My entire weekend was spent lounging, relaxing, reading, and baking. It was so relaxing that it felt more like a mini-vacation than your typical two-day weekend. After such a great weekend, I didn’t even mind waking up very, very early this morning. So I decided to spread the joy to my coworkers—in a not-so-annoying way—by bringing in one of the many treats that I baked over the weekend.
After reading Danielle Vance’s chef profile over the weekend—and daydreaming about having my own bakery—I decided to try her orange-cranberry scone recipe. The recipe was simple and super-easy to prepare, but the results were still delicious. The orange zest and the O.J. I used gave the scones a fresh taste—not too heavy, as scones can often be.
I decided that these would be the perfect treats for my peeps in the office, and after hearing everyone’s reactions—lots of “awesomes” and “to die fors”—I knew I made the right choice.
Orange-Cranberry Scones
by Danielle Vance
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped
6 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup orange juice
Zest of 2 large oranges
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Sift together both the flours, the baking powder, and the salt in a large bowl. Add the cranberries and walnuts. Combine and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, and orange juice and zest. Add to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.
- Scoop by the tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden.
- Let cool before serving.
Makes 13 servings