Vegan Marzipan Cherry Scones

Vegan marzipan cherry scones – these delicious scones are light, moist, quick and easy to make and are filled with chunks of marzipan and glacé cherries.

They are wonderful as part of an afternoon tea, for an indulgent breakfast, or as a snack at any time of day. They also freeze really well!

These vegan marzipan cherry scones are light, moist, delicious, easy to make and they taste so good!

They are wonderful with jam and/or vegan butter, either as they are or split and toasted.

The bits of marzipan around the edges get gloriously caramelised and chewy, and are delicious with the sweet cherries.

They are quick to make so you can satisfy a scone craving in under forty five minutes. Or they freeze really well so you can keep a batch in the freezer for whenever you may fancy a warm scone.

What Do I Need To Make Vegan Marzipan Cherry Scones?:

Plain flour: Most scone recipes use self-raising flour rather than plain, but not everyone has access to self-raising so I’ve switched it to plain (all-purpose) with extra baking powder instead.

I haven't tried making these scones gluten-free.

Baking powder: Scones need quite a bit of baking powder – two tablespoons in this case.

Note that you need to use a proper measuring tablespoon which is 15 ml, not just a regular spoon. Spoon measurements should always be a LEVEL spoonful, never rounded (unless a rounded spoonful is specified in the recipe).

Vegan block butter: For the best results you need to use a cold BLOCK butter/margarine, NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking.

I use Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant butter. Solid coconut oil would also work.

Caster and demarera sugars: I use caster (superfine) sugar in the scone dough as it dissolves easily but granulated will also work.

I like to sprinkle a little demarera sugar on the tops of the scones before baking. This is optional but does give them a nice crunchy top.

Marzipan: You need to use marzipan, not almond paste which has a softer texture. I dice it up and then freeze it for 15 minutes which makes it easier to mix into the dough without squishing it.

This step is optional, I just find it helpful.

Glacé cherries: I use glacé cherries but you could also use dried cherries for a less sweet option.

Vanilla extract: Use extract rather than essence for the best flavour. You could also add ½ to 1 tsp of almond extract as well if you want the scones to have a stronger almond flavour.

Milk: Any kind of unsweetened non-dairy milk will work (except tinned coconut milk) but I like soy milk best. It should be cold from the fridge rather than room temperature.

How To Make Vegan Marzipan Cherry Scones:

(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)

Chop the marzipan up into approximately 1cm dice, spread them out on a baking tray and freeze for around 15 minutes until they are firm.

While the marzipan is freezing, mix the flour and baking powder together really well in a large bowl.

Add the cold, diced vegan butter and rub it in using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs and no lumps of butter remain.

Stir in the caster sugar followed by the marzipan and the glacé cherries.

Add the vanilla extract and most of the milk. Stir to form a soft dough, adding the rest of the milk as needed.

The dough should be soft and sticky but not wet. Be careful not to overwork it as that will make your scones tough.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces and shape each one into a rough ball.

On a floured surface, pat each ball of dough out into a round about 4cm / 1 ½ inches thick.

Use a sharp knife dipped in flour to slice each round into six triangles. Place them well spaced apart on two baking sheets lined with baking parchment.

Brush the tops of the scones with milk and sprinkle with a little demarera sugar. Bake for 15-18 minutes until they are golden brown and firm to the touch.

Top Tips:

Using a block butter/margarine rather than the spreadable kind in a tub will give you a much better texture as it has a higher fat content. I use Naturli Vegan Block, but Stork or Vitalite block, Tormor or Earth Balance Buttery Sticks will all work. It is also important that the butter is fridge cold, not room temperature.

Make sure that you do not overwork the dough, you want to mix it until it comes together, no more than that. And never, ever knead it; this isn’t bread. The scones will be a bit craggy and rustic looking, but the texture will be so much better!

Pat, rather than roll the dough out and keep it quite thick, about 4cm / 1 ½ inches is ideal.

When you glaze the scones, make sure that you brush the milk on the tops of the scones only, don't let any glaze drip down the sides as it can inhibit the rise.

Get the scones into the oven as soon as possible, don't leave them sitting around as the raising agents start to work straight away.

Scones are best eaten as soon as possible, ideally just cooled, and definitely on the same day as they are baked. If you do happen to have any leftovers the next day then they are best eaten split, toasted and buttered.

Can I Freeze Them?:

Yes they freeze really well. Ideally they should be frozen on the day they are baked to preserve freshness.

Allow them to cool completely then freeze in a ziplock bag or freezer-proof container for up to three months.

Allow to defrost at room temperature (or give them a quick blast in the microwave if you are in a hurry) then refresh them in a low oven for 5-10 minutes before serving.

More Vegan Scone Recipes:

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Old (Non-Vegan) Recipe:

I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since updated and veganised it. For anyone who loved the original recipe I have included it below.

Ingredients

450g (3 + ¾ cups) self raising flour

2 slightly rounded tsp baking powder

75g (⅓ cup) softened butter

65g (⅓ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

150g (5 + ⅓ oz) marzipan, cut into small dice

150g (5 + ⅓ oz) glace cherries, halved

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

about 200ml (scant cup) full fat milk

Instructions

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment or a silicone liner.

Mix together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar then the marzipan and cherries.

Whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract in a measuring jug, add enough milk to bring the mixture up to 300ml (1 + ¼ cups), whisk together.

Set aside 2 tbsp of the milk and egg mixture in a small bowl to glaze the scones with, then add the rest to the flour.

Mix everything together to form a soft dough, it should be a bit sticky, don't overwork it.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. To make 8 large scones, shape the dough into a round disc, about 2cm/1in deep; use a sharp knife to cut the round into 8 wedges, dip the blade of the knife into flour after each cut to prevent it from sticking.

To make 12-16 small scones, divide the dough in half and shape each half into a round as above, cut each round into 6-8 wedges.

Place the wedges on the baking sheet, slightly spaced apart. Brush the tops with the reserved egg mixture, avoid letting it drip down the sides or it can prevent them from rising properly.

Bake for 10-15 minutes for small scones, or 15-20 for large ones, until well-risen and golden.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, freeze any scones that are not going to be eaten within the next day (they go stale quickly). To use frozen scones, allow to defrost at room temperature, then refresh in a low oven for 5-10 minutes.