Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones
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Updated Oct 07, 2025, Published Dec 17, 2021
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Cozy, sweet, and lightly nutty, these Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones are perfect with your morning cafecito. Made with chewy rolled oats, dried cranberries, and a touch of maple syrup, they’re like a warm hug. Sweet enough to feel like a treat, yet hearty enough for breakfast.
Table of Contents
- What Are Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones
- Optional Variations
- Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones Tips & Tricks
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes to Try
- Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones Recipe
What Are Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones?
These American-style scones are tender, slightly crumbly, and full of comforting flavors. The oats add a wholesome chewiness, while maple syrup and cranberries bring a balance of sweetness and tang. Think of them as a cross between your favorite oatmeal cookie and a classic scone. Simple, rustic, and absolutely irresistible.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: No fancy tools required. A pastry cutter or even your hands will do.
- Cozy and comforting: Maple and cranberry make these scones perfect for cool mornings or holiday brunches.
- Customizable: Add nuts, chocolate chips, or glaze them for an extra touch of sweetness.
- Freezer-friendly: Make ahead and bake when ready for warm, fresh scones any time.
- Perfect pairing: These scones go beautifully with a warm cup of Café de Olla or Mexican Hot Chocolate.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make these cozy cranberry maple oat scones:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Toasted for deeper flavor. Quick oats can work, but avoid steel-cut oats.
- All-purpose flour: For structure.
- Baking powder and salt: The essentials for lift and balance.
- Margarine: Cold from the fridge. You can also use butter if you prefer.
- Milk and cream: For richness and tender texture. Substitute half-and-half if needed.
- Maple syrup: Adds sweetness and flavor. Honey can be swapped in a pinch.
- Egg: For structure and golden color.
- Dried cranberries: Sweet-tart and chewy. Fresh cranberries work too (see FAQ below).
- Sugar (optional): Sprinkle on top for a crisp finish.
The complete ingredient list and step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones
Step 1: Toast the oats. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oats and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing frequently until golden brown and fragrant. Let cool.
Step 2: Prepare the oven. Preheat to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3: Mix the dough. In a bowl, whisk milk, cream, egg, and maple syrup. Reserve 1 tablespoon for glazing. In a food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, and salt a few times, then add cold margarine and pulse until it looks like coarse cornmeal.
No food processor? Use a pastry cutter or your hands to blend the margarine into the flour mixture.
Step 4: Add the oats and cranberries. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in toasted oats and cranberries. Fold in liquid ingredients until large clumps form, then gently knead the dough by hand.
Step 5: Shape and cut. Pat the dough into an 8-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Cut into 10 wedges and place them on the baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.
Step 6: Brush and bake. Brush with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Optional Variations
This recipe is flexible, so here are a few ways to make it your own:
- Add-ins: Try toasted pecans, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, or chocolate chips.
- Swaps: Use raisins or chopped dried apricots instead of cranberries. Replace maple syrup with honey for a different flavor.
- Toppings: Drizzle with a quick glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, and maple extract. Or serve with clotted cream, citrus curd, or jam.
Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones Tips & Tricks
- Keep your fats cold. Chilled margarine or butter creates steam pockets for flaky texture.
- Don’t overmix. Scone dough should look a little rough and crumbly. That’s what gives them the right texture.
- Use stick margarine, not tub. It’s firmer and better for cutting into dough.
- Toast your oats. A quick toast adds deep, nutty flavor that makes these scones extra special.
- Make ahead. The dough can be refrigerated up to 7 days or frozen for 2 months before baking.
Storage Instructions
Keep your cranberry maple oatmeal scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap unglazed scones tightly in plastic and place in a freezer bag for up to a month. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can freeze the dough before baking for up to 2 months, or freeze baked scones (unglazed and unfrosted) for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake or reheat as directed.
Absolutely. Butter will give you a slightly richer flavor and tender texture.
Yes. You can replace the heavy cream with the same amount of milk or use half-and-half for a lighter scone.
Old-fashioned rolled oats give the best chewy texture. Quick oats can work, but avoid steel-cut oats, which stay too firm.
Yes. Chop them finely or pulse in a food processor before adding. The texture will be softer but still delicious.
This usually happens if the dough is overmixed or if there’s too much flour. Handle the dough gently and measure your flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off to keep the scones tender and moist.
More Recipes to Try
If you tried this Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 7 tablespoons unsalted margarine, (chilled, cut into ½-inch cubes)
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar, (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Heat a skillet on the stove top over medium-high.
- When the skillet is warm, place the oats in the skillet and allow to heat up for about a 2 to 3 minutes.
- Toss the oats frequently to encourage even toasting.
- When the oats have turned a golden-brown color, remove from the heat. Set aside and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk milk, cream, egg, and maple syrup in a large bowl; remove 1 tablespoon and reserve for glazing.
- Pulse the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 4 pulses.
- Scatter the cold butter evenly over dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 12 pulses.
- Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in cooled oats and cranberries. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the liquid ingredients until large clumps form.
- Mix the dough by hand in the bowl. Dust a work surface with flour and gently pat into an 8-inch circle about 1 inch thick.
- Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into 10 wedges and set on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Brush the surfaces with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar, if using.
- Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes; cool on a baking sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- No food processor? Use a pastry blender or your hands to work the margarine or butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Fewer dishes: Toast the oats on a baking sheet at 350°F for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, instead of using the stovetop.
- Storage: Baked scones will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Make ahead: Scone dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen (unglazed) for up to 1 month.
- Reheat: Warm baked scones in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes to refresh the texture before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
These Cranberry Maple Oatmeal Scones are a lovely pair with your morning cup of coffee.