Cherry Scones

A Cherry Scone drizzled with cherry glaze on parchment paper with a fresh cherry and pink hydrangea flowers alongside.

These Cherry Scones have cornmeal and fresh cherries for a soft and flavorful summer treat! Drizzled with a gorgeous cherry glaze, they're perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine Scones

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 18

Chill Time 15

Total Time 53

Servings scones

Calories 626kcal

Author Amee

Equipment

Ingredients

Cherry Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal (see note)
⅓ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, cold and diced (8 Tablespoons)
1 cup heavy cream, cold (plus more for brushing)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
1 ½ cups pitted and quartered cherries (see note)

Cherry Glaze

2 ounces cherries, pitted and chopped (see note)
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Scones

Line a sheet pan with parchment (see note). Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt). Stir to combine.
Add the cold diced butter. Using a pastry blender (see note) or fork, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until no large pieces remain (the largest should be about the size of a pea).
Add heavy cream and vanilla bean paste (see note) and stir until nearly combined. Add the chopped cherries and gently stir until the dough starts to come together. I find that a bowl scraper (see note) helps to bring the dough together without warming the butter.
On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough out to about 1 inch thickness. Cut into six triangles (a pizza cutter is helpful for this).
Place scones on the prepared pan about two inches apart and place in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 400℉ while the scones chill.
Once chilled, brush the tops of the scones with cream and bake 18-20 minutes, or until risen and golden. Allow scones to cool completely.

For the Glaze

Warm about cherries in a small saucepan on the stove until they break down and release their juice, then press the cherries in a fine-mesh strainer to get as much juice out as possible.
Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl, then add the cherry juice and stir to combine. If the glaze is a bit too thin, you can add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add a bit more cherry juice. Glaze the cooled scones and serve!
Store cooled scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The fruit and the glaze will make the scones soggy the longer you store them.
I don't suggest freezing the baked scones, as they may be a bit soggy once thawed. To freeze unbaked scones, freeze the dough triangles on a baking sheet for one hour, then transfer the frozen dough to a freezer-safe container. The dough will keep in the freezer up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking, or just add a few extra minutes to the bake time to bake from frozen.
Enjoy!

Notes

Note on cornmeal: I don't like gritty cornmeal, so I use a finely-ground cornmeal. You can use whatever you prefer.

Note on cherries: I cut my cherries into quarters for the scones pictured here, but the dough will hold together even better if they're cut into smaller pieces. You can use frozen cherries for this recipe, but they do tend to be soggier and to bleed their color into the scones. If the cherries are already chopped, use them without thawing.

Note on parchment: I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.

Note on pastry blender: While a pastry blender isn't necessary to cut in the butter (a fork will also work), it does make the job faster and easier.

Note on bowl scraper: I like using a bowl scraper to work the dough because its flexible shape makes the job much easier, and keeps your hands warming the butter as it comes together. They're easy to store and easy on the wallet!

Note on vanilla bean paste: It's no secret that I love vanilla bean paste. It's soooo tasty without the vanilla bean price tag (and it pretty much stays good forever). If you prefer to substitute, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.

Nutrition