Orange Cherry Scones- Mama’s

Prep Time- 15 minutes | Cook Time- 12-15 minutes | Makes about 15 scones

Ingredients:

• 2 1/5 Cups Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (hard like stick butter)
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 – 1/3 Cup Dried Cherries
• 3/4 Cup Orange Marmalade
• 1/2 Cup Milk

* See notes at the bottom for ingredient alternatives and other ideas!

Instructions:

1- Gather all ingredients and set the oven to 425° F (or about 218°C).

2- You can use a cast-iron scone mold (called M1), or you can use a scoop (called M2). Please follow the appropriate method instructions for whichever way you plan to make these.

M1– Spray or grease all sides of the scone mold.

M2– Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3- In a large mixing bowl with a rubber spatula, mix together the first 3 ingredients only (don’t use a whisk for this recipe).

4- Add the butter to the dry mixture: you can EITHER– freeze the stick of butter and grate it, OR– cut the butter into half inch slices, then add it to the dry mixture and pinch each one with your hands (or use a pastry cutter) until all the butter is about pea sized or smaller.

5- Mix in the dried cherries and sugar.

6- Add the marmalade; make sure to mix it in very well (smoosh it into the flour with your spatula if you need to), this ingredient adds moisture to the recipe and needs to be well incorporated with no clumps of marmalade before we move to the next step so that we do not add too much milk.

7- Add half of the milk and mix well, add more milk until the whole mixture has moisture but is not a sticky runny mess- this should be a thick, sticky, just barely moist mixture.

8 – For M1, place enough mixture into the scone molds so that is almost (but doesn’t quite) reach the top edge, these will rise a little. Press the mixture lightly into the mold, don’t pack it in too hard, this will make the scones very dense.

For M2, use a pastry scoop (ice cream scoop, or even a spoon) to place about 3 Tbsp- ¼ Cup portions onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure there are about 3 inches of space around each scone so that when they expand they don’t run into each other.

9 – For M1, bake for 10-12 minutes, then look to see if the tops have some golden brown peaks- if yes- they are done, if no- check every minute (without opening the oven door if you are able).

For M2, bake for 13-15 minutes, then look to see if the tops have some golden brown peaks- if yes- they are done, if no- check every minute (without opening the oven door if you are able).

10- Remove them from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before eating (if you can wait that long!).

NOTES:

BUTTER– I do not recommend using a spreadable butter unless you follow my butter recommendation on my About Me page

ORANGE MARMALADE– I always get the same brand from Aldi- Berryhill (not a sponsor)

OTHER ADD INS– This recipe is easily adjustable for other similar flavors which include a marmalade or jam, and a dried berry. Let me know what combinations you have tried!