Cherry Scones Recipe with Vanilla Cream and Cherry Jam
This is the perfect cherry scones recipe, yielding scones that are soft and tender inside, crisp and golden outside with bursts of sweet cherries and a subtle vanilla aroma. You can use either fresh or dried cherries to make them!
Course Bread, Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine British
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 15 minutesminutes
Time For the Dough to Chill in the Fridge 2 hourshours
Mix together all ingredients, leaving a few lumps if desired to resemble clotted cream. Cover and refrigerate until using (up to 3 days).
For the Scones:
In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract.
Add the following to the bowl of a food processor: 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar; pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until it looks like coarse meal and you have a few pieces the size of peas. Gradually stream in egg mixture while pulsing, being careful not to over-mix (the dough will be a sticky). (Alternatively, you can make the dough by hand. Whisk together the dry ingredients, cut the butter in with a fork, and then stir in the wet ingredients.)
Turn the dough out into a large bowl and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons flour and the cherries on top; gently knead the dough just a couple times to incorporate the cherries. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it slightly into a disk. Wrap the disk of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours (up to 3 days is fine).
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a large baking tray with a silpat baking mat.
Turn the dough out a lightly floured surface and flatten it into a ¾ inch-thick circle. Use a floured 2 ½ inch cookie cutter to stamp out the scones, then gather up the dough scraps and repeat (you should get about 8 scones total).
Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet and lightly brush the tops with eggwash. Bake until light golden brown, about 14 to 16 minutes.
Serve warm with the vanilla cream and cherry jam.
Notes
To Use Fresh Cherries Instead of Dried Cherries: Use up to 1 ½ cups of fresh sweet cherries that are pitted and quartered. Once you have the cherries chopped, place them on a paper towel-lined plate and pat them with another paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Chilling the Dough: If you’re pressed for time, you can freeze the dough for 15 minutes instead of refrigerating it for 2 hours. Or you can make the dough up to 3 days in advance.
Sugaring the Tops: For a little sparkle and extra sweetness, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of the scones after you brush them with eggwash before baking.
Vanilla Cream: The vanilla cream is completely optional. If you prefer, you can serve these scones with clotted cream, whipped cream, or butter instead.
Storage: Like most homemade scones, these are best served the same day they're made. However, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After the first day, I recommend reheating scones before serving. You can do this in a preheated 350F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or in a preheated air fryer at 350F for 3 minutes.
Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated including the scones with vanilla cream, but not including the optional cherry jam for serving.