Remember last week when I said I looove cranberries?  I’m still there.  So what better way to start the weekend (especially when you find yourself wide awake at 7am) than with a cranberry scone?  I found this recipe recently on the site of a fellow blogger and knew it deserved a try, and boy was I right.  These were great, especially straight out of the oven.

Before I get to the recipe, I should mention that for better or worse I will be including a new feature on my blog – calories!  Nooooooo!  I know, I know, maybe it’s better not to know what you’re getting in to.  But I am trying to be good and sometimes this helps.  I’ll stick it at the end of the recipe so you can just stop reading if you really don’t want to have that little bit of info.  😉

Cranberry Scones
adapted from: Annie’s Eats
yield: 10 scones

1 1/2 T freshly grated lemon zest
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
8 T cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and divided
1 1/4 c fresh (or frozen) cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 c half & half
additional sugar for sprinkling

• Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a food processor or with a pastry cutter, combine the lemon zest, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add in 6 T of the cold butter and pulse/blend briefly until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter pieces are no larger than peas. 
• Stir cranberries into the flour/butter mixture.
• In a small bowl combine the egg, egg yolk, and haf & half; whisk to blend.  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently with a wooden spoon until all of the dry ingredients are moistened.  Knead gently to be sure dough is evenly mixed, being carefully not to overwork the dough.  It will be very sticky – don’t worry.
• Drop dough onto cookie sheet and form as best you can into a large, smooth disc.  It will be about 2″ high.  This will be tricky because it is so sticky, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.  Sprinkle top with sugar, if desired.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.  About 20 minutes into baking, quickly remove from oven and slice into wedges with a pizza cutter.  This is much easier to do when it’s not fully baked, but if you forget it’s ok.

calories: 284