Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a separate bowl, sweeten ½ cup fresh or frozen chopped cranberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar or 1 tablespoon honey mixed with 1 tablespoon orange juice. If you are using dried cranberries, rinse in hot water briefly before sweetening. If you are using non-calorie sweeteners, please refer to their conversion recommendations.
In a large bowl
Sift together
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
with 1/2 cup sugar or substitute (if you are using honey, add it to the egg-juice mixture).
Add 4 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter chopped into small pieces (soy or vegan margarine works great also). Gently cut the flour-butter mixture with a pastry blender until the dough looks like coarse meal.
Tip: Overworking the dough makes scones tough and heavy.
In a separate bowl, beat together
1 large egg, or 2 egg whites (Vegans may substitute soy milk)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
Add the cranberry mixture and stir together.
Add to flour-butter mixture and stir just until blended.
If you are making large triangular scones, pat the dough into a circle on a lightly floured board and cut into wedges.
If you are making small scones, divide the dough in half, pat into two rounds, then cut into wedges.
Place on the baking sheet, bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks.
Drizzle with orange icing:
Mix ½ cup powdered sugar with 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest and 1-2 tablespoons milk or orange juice.
Serve warm.
Variations for this cranberry orange scone recipe:
Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pistachios with the cranberries.
Instead of icing, offer an orange cranberry cream cheese spread: Combine 8 ounces of cream cheese with 1/4 cup orange marmelade and 1/4 cup sweetened chopped cranberries.