Old-Fashioned Cherry Scones

A close up of a cherry scone filled with jam and cream sitting on a spotty plate with pink mat underneath.

Course: Afternoon tea, Breakfast, Brunch, picnic, Snack

Cuisine: British, Scottish

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 14

Total Time: 39

Servings: scones

Calories: 345kcal

Author: Jacq

These Old-Fashioned Cherry Scones are prepared with every-day ingredients. They are light and crumbly, and just delicious filled with fruit jam and whipped cream. These scones are flavoured with vanilla extract but this can be subbed out for almond for a delicious Cherry Bakewell Scone. Perfect for a Cream Tea, Devonshire Tea, High Tea, Supper-Time, Tea-Time, or Afternoon Tea or just for a quick tasty snack.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

sieve
Mixing bowl
mixing spoon
cutlery knife or similar
biscuit or cookie cutter about 2 ½ inch [2-3cm] diameter
Baking tray with parchment paper
cooling rack

Ingredients

285 grams self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar [or caster sugar, for sweeter scones an extra tablespoon of sugar can be added)
60 grams margarine, suitable for baking [we use Stork baking spread but any margarine, butter, or baking fat suitable for baking will work fine]
120 grams glacé cherries [candied cherries]
240 millilitres milk [we use soya, oat or almond milk but any milk will work fine so you can use your usual milk]
1 teaspoon vanilla extract [or essence, can replace with almond]

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan / 220°C / 425°F / Gas 7.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, and stir through the sugar.
285 grams self-raising flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Add the margarine in small blobs to the mixing bowl, and using your finger tips rub the margarine into the dry mixture until it resembles bread crumbs.
60 grams margarine, suitable for baking
Chop the glacé cherries into halves and quarters, they will be sticky but that's fine.
120 grams glacé cherries
Stir the cherries through the dry mixture so that they are evenly distributed and coated in the flour mixture.
Pour in 4 tablespoons of the milk along with the vanilla and stir well with a cutlery knife. Add 2 more tablespoons and stir again. It usually takes about 8 tablespoons to bring the mixture together into a dough that is not sticky but the exact amount of milk required may vary.
240 millilitres milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The mixture will start to look scraggly and this means that it has had nearly enough liquid to bring it to a dough. Press the bits of dough together with your hands to form a dough. If its too dry then add more drops of milk and keep forming the scone dough ball.
If the dough is too wet, dust some flour over your hands and your work surface, and place the dough onto the floured surface and gently knead some extra flour in, until the scone dough is drier.
Pat the scone dough down with your hands until its about ¾-1 inch [2-2 ½ cm] high.
Dust the biscuit cutter with some flour and cut out a scone shape, be careful not to twist the cutter but just shuffle it up and down to remove the scone from the rest of the dough.
You may need to lift the scone up inside the cutter and gently tap it out of the cutter.
Place each scone onto the baking tray.
You'll likely need to push back the scone dough into a ball again, and then pat down, after cutting out a few scones.
Once 6 scones are on the baking tray, you may have an extra smaller piece of dough which can be formed by hand into a rustic scone about the same height as the rest. This can be the bakers tester scone. However, you may not have any leftover dough.
Brush each of the scones surface with some of the leftover milk, taking care not to let the milk drip down the scone sides.
Bake on the middle oven shelf for 13-14 minutes. [We used an electric oven and the scones are perfect after 14 minutes at 220C]. Check fan ovens a minute or so before as these type of ovens tend to cook faster than other types.
Leave on the baking tray for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. Or enjoy warm.

Notes

Nutritional data is for guidance only as its not an exact calculation as ingredients vary.
Scones are at their best 1-2 days after baking.
Keep scones within a covered container for 3-4 days.
Scones older that 1-2 days can be refreshed by placing in a warm oven for a few minutes until warmed through.
Or slice the scone in half and toast each side, and then spread with your favourite condiment.
The glacé cherries do not need to be washed before using as the sticky residue will be dried up once incorporated through the flour mixture.
We used Stork baking margarine and oat milk to make these scones vegan-friendly but this recipe will work with any type of milk and your usual baking fat, margarine or butter that is suitable for baking.
For the cream in the photos, we used Elmlea Plant Double Alternative Cream which whips up very easily in minutes.
We used Co-Op strawberry jam to fill the scones.
Don't get too caught up with trying to perfect the perfect rising scone as wonky scones are just as nice if not better! Our local bakery on the Scottish island always has wonky scones for sale and the tourists and locals love them!
To prepare Cherry Bakewell Scones:
Switch the vanilla out for almond essence or extract, and if liked top the scones with a few flaked almonds and half a cherry, add the topping after you have brushed the milk over the scone tops. Bake as normal.

Nutrition