Cranberry Cream Scones

fall weather gives me all sorts of new food cravings. i grew up in MN and in the fall and winter we would go out to brunch on the weekends. i would always get a hot cup of coffee and a cranberry or blueberry scone. the 2 places i remember are French Meadow Bakery and Great Harvest Bread Co.

i saw these yummy cranberry cream scones on wendyinkk.blogspot.com a few weeks ago and thought they looked so delish…(with cream cheese!) i hope to bake some next week and i think i am going to skip the glaze. i like my scones on the dry side. i just need a big heart cookie cutter to make them extra pretty!

INGREDIENTS
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
2 TBS Butter, softened
2 cups AP Flour
1 TBS Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
1 Egg
1/3 – 1/2 cup Milk
Egg Wash (1 Egg, 3 TBS Milk)
Melted Butter, for brushing

Glaze
2 oz Cream Cheese
3 TBS Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (optional)
1 cup Powdered Sugar
Sprinkles, (optional)

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Add cream cheese and butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix until combined and smooth.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour the flour mixture into the mixer and turn on medium speed. I let mine mix for 20 seconds until the cream cheese/butter was pea sized. Add the cranberries, egg and milk. Mix until just combined.
3. Flour a work surface and divide dough in two portions. Use your hands to shape the dough in a log. Then press down on the dough and pull on the edges. You want the dough to be about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide. Use a knife to cut the dough in triangles. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
4. Make an egg wash by whisking the egg and milk together, then brushing on the scone. Place the scones on a prepared baking pan, and bake for 16 minutes. When the scones start to bake melt some butter in the microwave.
5. At the 10 minute mark pull the scones out of the oven and brush the butter on top of the scone quickly and put back in the oven. Once the scones are evenly brown remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes.

To assemble the glaze
1. Melt the cream cheese and milk in the microwave, around 20 seconds. Whisk until smooth, add the vanilla bean paste here if using.
2. Next add the powdered sugar and whisk until lump free. If the glaze is too stiff add one TBS milk at a time, if it is too loose add more powdered sugar.
3. Using a spoon, pour glaze on top of each scone. Decorate with sprinkles (optional). I used white sanding sugar on top of my scones.