Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Toasted Walnut Scones
Hints of winter citrus combine with cranberries, chocolate, toasted walnuts, and a sprinkling of sugar for a scone that tastes like the holidays. These scones from Alegria Oceanfront Inn & Cottages took first place at the Mendocino County Fair in 2005 and have remained a guest favorite ever since.
The bed and breakfast inn sits on a bluff overlooking an ocean cove in a quiet corner of Mendocino village. Built in 1861 as the home of a sea captain, the inn is comprised of a historic main house and a collection of whimsical cottages. A private trail winds its way down from the inn’s ocean-view deck and perennial gardens to a wide, driftwood-strewn beach below. The inn is also just steps from village shops, galleries, and cafes.
The gourmet breakfasts at Alegria are made fresh daily with locally sourced organic ingredients. Breakfasts begin with hand-selected fresh fruit, organic juices, teas, freshly roasted local coffee, and hot chocolate made with the inn’s own blend of cocoa powder. A chef’s-choice entree follows. Guest favorites include a broccoli frittata with sun-dried tomatoes, orange pancakes with orange butter sauce, and French toast stuffed with blueberry preserves and cream cheese. The inn is especially known for its comforting baked goods. Always made from scratch in-house, their impressive roster of scones, muffins, and coffee cakes brings guests back year after year.
One of the Alegria Inn’s most beloved baked goods is an award-winning scone recipe with a mouthful of a name: Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Toasted Walnut Scones. After the first bite, the name makes perfect sense, as the scones’ buttery texture melts on the tongue and an ensemble cast of ingredients begins to sing. Featuring ingredients harvested while there’s a chill in the air, these scones are imbued with seasonal flavors and are perfect for a holiday brunch. They’re also easy to make gluten-free by substituting a one-to-one gluten-free baking mix for the flour (although the texture might more resemble a very light pound cake than a scone). You might be tempted to come up with a shorter, catchier name for these scones, but how else will your holiday guests know about all the goodness that awaits them?
Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Toasted Walnut Scones
Courtesy of Alegria Oceanfront Inn & Cottages
Makes 22 scones
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Zest of ½ an orange (about 1 teaspoon)
- 4 cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar (plus more for sprinkling over scones before baking)
- 1¼ cups chilled butter (2½ sticks)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup Cointreau, or ¼ cup orange juice plus a splash of brandy (optional)
- 1 cup toasted chopped walnuts or almonds
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- Heavy cream to brush over scones before baking
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, beat together the egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl or food processor. Cut in the chilled butter until it is roughly pea-sized. If using the food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl after mixing in the butter. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and toss together until a loose, soft dough forms.
Optional: In a saucepan, bring the dried cranberries and ¼ cup Cointreau (or orange juice with a splash of brandy) to a boil. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain the cranberries before adding to the dough.
Fold in the cranberries, toasted walnuts, and chocolate chips. Scoop the dough out onto greased baking sheets with a 1/3-cup ice cream scoop, placing the scones about 1½-inches apart. Brush the scones with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.
To Freeze: Scoop the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet that will fit in the freezer. After the scones are frozen solid, store them in a hard plastic container for up to one month in the freezer. To bake, place the scones on a greased cookie sheet and let them thaw for about 20 minutes before baking them in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 17 minutes.