Chocolate Cherry Scones

Out of all the scone recipes I’ve tried, Chocolate Cherry Scones are my favorite! These are not the typical English scones that are dry and crumbly, served with tea. I would classify these as dessert scones with a moist, tender crumb that is amazing with coffee! The basic dough is very simple but with the addition of different fillings you can adjust them to fit every taste bud.

Why This Flour Blend?

To make an all purpose flour blend we want a moderate amount of protein for texture and mild grains so the flavor is not overpowering. I use 40% soft white, 30% hard white and 30% durum. Khorasan can be substituted for Durum without needing to adjust the hydration.

Using a mix of soft white wheat, hard white wheat, and durum or khorasan flour gives these scones a tender yet structured crumb. Soft white wheat lends softness and a delicate flavor, hard white adds strength and chew, and durum or khorasan contributes a subtle nuttiness and golden hue. This blend creates a scone that’s flaky, tender, and full of character.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients

Start by placing the butter, still wrapped, in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or until frozen solid. This is key to achieving flaky, tender scones.

Whisk together the milk and sour cream in a bowl, then refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.

Mill your grains on the finest setting and chill the flours in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Keeping ingredients cold helps create a flaky texture.

 Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together your flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

Incorporate the Butter

Using a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. Stir occasionally to prevent the butter from clumping and to coat the grated pieces with flour. This step is crucial for that tender, flaky crumb.

Add Cherries and Chocolate

First chop the cherries into 1/4 inch pieces. I like to use the dye free maraschino cherries. You can also use fresh cherries if you would like. We have a massive cherry tree in front of our house so when cherries are in season, scones are our go to!

Toss the chopped maraschino or fresh cherries and semi-sweet chocolate chips into the flour and butter mixture. Coating them in flour helps prevent sinking during baking.

Combine Wet and Dry

Pour the chilled milk and sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold everything together until just combined-no dry flour should remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can toughen the scones.

Chill the Dough

Cover the dough and chill it in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and the dough to firm up, making it easier to handle.

Shape the Scones

Lightly flour your work surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Press each portion into a 6-inch round disk. Using a floured bench scraper or sharp knife, cut each round into 6 pie-shaped wedges. Place the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.

If you are doing a large batch of scones you can shape them a bit differently. Instead of pressed them into circles, Roll the dough into a log and press into a rectangle. The rectangle should be 1.5 inches tall and three to four inches wide. The length will depend on how much dough you are making. Refer to the image below for shaping methods.

Pro tip: If you want to bake later, freeze the scones at this point. Bake them straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.

 Bake

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake the scones for 15-18 minutes, or until they’re golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.

Make the Glaze

While the scones cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and maraschino cherry juice until smooth. Add more cherry juice a few drops at a time to reach your desired drizzle consistency.

Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled scones. The cherry glaze adds a beautiful shine and a burst of sweet-tart flavor that perfectly complements the chocolate and cherries inside.

Tips for Success

• Keep everything cold: Cold butter and chilled dough are essential for flaky scones.
• Don’t overmix: Mix until just combined to keep the texture light.
• Customize: Swap maraschino cherries for dried cherries or fresh berries if desired.
• Storage: Store scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for up to a month.

Final Thoughts

These chocolate cherry scones are a delightful twist on a classic favorite, combining the richness of chocolate with the bright sweetness of cherries and the wholesome goodness of freshly milled wheat flours. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or a cozy weekend breakfast, these scones are sure to impress.

Enjoy them warm with a cup of coffee or tea, and savor every flaky, buttery bite!

Happy Baking!

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Feel free to share your photos and tips in the comments below!

Chocolate Cherry Scones

Recipe by Katelyn AmesCourse: Appetizers, DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

12

scones

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Out of all the scone recipes I’ve tried, Chocolate Cherry Scones are my favorite! These are not the typical English scones that are dry and crumbly, served with tea. I would classify these as dessert scones with a moist, tender crumb that is amazing with coffee! The basic dough is very simple but with the addition of different fillings you can adjust them to fit every taste bud.

Ingredients

• Scones:

• 96g soft white wheat

• 72g hard white

• 72g durum or khorasan

• 1 stick butter, frozen

• 116g milk

• 116g sour cream (or yogurt)

• 100g sugar

• 8g baking powder (2tsp)

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 3g salt (1/2tsp)

• 1/2c dye free maraschino cherries, chopped

• 1/2c semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Glaze:

• 1/2 c powdered sugar

• 1 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice

Directions

• Place the butter, still wrapped, in the freezer for at least half an hour or until frozen solid. Whisk together the milk and sour cream in a bowl, refrigerate until needed. Mill your grain on the finest setting, place into the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
• Once all your ingredients are chilled, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Using a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture, stirring every now and then to prevent it from sticking and coat the pieces in flour. Add in chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips, Toss to coat
• Pour in the milk mixture and combine with a spatula until combined and no dry flour remains. Do not overmix. Chill for 15-30 minutes for the flour to absorb the liquids while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Separate the dough into two equal portions. On a floured surface, press each portion into a 6″ round. With a floured bench scraper or knife, cut each round into 6 pie shaped pieces. Place the scones on a parchment lined pan. At this point you can freeze the scones to bake at another time. Alternatively, if you are scaling the recipe up, instead of making multiple rounds, Simply press the dough into a long rectangle about 3-4″ wide and about 1.5″ thick. The length will depend on how many batches you are making. With a floured bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into triangles.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool on the pan.
• Combine the glaze ingredients, adding extra cherry juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled scones.

Notes

• All Purpose Flour Blend. to make an all purpose flour blend we want a moderate amount of protein for texture and mild grains so the flavor is not overpowering. I use 40% soft white, 30% hard white and 30% durum. Khorasan can be substituted for Durum without needing to adjust the hydration.
• Freezing. To freeze scones; Place the scones onto a baking sheet or silicone mat after shaping. Freeze on the baking sheet for 1 hour. Transfer from the baking sheet to freezer bags and remove as much air as possible or vacuum seal. To bake from frozen, bake as directed but add a few extra minutes.

*nutrition facts are based off of using maraschino cherries. These are an estimate and should not be used to make medical decisions.