If, like me, you always end up with a glut of either fresh or frozen cranberries after the Christmas season, this is the perfect recipe to use them up. I made these for a new year’s potluck and they all got snapped up.

These are American scones, which actually differ from British scones in a few ways. American scones are much sweeter than their British counterparts which makes them perfect as a handheld dessert without any need for a filling (though they would be fab with some cream and jam!) They’re also shaped into one big circle and cut into triangles, as opposed to classic British circle cut out shapes.

Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Makes 8 large scones.

250g plain flour
100g caster sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons orange zest (about 1 orange)
115g unsalted butter, frozen
120ml double cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
125g) frozen or fresh cranberries

Orange Glaze
100g icing sugar
2–3 Tablespoons orange juice

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.

Whisk the double cream, the egg and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the cranberries, then mix together until everything appears moistened.

Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. The dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges.

Brush the scones with a little double cream or egg to glaze. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes as you make the glaze.

Make the glaze: Whisk the icing sugar and orange juice together. Add a little more confectioners’ sugar to thicken or more juice to thin. Drizzle over scones.

Leftover iced or un-glazed scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.