Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
These bakery-style Cherry Almond Scones are a soft and flaky treat filled with sliced almonds, dried cherries, and warm, nutty flavors. Vegan; Gluten-Free and Nut-Free Options.
These soft and buttery Vegan Cherry Almond Scones have dried cherries and crunchy almonds throughout and a cherry almond glaze on top. They’re perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or as an after-dinner treat. Even better, making them from scratch is easier than you think!
Table of Contents
A Sweet and Nutty Bakery-Style Pastry
These Cherry Almond Scones are nothing short of an amazing sweet treat. If you’re new to scones, imagine a baked pastry somewhere between a flaky biscuit and a sweet quick bread with slightly crisp edges and soft, pillowy centers. They’re often filled with fruits, nuts, or chocolate—or in this case, all of the above!
You’ll be surprised at how easy they are to make, too. For these vegan scones, all you need are a handful of vegan baking staples, frozen butter, sliced almonds, and dried cherries. Melt-in-your-mouth moist with just the right balance of nutty-sweetness, they’ll quickly find their way onto your list of ‘must-brings’ for Sunday brunch and afternoon tea.
Ingredients for Vegan Cherry Almond Scones
These triple almond scones call for around 14 simple baking staples, most of which you may have in your pantry already. These are the key ingredients you need:
- Frozen Vegan Butter: finely grated frozen butter is the secret behind the tender bakery-style layers inside the scone dough. The melted butter produces steam as the scones bake, leaving you with an airy, flaky, and moist pastry.
- Applesauce: as the egg replacer in this vegan scone recipe, applesauce keeps the dough tender and moist. Using unsweetened applesauce is important because too much added sugar will overpower the tart cherry and warm almond flavors.
- Soy Milk and ACV: high-protein soy milk and apple cider vinegar come together in the scone dough to create a vegan “buttermilk” mixture. If you don’t have soy milk, use another protein-rich non-dairy milk instead. Lemon juice can also be used in place of the vinegar.
- Almond Extract: sliced almonds add a warm, nutty flavor to the scones, and combining them with almond extract takes it to the next level.
- Dried Cherries: one of the star ingredients in these scones. Look for unsweetened or lightly sweetened dried cherries if you can. Their tartness perfectly balances the buttery, nutty scones.
- Almonds: save yourself a little time and buy pre-sliced unsalted almonds instead of slicing them yourself.
- Cherry Almond Glaze: decorating the baked almond scones with a drizzle of this almond glaze makes them look like you picked them up from the bakery. It’s easy to make by whisking powdered sugar, tart cherry juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract together.
How to Make Cherry Almond Scones
- Stir the applesauce, soy milk, sugar, vinegar, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Use a pastry cutter to combine the frozen grated butter with the dry mixture. Gently mix the wet ingredients, almonds, and chocolate (if using) with the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Transfer the scone dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a large circle. Cut the circle into 8 equal triangles. Transfer the triangles to a baking sheet and brush the tops with milk, followed by a sprinkle of raw sugar.
- Freeze the shaped scones for 15 minutes, then immediately bake them in the oven until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Drizzle the almond cherry glaze over the cooled scones, then serve and enjoy.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Frozen butter is non-negotiable. Cold butter creates steam pockets inside the scones as it melts, giving you those signature flaky layers. Grate the frozen butter sticks with a box grater onto a plate while frozen, then pop the grated butter back in the freezer while you prep the other ingredients to keep it extra cold.
- Spoon and level the flour. Always spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the top with the back of a knife. Scooping the flour straight from the bag can sometimes cause you to use too much flour in the dough, yielding dry scones.
- Do not overwork the scone dough. Make sure to mix the dough until the dry and wet mixtures just come together (it should look a little shaggy). Also, don’t skip chilling the scones for at least 15 minutes before baking. This relaxes the gluten and keeps the butter cold, leading to a taller, fluffier lift and crisp edges.
Serving Suggestions
There’s never a bad time for an almond cherry scone. Want to start your day on the right foot? Enjoy a scone with a cup of tea or coffee for breakfast. Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Grab a scone! They’re bound to call out to you when it’s time for dessert, too.
Personally, I love these scones best with a cozy cup of afternoon tea. I’ll enjoy them as-is or split them open and spread some vegan butter or cherry jam in the middle for that extra hit of moisture or sweetness. A quick swipe of this Vegan Nutella couldn’t hurt, either.
If you’re looking for more vegan scone recipes, you’ll also love these Pumpkin Scones and these Banana Bread Scones!
Or, if you love almonds and cherries together as much as I do, you should also try this Cherry Almond Twist and this Chocolate Cherry Almond Smoothie.
How to Store Leftover Scones
Store the cooled and glazed almond cherry scones in a container with a loose-fitting lid. They’ll keep for up to 4 days on the kitchen counter. Do not store them in an airtight container, or else they will lose their crisp edges and become soggy.
For longer storage, freeze the scones (without the glaze on top) in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them on the kitchen counter for 1 hour before serving or reheat them in a toaster oven for a few minutes or until warmed through.
Substitutions and Variations
- Nut-Free Option: Either omit the sliced almonds or replace them with an equal amount of pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Also, replace the almond extract with extra vanilla extract.
- Gluten-Free Option: I only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour, but a quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend might work as a substitute.
- More Dried Fruit Options: If you can’t find dried cherries, use dried cranberries, chopped apricots, or chopped Medjool dates for a naturally sweeter twist.
- Almond Substitutes: Switch things up with pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or macadamia nuts.
- Glaze Substitutions: Either omit the glaze or swap it for a simple vanilla glaze (made only with powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract) instead.
Recipe FAQs
No, scones are not inherently vegan since they’re traditionally made with butter and cream or buttermilk. Thankfully, all you need are simple dairy- and egg-free substitutes to make bakery-worthy vegan scones like these!
Yes, the scones can be shaped and kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.
Dry scone dough is a telltale sign of an overworked dough or too much flour in the dough. Remember to measure the flour with a kitchen scale for accuracy or to use the spoon and level method (see the Tips above for more on this). To avoid overworking the dough, mix the wet and dry ingredients just until they come together and you no longer see streaks of dry flour in the bowl.
Fold in dairy-free white chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or fresh or frozen blueberries for an extra decadent touch.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Easy Cherry Almond Scones with Cherry Glaze
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 1/2 cup 1 stick vegan butter, frozen*
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup soy milk plus 2 tablespoons (divided)
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cup sliced Almonds plus more for topping
- Optional: 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- Optional: 1 tablespoon raw cane or turbinado sugar for topping
For the Cherry Almond Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 5 teaspoons tart cherry juice or sub non-dairy milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Prep: Use a box grater to grate the butter over a plate, then place back in the freezer. Set a baking sheet aside and preheat the oven to 400F.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the applesauce, soy milk, sugar, vinegar, vanilla, and almond extract to a medium bowl or measuring glass; stir until evenly combined and the sugar has dissolved.
- Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon (if using), and salt together. Add the frozen butter to the flour and use a pastry cutter or two forks to combine the two together, until incorporated with pea-sized crumbles. Form a well in the center of the bowl, then add the wet ingredients and use a spatula to gently mix until just-combined. Add the dried cherries and almonds to the bowl and fold into the dough until evenly incorporated.
- Shape the Scones: Lightly dust a cutting board or countertop with flour and place the scone dough on top of it. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little more flour, then use your hands to press the dough into a large circle, about 1″ thick. Use a bench scraper or large knife to cut the circle into 8 equal triangles. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet (no need to line it), then brush the tops of each scone with milk (for browning).
- Freeze: Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes – this allows the butter to harden again, and helps the scones have a fluffier texture. If you don’t have room in your freezer, even 15 minutes in the fridge will help!
- Bake: Immediately transfer the cold baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the scones are golden. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Maple Glaze: Add the powdered sugar to a medium bowl and add the cherry juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Whisk until a thick but drippy glaze forms; if the glaze is too thin, add additional powdered sugar in 1 tablespoon increments. Set the entire cooling rack of scones back on the original baking sheet (to catch any drips), then drizzle the glaze over the scones. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if using.
- Serve: Enjoy warm, or let cool before serving as desired. Store leftovers at room temperature, in a container with a loose-fitting lid, for up to 4 days. Leftover scones can also be frozen for up to 2 months and defrosted as necessary.
Hello,
I just made these and they turned out delicious. I followed the recipe as written.
In the future I think I would make 10 or 12 scones instead 8 as they were very big.
Thank you for the great recipe.
You’re so welcome, Laura!