Everyone loves to get a homemade food gift for the Holidays. Cherry Almond Scone Mix is easy to make and to bake, and who doesn’t love a delicious fresh-baked scone?

Of course everyone at #SundaySupper loves to give (and get!) Homemade Holiday Food Gifts. So today we’re each offering a tasty gift you can make for those on your “nice” list this year. Thanks to Christie from A Kitchen Hoors Adventures for hosting our holiday gift party.

If you’ve read my blog with any frequency you know how much I love scones. But really, who doesn’t love a fresh-from-the-oven scone? With this Cherry Almond Scone Mix you can give your friends the gift of homemade scones with half the work (for them).

The Cherry Almond Scone Mix recipe is based on my favorite Raisin Scone recipe, which I’ve been making for over 20 years. I did have to make a few adjustments to the recipe to make it shelf stable and to make mixing the dough as easy as possible. First I replaced the buttermilk in the recipe with buttermilk powder since buttermilk is not an ingredient that everyone has in the refrigerator on a regular basis. Next I added almond extract to the mix and switched out the raisins for dried cherries.

Bye, bye, beloved butter….

The final change I made to the recipe is the one that pained me the most. I had to switch out my beloved butter for, ummm… ok, ok, I used vegetable shortening instead of butter. There, I said it! I know, I know, nothing is as good as butter but this compromise was necessary to keep the mix shelf stable. If you choose to, you can make the mix with butter instead of shortening. The flavor will be slightly better, but then the mix must be refrigerated until ready to use. I decided it was a compromise worth making and, believe me, the scones still taste great.

The full recipe makes enough baking mix for 2 quart size gift bags, or boxes, or jars, however you decide to package the mix. Each bag will make about 10-12 scones. The mixing instructions are listed in the recipe notes. The instructions are for one quart-size bag of mix.

Cherry Almond Scone Mix #SundaySupper

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (4 oz, 110g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon real almond extract
• 5 cups (1.5 lb, 680g) unableached all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons buttermilk powder
• 6 oz (170g) vegetable shortening, cut into 1" chunks
• 1 cup (6 oz, 150g) dried cherries, chopped into 1/2" pieces

Instructions

1. Place the granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl
2. Sprinkle the almond extract over the sugar and whisk to combine, breaking up any lumps that form
3. Add the flour, buttermilk powder, baking powder and salt
4. Whisk together the dry ingredient until evenly combined
5. Toss in the shortening and use your fingers to work it into the dry ingredients evenly
6. Toss in the dried cherries.
7. The mix can be kept at room temperature until ready to use.

Notes

Mixing Instructions (for 1/2 the total mix):

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Whisk 1 egg with 3/4 cup room temperature water.

Add the water to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface

Kneading by hand until the flour is absorbed and the dough forms a ball.

Pat the dough until it is 1" thick

Use a 2.5" biscuit cutter to cut scones.

Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting until all the dough is used.

Line the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Each 1 quart mix will yield 10-12 2.5" scones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out these other fabulous Homemade Food Gifts from my #SundaySupper friends.

Baked Goods

• Cinnamon and Spice Granola by Simple and Savory
• Coconut Macaroon Tarts by Asian In America
• Cranberry Coffee Cake by Food Done Light
• Mini Pumpkin Breads by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Snowman Poop by Palatable Pastime

Candy

• A Trio of Brittle by The Freshman Cook
• Grandma’s Peanut Butter Balls by Cricket’s Confections
• Homemade Peanut Brittle by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Homemade Twix Bars by Pies and Plots
• Peanut Butter Fudge by Family Around The Table
• Superfoods Fruit & Nut Bites by My Life Cookbook
• Toffee Candied Peanuts by New South Charm
• Turron de Jijona (Spanish Soft Nougat) by Caroline’s Cooking

Chocolate

• Espresso Fudge by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Peppermint Bark Candy by Life Tastes Good
• Peppermint Bark Popcorn by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Red Wine Hot Fudge Sauce by The Crumby Cupcake

Jams, Syrups, Drinks

• Blood and Sand Jam by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Creamy Lemoncello by Monica’s Table
• Warm Gingerbread Syrup by Food Lust People Love

Mixes and Spices

• Cherry Almond Scone Mix by Baking Sense
• Cranberry Almond Quick Bread Mix by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Lavender-infused Sugar and Lazy Shortbread by Sunday Supper Movement

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