Warm up a cold, dark morning with these cranberry ricotta scones! They are rich and moist, with the ricotta cheese giving them extra depth of flavor and texture, and dried cranberries and a teaspoon of ginger adding sweetness and spice. A warm, tender scone with a hot cup of coffee or tea is one of my favorite ways to add comfort and cheer to life.
With some leftover ricotta cheese in my refrigerator, I was looking for a way to use it. I came across several scone recipes calling for ricotta cheese, and adapted the recipe below from the Wisconsin Cheese website because I had all the ingredients it was asking for. I’m so glad I did, because this is my new favorite scone recipe. I used half-and-half instead of heavy cream, and used less dried cranberries, and I was very happy (as were my kids!) with the way these scones turned out. In fact, I can’t wait to try this basic recipe with other variations. My son really wants scones with chocolate chunks, and my daughter wants me to add orange zest, so that might be our next scone adventure!
These scones are perfect for weekend mornings, or whenever you have a little extra time to bake. They only take about 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish, so not a huge time commitment, and so worth the effort when possible! Also, these scones are so moist that they taste good the next day, warmed up a bit in the oven or microwave. They make a comforting mid-morning or afternoon snack.
I don’t usually make scones at home, because they are my favorite thing to order at my favorite local coffee shop, where I meet regularly with a couple of friends. I live in a rural area, near a really small town, so the fact that our small town has such a hip coffee shop is such a treat, and this place is truly a gem, with delicious seasonal food and high-quality coffee. We solve all kinds of problems at these meetings, and always find something to laugh about too. So the scone and coffee combination has a special place in my heart, and I am happy to have found a recipe that does justice to my fondness of these little pieces of comfort.
I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate it, and if not, have a great rest of the week! I am off to bake an apple pie, do a bunch of necessary and tedious chores and errands, and then run a 5k with my family! This 5k is in the evening, in the dark, under lots of bright holiday lights. We’ve never done this one before, and I am intrigued. It’s going to a full few days around here, and I am looking forward to it! But I am also trying to keep some time set aside for reflection and contemplation so I will be able to handle it all (hopefully!) with grace and gratitude. Take care!
Cranberry Ricotta Scones
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup of dried cranberries (if you like your scones with more, use up to a cup of dried cranberries)
- 3/4 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup of half-and-half (you can use heavy cream if desired)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of water
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and ginger. Mix together with a fork. Add the cold cubes of butter to the dry ingredients, and with a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand.
Add the dried cranberries, ricotta cheese, and half-and-half. Mix gently with a wooden spoon until the wet ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients and the mixture just forms a dough-shaped ball. Be careful not to over-mix.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and with your hands, pat it down into a disk about 1 inch thick. Cut the disk into eight triangles and transfer them to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the egg and tablespoon of water. Beat lightly with a whisk or fork. With a pastry brush, brush the scone triangles with the egg wash. Bake in your 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the scones just begin to turn golden.
Serve warm! If you have any leftover, after they have cooled, cover them tightly with plastic wrap or put them in an airtight container for the next day. Enjoy!
This recipe is adapted from the Eat Wisconsin Cheese website.
I love scones! I make them almost every weekend even though we have cool cafes in nyc. It’s nice that you have a weekly group of friends date too! These look delicious. The family 5k sounds awesome. Night running is magical and all the thanksgiving turkey trot races are so fun. Enjoy! And a conscious effort at gratitude and presence is needed when there’s so much to be done. Enjoy!!! Xo
Thanks, Amanda, it’s going to be chilly tonight, but I think it will be fun to run under the colorful lights. Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving, and I will try to keep the grateful attitude and savor each moment! 🙂
These look delicious! Hope you and your family had a nice Thanksgiving and the 5K went well, Jenny!
Thanks, Debbie! The 5k went well! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving too!
These scones look perfect for the holidays and overnight guests!
Thank you, Julie! Yes I think they would be great for overnight guests! I just made them yesterday with chocolate chips instead of cranberries–delicious!