Fresh Cherry Scones

These Fresh Cherry Scones are soft, tender, and bursting with juicy cherries, with crunchy sugar tops for the perfect contrast. Learn the simple bakery techniques that keep these scones light, fluffy, and moist.

If you’ve ever been disappointed by a dry, dense scone, you’re not alone. While scones are a beginner-friendly bake, a few small techniques make the difference between heavy and dry versus light, tender, and buttery.

This Cherry Scones recipe is packed with fresh ripe cherries, lightly scented with almond extract, and finished with a generous sprinkle of crunchy demerara sugar. The result is a scone that’s soft and almost cake-like inside, with a delightfully crispy top.

I baked many, many giant batches of scones in my bakery years, so I’ve learned exactly how to keep them tender. Follow along for my favorite tips and tricks for making bakery-style scones at home.

Why this recipe works

• Cold butter creates steam in the oven, resulting in flaky, tender scones
• Chopped fresh cherries and a little almond extract bring big flavor
• Cream + coarse sugar on top build a golden, crunchy crust
• Freezing the shaped scones ensures they hold their shape while baking

How to make cherry scones

Find the full ingredients list and detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick step-by-step overview of how to make this recipe:

1. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Cut in the butter. Use your fingers to work the cold butter into the flour until pea-sized and bean-sized pieces remain.
3. Add the wet ingredients. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk, extracts, and chopped cherries. Knead the dough together very lightly with your hands, just enough for it to barely hold together.
4. Shape the scones. Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick disc that’s roughly 8 inches in diameter. Cut it into 8 triangle-shaped pieces.
5. Chill thoroughly. Place scones on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours.
6. Bake. Preheat oven to 350° F. Brush the tops of the scones with cream and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Variations

Make them any size and shape you like. I cut these cherry scones into 8 large triangles, but you could also pat the dough into a rectangle and cut them into squares or circles. Use a very sharp chef’s knife, a bench scraper, or a biscuit cutter to make shapes. 

If you adjust the size of the scones for this recipe, make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly. 

Add citrus zest. For a little extra brightness and depth of flavor, add the zest of 1 lemon or orange to the dough with the dry ingredients.

Give them a glaze. Skip the sugar on top before baking and glaze the scones once they’re thoroughly cooled. These would be delicious with a classic vanilla glaze or almond glaze.

Other add-ins: Try these scones with ½ cup chopped toasted pecans, sliced almonds, or chopped chocolate.

Storage, make-ahead & freezing cherry scones

Store cooled cherry scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I personally prefer eating them cold!

How to reheat scones: Place scones on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes. You can also slice them in half and place under the broiler until lightly toasted, 2-4 minutes.

To make a day ahead:

1. Mix the dough the day before & cut out the scones.
2. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. 
3. Bake as directed.

To freeze unbaked scones:

1. Mix & shape the scones.
2. Freeze the unbaked scones on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. 
3. Bake straight from frozen (no thawing needed).