Tart Cherry Scones

Traditional Irish cream scones with cherries, served with butter and preserves.

5 from 2 votes

These Tart Cherry Scones will be the perfect addition to your weekend routine! Sweet and light, with a delicious balance of tartness from the dried cherries and richness from cream.

Prep Time7

Cook Time20

Total Time27

Course: Breakfast, Quick Breads

Cuisine: American, European

Servings: wedge scones

Calories: 372kcal

Author: Kelly Bloom

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cup flour if you use Self Rising flour, be sure to omit the baking powder, and salt below, as self rising flour already has that in it.
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ cup butter room temperature, or frozen and grated, see notes in recipe for either method.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg beaten
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup dried cherries Tart Montmorency Cherries
chocolate chips OPTIONAL for chocolate cherry scones only, use ½ cup.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
2 cup flour, ½ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon baking powder
Use either the soft butter mixing method, or the frozen grated butter method of combining the butter into the dry ingredients.
Soft Butter Method: Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut in the softened butter into the flour until it is pea size crumbly.
Grated Butter Method: Freeze the butter, then grate it like cheese. Add it to the flour and simply toss and coat the butter well with flour. I use this method in the Green Tea Matcha Scones recipe.
½ cup butter
Mix the egg, cream, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the bowl with the dry ingredients with the cut in butter. Add the dried cherries to the well, then pour in the cream and egg mixture. If making chocolate cherry scones, be sure to add the chocolate chips now also.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 egg, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 cup dried cherries, chocolate chips
Mix with your hands or a spatula until everything is just moistened, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl to combine everything.
Tip the dough out onto a floured surface. Using your hands, pull everything into a rough ball, using a little flour to smooth out the surface. Press down on the ball until the dough becomes an 8" disc.
Lay the disc on the prepared baking sheet and using a knife, cut into 8 wedges. Spread the wedges apart about 2" from each other. I use the flat of the knife to move them.
Brush the tops of the scone wedges with a little cream, and sprinkle with some sanding sugar or granulated sugar. Bake for 18 - 23 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown on top. Serve while hot, or cool and drizzle with icing.

Notes

Freezing and grating the butter is the fastest and most mess free method of incorporating butter into dry ingredients. Use it for scones, biscuits, and pie crusts!
Use can use a beaten egg instead of cream for brushing the scones with before baking, it it's up to you. I use cream for sweet scones, beaten egg for savory scones.
Be sure to bake the scones at least 2" apart, as they will spread as they rise.