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These flaky and delicious cherry scones with orange zest are quick and easy to make, and paired with a piping hot cup of coffee, they’re perfect for a holiday breakfast or brunch. These buttermilk scones are easy to adapt using different dried fruits and spices, too!
Notes from the MGC Kitchen
If you’ve been following our recipes for a while, you’ve probably noticed that we’re all about lightly sweetened baked goods and the tangy flavor of dairy products like buttermilk and sour cream, so it’s not surprising that our go-to scone recipe would be made with buttermilk. Buttermilk does more than just add flavor to these cherry scones though – its acidity makes the scones softer and fluffier than those made with regular milk or cream.
Key Ingredients
This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.
- DRIED CHERRIES: We love the tartness of dried cherries in this recipe, but dried cranberries or currants are a perfect substitute.
- BUTTERMILK: The acidity in buttermilk results in a more tender scone, and the tanginess cuts through the richness of the butter. Buttermilk also reacts with the baking powder to make a lighter scone.
- TURBINADO SUGAR: We like the slight molasses flavor of turbinado sugar for finishing the scones, but any coarse sugar would be fine to use.
How to Make Cherry Scones with Orange
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
PREHEAT: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS: Using a stand mixer (see notes about hand mixing), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With a paddle attachment, mix in the orange zest and dried cherries.
ADD THE BUTTER AND BUTTERMILK: Add the butter and mix just enough for the cubes to be coated with flour. The butter should stay in fairly large pieces. With the mixer at a low speed, add the vanilla extract and the buttermilk and mix just until absorbed and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
FORM THE SCONES: Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and turn the dough onto a separate piece of parchment paper. Using floured hands, shape it into a ball. Then gently pat it flat into a 7-inch round about 1 to 1-1/2-inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and transfer to the baking sheet.
BRUSH THE SCONES AND BAKE: Brush the reserved buttermilk over the top of each scone and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until browned, about 18 to 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
ABOUT HAND MIXING: You can mix the scone dough by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer, but because you need to work with cold ingredients, the dough will be quite stiff. Be careful not to overmix it. Note: We don’t recommend using a hand-held electric mixer unless your model has a very low speed.
PREPARATION TIP: If your dried cherries are very fresh, they may have a tendency to stick together when chopped. If so, transfer 1 tablespoon of the flour to a plastic bag, add the fruit and shake to coat. This will make chopping them easier, and it will help to distribute the fruit more evenly through the dough.
Make-Ahead Tips
Prepare the dough as instructed and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Remove them from the fridge and cut into wedges, then bake.
Tips for Making Buttermilk Scones
These tips apply to making buttermilk scones in general, no matter what type of mix-ins or flavorings you choose to add.
- Use cold ingredients: Cold butter and buttermilk straight from the refrigerator are essential for making light, flaky scones.
- Don’t overmix: When adding the butter and then the buttermilk, only mix until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overworking the dough will yield tough scones.
- Handle gently: Flour your hands and gently shape the dough. Avoid re-rolling the dough. Cut straight down with a sharp blade – don’t drag the blade through when cutting the scones.
Buttermilk Scones Recipe Variations:
- Cinnamon-Raisin Scones: Replace the dried cranberries with 1/2 cup raisins, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and omit the orange zest.
- Apricot-Lemon Scones: Replace the dried cranberries with dried apricots and replace the orange zest with 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Depending on how much lemon flavor you like, you could also use 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract in place of the vanilla.
More Delicious Homemade Breakfasts
- Hungarian Crepes (a family recipe with a lemony cottage cheese filling)
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Candied Bacon (chocolate and bacon – enough said)
- Scrambled Eggs in Potato Nests (all-in-one breakfast bites)
Cherry Scones with Orange
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 orange, about 2 teaspoons
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, divided
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a stand mixer (see notes about hand mixing), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- With a paddle attachment, mix in the orange zest and dried cherries.
- Add the butter and mix just enough for the cubes to be coated with flour. The butter should stay in fairly large pieces.
- With the mixer at a low speed, add the vanilla extract and the buttermilk, reserving 2 tablespoons, and mix just until absorbed and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough onto a separate piece of parchment paper and using floured hands, shape it into a ball. Then pat it flat into a 7-inch round about 1 to 1-1/2-inch thick.
- Cut the dough into 8 wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the scones with the reserved buttermilk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on a wire rack, then serve warm.
Notes
About Hand Mixing
You can mix the scone dough by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer, but because you need to work with cold ingredients, the dough will be quite stiff. Be careful not to overmix it. Note: We don’t recommend using a hand-held electric mixer unless your model has a very low speed.Preparation Tip
If your dried cherries are very fresh, they may have a tendency to stick together when chopped. If so, transfer 1 tablespoon of the flour to a plastic bag, add the fruit and shake to coat. This will make chopping them easier, and it will help to distribute the fruit more evenly through the dough.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could I use the dried orange powder to replace the fresh zest?
Hi Charlotte,
I believe you could use dried orange powder, but I’ve never tried it. Regarding quantity, if the powder you’re using doesn’t have directions, start with a teaspoon, combine all the ingredients, taste the batter, and adjust the flavor to your liking.