Homemade Cherry Ricotta Scones (with fresh & dried cherries)

These easy homemade cherry ricotta scones call for simple ingredients, take little time to make, and make the perfect breakfast, snack, or addition to your next afternoon tea. Featuring creamy ricotta cheese, both fresh and dried cherries, these homemade scones are sure to be a hit!

I know scones aren’t really an American thing. And the only scone recipes I’ve shared here on the blog have definitely been the sweeter, moister, more American version of a scone. These homemade scones, however, are different. 

I know dry isn’t a word that’s normally considered a good thing when talking about baked goods. But this recipe is much closer to the biscuit-like, slightly dry, not-so-sweet traditional scones than the recipes I’ve shared before.

But I can still promise these scones are still super yummy and just as easy to make!

These cherry ricotta scones feature both fresh and dried cherries, just the right amount of sweetness. They make the perfect snack, breakfast, or little treat to serve alongside a cup of tea or your favorite coffee drink.

Plus, they also feature what is quickly becoming one of my favorite ingredients to use in the kitchen.

I don’t know what it is about ricotta cheese, but its creamy texture and natural richness seem to have a way of making everything taste better, including these scones. 

I like to make these scones when cherries are in season, and fresh cherries can easily be found at my local grocery stores or farmers’ markets.

They are especially good during the spring and early summer months. But of course, they are delicious any time of the year, and for any occasion!

These cherry scones are perfect for afternoon teas, Mother’s Day, and Easter brunch, and make a lovely start to any summer day. 

Homemade Cherry Ricotta Scones

Ingredients:

• all-purpose flour
• white sugar OR cane sugar
• baking powder
• baking soda
• dried cherries, both sweetened cherries and unsweetened cherries, will work for this recipe. 
• cold butter. You want to make sure you are using very cold butter. The easiest way to do this is to pop your stick of butter in the freezer, about 20 minutes before you start making your scones.
• milk, I like to use whole milk, but any type of milk will work, even buttermilk and dairy-free milk!
• sour cream
• full-fat ricotta cheese
• egg
• vanilla extract
• fresh cherries, washed, pitted, and halved. 
• 1 egg yolk, beaten, for brushing the top of the scones.
• coarse sugar, for topping the scones. I like to use cane sugar on mine

How To Make Cherry Ricotta Scones

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside until ready to use. 

In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients (milk, sour cream, ricotta cheese, egg, and vanilla extract.) And whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and dried cherries) and mix well. 

Using a cheese grater, grate your cold/frozen butter into your flour mixture, and gently mix with your hands until just combined. 

Then pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and, using a dough whisk or a spatula, mix until everything is completely combined.

You should have a wet, sticky dough. If you are having trouble mixing the dough, you can also use your hands in place of the dough whisk or spatula to make the process a little easier on your wrists!

Add the fresh cherries to your scone dough and fold gently until combined. 

Then, using a metal spoon or ice cream scoop, gently scoop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet into ten equally sized scones. I like to leave my scones in a rough ball shape, but feel free to shape them better if you like!

Brush the beaten egg yolk over the top and sides of each scoop, then sprinkle with a generous amount of coarse sugar. 

Place into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top and bottom of the scones are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow the scones to cool briefly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

These cherry ricotta scones are best served at room temperature. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Any leftover scones can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

Both salted and unsalted butter will work for this recipe. But I normally use salted butter, as that is what I have on hand. I would recommend having a pinch of salt if you’re using unsalted butter. 

I normally serve these scones just as they are, but they are also delicious served with butter, whipped cream(or just a drizzle of heavy cream), and jam.

Sometimes I like to add 1-2 tsp of lemon zest to the dry ingredients in this recipe, to create a more summery flavor.  And while I didn’t include it in the main recipe, it is something I would highly suggest trying at least once!

You could also try adding 1/2-1 tsp of almond extract to this recipe to create an Amaretto-like flavor. 

When it comes to both the fresh and dried cherries in this recipe, you can use pretty much any kind you like. I would recommend looking for sweeter varieties, though, to keep your scones from having a bitter or sour flavor. 

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