2025 National Festival of Breads Finalist

Michele Kusma

Ohio

INGREDIENTS

Scones

1 (10 - 12 ounce) jar maraschino cherries

2 2/3 cups (11.25 ounces) King Arthur® Unbleached Self-Rising Flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon pure lemon extract

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

Glaze & Garnish

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

2 - 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

12 whole maraschino cherries with stems, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large 18” x 14” baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Drain cherries and reserve juice for glaze. Rinse cherries, drain and pat dry on paper towel. Finely chop maraschino cherries to make 2/3 cup.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and sugar.

In a liquid measuring cup, stir lemon extract into 1 ½ cups cream. Slowly drizzle wet mixture into the dry mixture while stirring gently with a fork. Add the chopped cherries and stir until evenly distributed.

Using a cookie scoop or ¼ cup measure, form 12 rounded flat-bottomed scones on the parchment-lined baking sheet, at least 1-inch apart. Wet your thumb with water and use it to make a deep indentation in the middle of each scone.

Bake 18 - 20 minutes until golden and internal temperature is 200°F - 205°F in center. Cover loosely with foil if they are browning too quickly. Remove scones from oven and allow them to cool on a rack before glazing.

For glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cream and cherry juice. If needed, whisk in additional cherry juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze on the scones and then place a cherry with stem in the thumbprint.

Yield: 12 scones

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING (1 scone with glaze, 77 g): 270 calories,11g total fat, 7g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 35mg cholesterol, 330mg sodium, 36g total carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber,16g total sugars, 4g protein,1mcg folate, 0mg vitamin C, 0.5mg iron.