Sour Cherry Scones

This Sour Cherry Scones Recipe is the perfect breakfast treat. Made using simple ingredients, these sweet scones are sure to be the best part of your day. These homemade cherry scones pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.

The first time I remember enjoying a scone was in college when I discovered the Maple Oat Nut Scones at Starbucks. They quickly became my go-to treat, and my love affair with scones continued from there. From our copycat Starbucks Blueberry Scone Recipe to these unique Earl Grey Scones, any scone is welcome on my tea table.

I think that one of the best things about this basic scone recipe is that it's not overly sweet. Some homemade scones are sweeter, but this is more of a tender scone with a little cherry flavor. It's one of my favorites to make during cherry season! 

If you're a fan of cherries, be sure to check out this Chocolate Cherry Brownies recipe! It's one of my favorites for combining chocolate and tart! Or these Tart Cherry Gummies are a great snack.

Ingredients

• Flour - All purpose flour is the main ingredient to make the scone dough. 
• Salt - For flavor. 
• Sugar - Added to give the scones a slight sweetness. 
• Baking powder - Helps to give the scones that fluffy and light texture that we all love and crave. 
• Salted butter - Adds flavor and helps to add moisture. 
• Almond extract - For flavor. 
• Half and half - Thins out the dough and adds richness.
• Egg yolk - Use only the egg yolk. (Save the egg white for something different!) 
• Pitted tart cherries - You can use a cherry pitter to pit the cherries yourself or buy them already processed and ready. I buy a cherry berry blend in the frozen fruit section and pick out the sour cherries since they can be hard to find.

See quantities in the recipe card.

How To Make Sour Cherry Scones

1️⃣ Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add parchment paper to a baking sheet.

2️⃣ Cut in the Butter

Add the first five dry ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the cold butter is cut in thoroughly. 

3️⃣ Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the almond extract and egg. Stream in the half and half with the food processor running. This will form the dough. 

4️⃣ Fold in the Cherries

Stir in the sour cherries using a wooden spoon. 

5️⃣ Shape the Scones

Separate the dough into two balls. Press each ball onto the prepared cookie sheet in a 12-inch circle. Cut each circle into 8 wedges with a sharp knife, and then space out the wedges so that they aren’t side by side.

6️⃣ Bake the Scones

Put the scones in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Storage

Once this cherry scone recipe is cooked according to the bake time, be sure to let them cool completely before adding them to an airtight container. If you want to reheat the leftover scones and enjoy them warm, add them to the microwave for a short amount of time.

You can also freeze these. Wrap individually in plastic wrap before adding to a storage bag and placing in the freezer.

Variations 

• Add chocolate - The fun part about making scones is that you can have so many fun flavors! Dark chocolate, chocolate chips, white chocolate - it's all fair game. 
• Dairy - You can use heavy cream or sour cream in place of the half-and-half if you prefer.
• Nuts - These have a lovely flavor from the almond extract, so adding some sliced almonds would be a natural variation.
• Add citrus - Putting a bit of lemon zest or orange zest into the flaky scones is a simple way to add a pop of fun taste. 
• Use different fruit - Making fruit scones gives you flexibility. This easy scone recipe can be altered to use blueberries, raspberries, and even strawberries. The almond flavor works well with all of them. This is a great base recipe to be able to change out the type of fruit used. 
• Topping - For shiny scones, simply brush an egg wash on the tops of the scones before baking. If desired, sprinkle with some coarse sugar. You can also drizzle these with a glaze after cooling.

For another flavorful scone, try our Coffee Scones Recipe. Or make these buttery 3-Ingredient Biscuits.

Common Questions 

Can I make scones a different shape? 

You can always try fun and new things with your scones. Use a cookie cutter to try and make a new shape or look. I'd still make a thick circle on a lightly floured surface and then cut out the shape of the scones that you want. 

📖 Recipe

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Originally Published December 12, 2023. Revised and Republished March 30, 2026.