Christmas morning scones

First let me say that these wonderful scones are by no means only to be enjoyed on Christmas morning... they are also super for lazy Saturday's, afternoon tea with the girls and well... right this very moment! So simple and quick, try to find a reason NOT to make 'em!

Cranberry-Orange Scones

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1 stick butter (I used Earth Balance)
• fresh cranberries
• 1 cup orange juice (or milk)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda into a large bowl. Stir in orange peel. Add butter and rub with your fingers until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Mix in chopped cranberries*. Gradually add liquid, tossing with fork until moist clumps form.
3. Now its time to really get your hands dirty! Turn the dough over in the bowl until it begins to bind together. Its going to be sticky, its supposed to be! Form dough into rounds just slightly smaller than the palm of your hand. Transfer rounds to a baking sheet, spacing two inches apart, because these things get big!
4. Bake until tops of scones are golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Let stand on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
5. Serve scones warm or room temperature with honey butter and a hot tea!

* I add three handfuls of cranberries chopped in my Pampered Chef chopper. Don't have one? No biggie. In my pre-Pampered Chef years this recipe still succeeded when I coarsely chopped them with a big knife!

I love to have this dough on hand. I make a bunch and then stick it in the fridge until guests arrive or I just need an afternoon treat!