This easy scones recipe for Cranberry Pear Scones with Orange Glaze is made with fresh pears and tart, low sugar dried cranberries. This scones recipe makes low carb scones that pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea. By using vegan butter, the scones are also vegan.
This is a sponsored post brought to you by Taylor’s Gold Pears. I was compensated for writing this post, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Pear Recipes
For most of my life, pears have been pretty low on the totem pole of my list of favorite fruits. I think it has something to do with a childhood memory of being forced to eat gritty skinned, mealy tasting pears.
I remember sitting at the dinner table with a bowl full of pears, mushing them with a fork until they resembled baby food. Of course, that didn’t make them taste better, nor did it release me from the parental command to, “…sit there until that plate is clean, Kid.”
Because of that melodrama, I’ve done my best to ignore and avoid pears during my adult life. I’ve made excuses to dismiss any dishes containing them that were passed my way at a dinner table.
Occasionally, I would be “lucky” enough to be offered a pear dish that had coconut in it. I’m allergic to coconut and food allergies allow for an instant “get out of jail free” card, you know.
But there are some beautiful pear recipes on the Internet, like this one, so I know they must taste better than I what I remember them to be.
New Zealand Pears
When I was offered the opportunity to join nine other food bloggers to do some recipe development with Taylor’s Gold Pears, I was reluctant. I really wanted to like them, but I was so nervous that I’d accept the job and then hate the pears!
As I waited for the shipment of them to arrive, I wondered about the taste. Would they be mealy? Would they have a bitter tasting skin that would once again cause me to fear the fruit?
I’m happy to tell you that the answer is an emphatic no. New Zealand pears are delicious, and not at all mealy!
Truth be told, the incredibly sweet, melt-in-your-mouth taste and texture of these pears is nearly mind blowing! They are so juicy and delicious, I ate them nearly to the point of over indulgence one afternoon. I’m completely serious… my knife slid through the flesh like it was melted butter. They are crazy good pears!
Of course, that made me all the more excited to dig in and start creating recipes with them.
The easy scones recipe for cranberry pear scones is just the beginning of what will surely be a summer filled with pear recipes that you’ll find in the pages of this little blog of mine.
How is this an easy scones recipe?
Traditional British scones are tall and fluffy, similar to American biscuits. They require a gentler touch when making them so they maintain their fluffy texture.
This is an easier, sweet scones recipe. Although you shouldn’t work the dough too much, it is much more forgiving if you happen to “rough house” it a bit too much.
Want to make more desserts with pears? Try my gluten recipe for Pear Crumble with Walnuts.
How to Make Cranberry Pear Scones
Easy Scones Recipe with Pears and Cranberries (Low Carb, Vegan Friendly)
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 3 cups Low carb baking mix plus more for dusting work surface (I use Bob's Red Mill).
- 1/4 cup Erythritol or other cup-for-cup sugar alternative
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 ounces cold unsalted butter grated or cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or milk of choice
- 2 oranges freshly squeezed (1/4 cup juice)
- 2 tsp grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries I use Ocean Spray low sugar
- 1 cup pears peeled and diced
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered Erythritol I use Swerve
- 3 Tablespoons orange juice more if needed to thin the glaze
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and butter. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to combine the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Create a well in the center of the ingredients.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together almond milk, orange juice, zest, and vanilla extract. Pour mixture into the well you created in the dry ingredients. Add cranberries and pears and use a wooden spoon or rubber mixing spatula to stir, just until flour is incorporated and mixture is combined. Don't over mix or your scones will be tough and dry.
- Sprinkle a dry work surface with some dry baking mix and turn dough out onto the top of it. Flatten dough with your fingers into a rectangle, with a thickness of 3/4 inch. Use a knife to cut scones into equal sized pieces. Use a spatula to transfer scones to prepared baking sheets.
- Place baking sheets into oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until scones are set and golden brown. Meanwhile, use a spoon or whisk to combine glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
- After scones have finished baking, transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before drizzling tops with glaze.
- Best served warm and on the day they were baked.
Notes
- To make this easy scones recipe vegan friendly, substitute vegan butter for the dairy butter called for in the recipe.
Nutrition
More Beautiful Recipes Using Taylor’s Gold Pears:
-
Grilled Pears Filled with Caramel and Chocolate by Cook the Story
-
Pickled Pear Sorbetto by Pastry Chef Online
-
Spicy Grilled Pear Ketchup by Cooking with Books
-
Mini Pear and Blackberry Pies by Big Bear’s Wife
-
Chocolate Dipped Pear Popsicles by Around My Family Table
-
Pear Caramelized Onion and Brie Bites by Real Housemoms
-
White Chicken Naan Pizza with Sauteed Pears & Gorgonzola by Climbing Grier Mountain
- Muddled Pear Moscow Mule by Doughmesstic
-
Mini Pear and Blackberry Pies by Big Bear’s Wife
-
Pear Gorgonzola Easy Ravioli by Nutmeg Nanny
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
Getting a delicious pear can be a challenge, but once you find good ones…. in scones or anywhere else, they are divine. Love the pairing of pears and cranberries. Great in crumble too.
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal says
What lovely looking scones! I hear you on the topic of pears. When they’re perfectly ripened they’re really, really good, but when they’re not, they’re just bad!