Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones

If you're looking for a simple yet satisfying baking project, my cherry chocolate chip scones are exactly what you need. I've perfected this recipe to ensure every scone turns out beautifully golden, moist inside with crisped edges, and absolutely packed with flavor.

🥘 Ingredients

• Flour - This is the base of your cherry chocolate chip scones. You may need more for adjusting the dough consistency, as well as flouring your pastry mat or working surface.
• Sugar - This provides just the right amount of sweetness for the tender crumb of these scones, complementing the cherries and chocolate chips.
• Butter - Frozen or chilled butter is a vitally important ingredient for the perfect scone texture. Using cold butter (salted or unsalted butter) will create the rise, flakiness, tenderness, flavor, and the delightfully crispy edges on your baked scones.
• Dairy - Heavy cream (or buttermilk) is recommended for these scones. This creamy dairy product provides enough fat content to create the rich, flaky texture of traditional scones. A small amount of cream is also used to brush on the scones before baking (for golden brown color) and to make the optional chocolate ganache.
• Vanilla Extract - Highlights the flavors of your other ingredients and contributes to the sweet flavor of the cherry chocolate chip scones. Combine vanilla with a small amount (¼ teaspoon) of almond extracts to highlight the cherry flavor.
• Baking Powder - The leavening agent that adds lift to the scone texture and helps make them airy and light.
• Salt - Salt highlights all of your scone flavors and makes sure that the end result is not overly sweet, especially with the addition of chocolate and cherries.
• Egg (optional) - You have the option to include 1 large egg or egg yolk in your scone dough. An egg makes 'enriched' scones - adding richness, flavor, and great texture to your resulting scones.
• Chocolate Chips - Mini, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks) are added to the dough for a delightful chocolate cherry scones flavor. Plus more for the optional ganache.
• Cherries - Fresh cherries or frozen cherries, dried cherries, or maraschino cherries (chopped) are folded into the dough, providing a sweet, fruity counterpoint to the rich chocolate.

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Bake Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones

Grab your measuring utensils (cups and spoons), plus a mixing bowl or a food processor (which is what I recommend for the butter), a pastry blender, spatula, pastry mat, and baking sheet to get started.

1 batch of this scone recipe yields 8 standard-sized wedge-shaped scones cut from a shaped 1 to 1½-inch-high, 8-inch round disc. Alternatively, you can make approximately 10-12 round scones cut out using a biscuit cutter, portion out heaping ¼ cup portions to make 10-12 drop scones, or make 16 petite scones/mini scones.

Preparing Your Ingredients

Prep the butter, but keep it cold. Begin by grating or using your food processor to shred the frozen ½ cup (113.5 grams) of butter. Place it back into the freezer to keep it thoroughly chilled as you gather and prepare your remaining items. *Examples of both methods are pictured above, my food processor butter on the left vs hand grating using a box grater on the right.

Mix the Scone Dough

Whisk dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: 2 cups (250 grams) of all-purpose flour, ½ cup (50 grams) of sugar, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Whisk these together until they are well blended (photo 1).

Cut in the butter. Next, add the grated butter into your dry mixture (photo 2). Using a pastry cutter, two knives, a fork, or even your hands, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs and is thoroughly coated (photo3). Form a small well in the center of this flour mixture.

Combine wet ingredients. In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients: ½ cup (118.29 milliliters) of heavy cream, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and the optional one large egg (I used the yolk in this dough) until fully combined (photos 4, 5).

Fold in chocolate chips and cherries. Carefully pour the wet ingredients into the well in your dry mixture. Add ¾ cup (225 grams) of chocolate chips and ¾ cup (104 grams) of chopped cherries (photo 6). *Any more than 1½ cups of mix-ins and your scone dough will be likely to fall apart.

Gently fold everything together until a sticky dough forms (photo7). Make any necessary adjustments to the dough's consistency; add more flour to handle the dough when using wet ingredients, or add a drizzle of liquid to work with dry dough.

Shaping, Chilling & Baking The Scones

Shape and cut the dough. Turn your sticky dough out onto a lightly floured working surface. With floured hands, gently shape it into an eight-inch disc that is about one to 1-1½ inches thick (photo 8). Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, divide the disc into eight equal wedges (photo 9).

Transfer these wedges to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (photo 10) and chill them in the refrigerator or freezer for a minimum of fifteen minutes before baking.

Preheat. While your scones are chilling, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6).

Bake. Before baking, lightly brush the tops of your chilled scones with a little cream, an egg wash (I used my egg white for this), or melted butter. Bake them for approximately 18-22 minutes; larger scones might require closer to 24-25 minutes.

Cool and serve. Once baked, allow the scones to rest on the baking sheet for five minutes before serving them warm or transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional Chocolate Ganache Topping

Make chocolate ganache. For the ganache, heat ¼ cup (59 milliliters) of heavy cream in the microwave on high for one minute. Carefully add 2 ounces (56.7 grams) of chocolate (chips or chopped baker's chocolate) to the hot cream. Let it sit undisturbed for three to five minutes, then stir until it becomes perfectly smooth.

Drizzle, set, and serve. Drizzle the luscious chocolate ganache over your baked and cooled cherry chocolate chip scones in thin ribbons (photo 11), or spread it as a light icing. Allow the ganache to set slightly before serving (photo 12).

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• Maintain a cold temp. Keeping all your ingredients and equipment cold is absolutely crucial for the flakiest cherry chocolate chip scones. I always make sure my butter is frozen, and I'll often chill my mixing bowl and even briefly freeze my flour.
  If at any point during shaping I feel the butter in the dough softening too much, it goes straight back into the fridge or freezer for a quick chill.
• Handle dough gently and quickly. To achieve that perfect tender crumb and prevent the butter from melting, void overworking your scone dough. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and cherries, and shape the dough as swiftly as possible. This preserves the cold butter pockets essential for a good rise.
• Give scones room to spread. When arranging your cut scones on the baking sheet, ensure there's three inches of spacing between each one. This allows them ample room to spread slightly and bake evenly without crowding.
• Always use a fully preheated oven to start. For optimal lift and texture, always bake your scones in a fully preheated oven. The intense initial heat is vital for properly activating the baking powder, giving your scones that beautiful airy lightness.
• Troubleshooting: spreading scones. Should your scones begin to spread more than desired while baking, don't fret! Quickly pull them from the oven and use a spatula to gently push the edges back into their original wedge or round shapes before returning them to finish baking.

🔐 Secrets To Tall, Flaky Scones

The best scones are tender and airy inside with crisp, golden edges that practically melt in your mouth. Luckily, with just a few simple tricks, you can achieve that irresistible bakery-style texture at home.

Here’s how to get perfectly risen, flaky scones every time:

• Try lamination for structure. Folding the dough over itself helps create layers that lift as the butter steams in the oven. To laminate, gently press the dough flat, fold it in half, and repeat the process 3–5 times.
• Keep it cold. Chilling the dough keeps the butter firm so your scones hold their shape. You can refrigerate the whole round before slicing, or chill the cut scones for 15–30 minutes prior to baking.
• Heat matters. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before the pan goes in. That first burst of heat is what activates the baking powder and gives you a nice, tall rise.
• Check your baking powder. If you’ve done everything right and your scones are still flat or heavy, your leavening might be past its prime. Swap it out for a fresh container to ensure the best lift.

🥄 Make-Ahead Options

Whether you want to prep the night before or stock the freezer for later, these scones can always fit into your schedule.

1. Chill overnight. Shape the dough into a round disc, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until morning. Slice into wedges (or any shape you like) and bake straight from the fridge.
2. Par-bake for later. Bake the scones about 50–75% of the way, then let them cool completely. Place them in a single layer to flash freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Finish baking directly from frozen until golden and hot.
3. Freeze unbaked scones. Cut and arrange your scones on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen (just add a couple of minutes), or thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as usual.

🥡 Storing

Once your cherry chocolate chip scones have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container. Arrange them in a single layer or separate stacked layers with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. You can also wrap each scone individually in plastic wrap to help lock in moisture and freshness.

Room Temperature

These scones will stay soft and flavorful for up to 2 days at room temperature if you used dried cherries. Store them in a cool, dry spot away from direct sunlight, like a pantry or bread box.

Refrigerated

If you’d like them to last a little longer, or wet cherries were used, place the scones in the refrigerator where they’ll keep for about a week. For the best texture, let them come to room temperature or warm them gently before serving.

Freezing Scones

To freeze, set the cooled scones in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze until solid. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge or leave them on the counter for a few hours before enjoying.

Reheating

Cherry chocolate chip scones are at their best when warm. Heat in the microwave at 50% power for 20–30 seconds with a small cup of water nearby to prevent drying out. You can also rewarm them in a toaster oven or a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–6 minutes, covering with foil so the edges don’t over-brown.

For frozen scones, pop them in a 450°F (230°C/Gas Mark 8) oven for about 5 minutes to restore that just-baked flavor and crisp edges.

📖 Recipe Card