Cherry Scones

5 from 10 votes

With dried tart cherries, almond flavor, and a delightful glaze, these Cherry Scones are the perfect way to start your day!

Prep Time25

Cook Time18

Chilling Time30

Total Time1 13

Course: Dessert, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cherry scones

Servings: scones

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $4.78

Equipment

Sheet pan (15" x 10") lined
Pastry cutter

Ingredients

Scones

8 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed and frozen
2 large oranges
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour spooned and leveled
11 tablespoons heavy cream divided
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional
3/4 cup dried tart cherries
White sparkling sugar optional
1 cup powdered sugar

US - Metric

Instructions

Keep all the ingredients as cold as possible; chill the flour in the fridge for 10–20 minutes if possible. Cut the butter into small cubes. Place in the freezer to chill until needed. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Zest oranges with a zester to get 2 tablespoons zest. Juice the oranges using a citrus juicer to get 2 tablespoons orange juice.
In a large bowl, combine the orange zest and sugar. Rub the two together with your fingers until the sugar is fully infused with the orange zest. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour. Whisk until ingredients are combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup heavy cream, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until smooth.
Add the frozen cubed butter into the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is pea sized and evenly dispersed. Make a well in the center of the ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. With a wooden spoon, gently combine the ingredients until a dough begins to form. As soon as a dough forms, add the dried cherries. Mix as little as possible, just until everything is moistened and mostly combined.
Very lightly flour a surface and turn the dough onto it. Work the dough into a ball with lightly floured hands, handling it as little as possible while forming a cohesive disc. If the dough is too sticky, add a tiny bit more flour; if it’s too dry, add 1–2 tablespoons additional cream. Press the dough into a disc and cut it exactly in half, then form each half into a smaller disc about 5 inches wide.
Chill the discs wrapped tightly in plastic for 10 minutes in the fridge, then remove and cut each into 8 equal wedges with a very sharp knife, making decisive cuts. Place the wedges on lined sheet pan about 2 inches apart, pour remaining 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream into a small dish, and brush the cream over the scones using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
Refrigerate the scones on the pan for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Bake for 17–25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the tops are just browned. Keep a close eye on the scones, as overbaking will lead to less flavor and a denser texture; mine usually take about 19–20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before using a metal spatula to transfer the scones to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice. Add additional juice for a thinner glaze, as desired. Drizzle over the scones once they are completely cooled. Let set and enjoy.

Video

Notes

Storage: Keep scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Individually wrap scones, place in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months, thaw at room temperature.

Nutrition