September 10, 2026 Post by : Editorial Seasonal Recipes

There are mornings that call for something more than toast, but not quite as much effort as pancakes. Scones live in that sweet spot. They come together in one bowl, they bake in under twenty minutes, and they make the kitchen smell like a small bakery. This version, with dried cherries and sliced almonds, has become my default weekend bake — especially in the cooler months when fresh cherries are a distant memory.

Dried cherries are one of those pantry ingredients that don't get enough love. They're tart, slightly chewy, and they hold their color beautifully in baked goods. Paired with almonds and a touch of almond extract, they turn a plain scone into something that feels a little bit fancy, even though the process is genuinely easy.

The Recipe

You'll need two cups of all-purpose flour, a quarter cup of granulated sugar, one tablespoon of baking powder, and a half teaspoon of salt. Whisk those together in a large bowl. Add six tablespoons of cold, cubed unsalted butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Stir in three-quarters of a cup of dried cherries and a half cup of sliced almonds.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together two-thirds of a cup of cold heavy cream, one large egg, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a quarter teaspoon of almond extract. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Don't overmix — a few dry patches are fine. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat it into a rough circle about an inch thick, and cut it into eight wedges.

Transfer the wedges to a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the tops with a little extra cream, and sprinkle with coarse sugar if you like. Bake at 400°F for about fifteen to eighteen minutes, until the edges are golden and the tops feel set. Let them cool for ten minutes before eating — they're best warm, but they hold up well for a day or two in an airtight container.

Small Notes for Better Scones

Cold is your friend here. Cold butter, cold cream, and even a cold bowl will give you a flakier scone. If your kitchen runs warm, pop the cut wedges into the fridge for ten minutes before baking. And if you don't have dried cherries, dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots work beautifully too — the recipe is forgiving.

These scones are barely sweet, which is exactly how I like them with coffee. If you want something more dessert-like, drizzle a simple glaze of powdered sugar and a splash of almond milk over the cooled scones. Either way, they're the kind of thing that makes a slow morning feel intentional. Serve them on a plate you actually like, sit somewhere with good light, and let the day start gently.

• Share:

Back to blog

Small Business Owners Make it Happen in 2025

Small Business Owners Make it Happen in 2025