teatime, coffee breaks, or any time
you want just a few bites of something crunchy. I
know this recipe makes a lot of dough, but I wanted
to calibrate it so that it would take a full package of
cream cheese (Philadelphia brand). Along with two
sticks of butter, a half pint of heavy cream, and two
large eggs, this makes four out of the ten
ingredients that you don't have to weigh or
measure, so it is easy to put the dough together.
The dough freezes well (up to two month) so you
can choose to bake as needed. See notes at the
bottom of recipe about equipment and supplies that
I find helpful when making this recipe.

Print Recipe

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INGREDIENTS
YIELD: NET WEIGHT OF DOUGH = 2000g 4 lb
6 oz
-15 LARGE SCONE WEDGES 130g EACH 4.5
oz
- SHAPED IN 6" 15.2 cm ROUND CAKE PANS

490 grams all-purpose unbleached flour King

Arthur (3 1/2 cups)
280 grams bleached all-purpose floiur Gold
Medal (2 cups)
200 grams sugar 1 cup
40 grams baking powder 2 Tablespoons + 2
teaspoons
10 grams fine sea salt 2 teaspoons

225 grams cold unsalted butter cut in 3/8"

chunks (2 sticks / 8 oz)
225 grams cold Philadelphia cream cheese cut
in 3/8" chunks (one - 8 oz package)

240 grams heavy cream 1/2 pint / 1 cup

100 grams whole eggs 2 large

240 grams dried cranberries 1 1/2 cups

2050 grams = Total 72 oz 4 lb 8 oz

TOPPING:
Brush tops of unbaked scones with heavy
cream extra quantity and sprinkle with
sparkling sugar or granulated sugar.

INSTRUCTIONS
1. COMBINE dry ingredients in a large mixing
bowl. Whisk to blend.
2. ADD cold butter and cream cheese chunks to
the flour and rub between your hands, creating
large flakes. Continue rubbing until mixture is
mealy with some remaining butter/cream
cheese chunks the size of small peas.
3. WHISK together the heavy cream and eggs
and stir in until the flour is half absorbed, using
a large rubber spatula.
4. SCATTER dried cranberries over the top and
mix in.
5. PRESS dough together in the bowl, scraping
up loose flour from the bottom.
6. SCALE into two portions @ 800g for full pans
and one portion @ 400g for half pan.
7. FOR EACH DOUGH PORTION: PRESS into a
plastic-lined 6" (15.2 cm) cake pan with plastic
over-hang. If you have enough pans, the
dough can be left in the pans to freeze.
8. FREEZE the dough rounds, which can be
frozen for up to two months.
9. WHEN READY TO BAKE: PRE-HEAT oven to
425° F (220° C).
10. REMOVE dough from freezer and allow to
thaw slightly. Cut each round into 6 wedges.
The half pan into 3 wedges.
11. ARRANGE on double sheet pans. (Note:
Because it take over 30 minutes to bake these
thick scones, I find that double-panning
prevents the botttoms from getting to dark or
burning). BRUSH tops with heavy cream and
sprinkle with sparkling sugar or granulated
sugar. I used sparkling sugar in all of my
photos.
12. TURN OVEN DOWN TO 400° F (204° C) and
BAKE @ for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to
375° F, rotate pan and bake another 15-17
minutes until golden brown and INTERNAL
TEMPERATURE reaches 210° F. Total baking
time 35-37 minutes.
13. COOL on the pans or transfer
14. EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES:Here's a quick list
that I find helpful when making this recipe:
Cake Pans: 6" round cake pans for shaping
the dough (3 if possible). If you only have one
pan, the dough can be shaped in the pan, then
carefully lifted out holding onto the plastic
wrap, and placing on a sheet pan to freeze.
Sheet Pans: Half-size sheet pans for baking.
Double sheet pans prevents over-browning or
burning.Parchment Paper: Half-size
parchment sheets. Digital Thermometer: For
testing doneness. Cooling Rack: For cooling
scones after removing from pans.

NOTES
This recipe loosely adapted from a recipe for
Orange Currant Scones by Judy Rogers in The Zuni
Cafe Cookbook (2002). The use of cream cheese as
an ingredient in scone dough was inspired by Rose
Levy Beranbaum in The Baking Bible (2014).

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