Cranberry Vanilla Bean Scones

Pin It Now! Even though I'm like a kid when  it comes to Christmas excitement, I'm not quite ready to entirely give up fall just yet.  Here in Southern California, summer tends to bleed into our fall and winter months.  It's been shorts & flip-flops weather more than scarf & boot weather lately.  But the mornings and evenings are nice & brisk, so I wanted to whip up something cozy and delicious.  Cranberry scones?  Yes, please.  Madagascar vanilla beans at Trader Joe's?!  Yes, please!!

This recipe can easily be customized - have fun with it!  I promised the Hubby I'd make chocolate chip scones, but with chocolate cake and chocolate pudding in the house, we needed something fresh.  Even chocaholics can get chocolate-d out.  I think.

Cranberry Vanilla Bean Scones

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
2 1/2 c AP flour
1/2 c + 3 tbsp sugar, divided
1 tbsp baking powder (yes, tablespoon)
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 c fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
1 lg egg + 1 lg egg yolk
1 c buttermilk
1 vanilla bean
Additional sugar

Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer (or food processor) combine flour, 1/2 c sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add in the cold butter pieces and mix until the mixture resembles corn meal and the butter pieces are no larger than a pea.

In a small bowl, toss the chopped cranberries in remaining 3 tbsp sugar.  Mix this into the flour/butter mixture.

In another small bowl, combine the egg, egg yolk, and buttermilk.  Take the tip of a sharp knife and slice the vanilla bean lengthwise.  Scrape out the vanilla beans with the knife and whisk into egg yolk mixture.  Add liquid ingredients to the dry and mix until just incorporated.  Be careful not to over-mix.

(To freeze before baking, flash freeze at this point.  Place the baking sheet with the shaped scones into the freezer until just frozen.  Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze until ready to bake.  To bake straight from freezer, add approx. 5 minutes to baking time.)

Use an ice cream scoop to drop scones onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.  Leave about 2 inches between each one.  Sprinkle the tops with additional sugar and bake 15-20 minutes.

Leftover cranberries?  You *must* make Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites from Yummy Mummy!