Brown Sugar Cherry Walnut Scones

Once upon a time, in my youth, I had the best bagel ever. Topped with brown sugar, walnuts, and plump dried cherries, it never needed butter or cream cheese, it was always perfect slightly toasted. Its one of those flavor combinations that has stayed with me throughout the years and though I've occasionally tried to replicate it in various things, it never really had the same appeal. Until one fateful Sunday morning, when it became the best SCONE on planet earth.

 
I knew this was going to be amazing as soon as I mixed the wet and dry ingredients. [A word to the wise, people: make sure your baking powder isn't expired!! because it makes such a big difference in whatever you're making. I know, duh, but when was the last time you actually checked the date on the container?] The batter was airy and light, and when I mixed in the sugared walnuts, crunchy bits flaked off and dotted the entire batter. The result is a seriously gorgeous scone: crunchy on the outside, incredibly soft and fluffy on the inside, with plump cherries and sugared walnuts in each bite.

Brown Sugar Cherry Walnut Scones
Adapted from Vegan Brunch

Ingredients

1 c. raw walnut pieces

½ c. brown sugar

2 TBSP Earth Balance margarine

1 c. tart dried cherries

1½ c. almond milk

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

3 c. flour

2 TBSP baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. vegetable shortening

2 TBSP vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place an extra sheet of parchment on the counter top for the sugared walnut mixture to cool on.

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the 2 TBSP Earth Balance on medium heat. Add the walnuts, stirring to coat, and then add the brown sugar. Allow the sugar to get a little bubbly as you stir to coat the walnuts, but be careful that the sugar doesn’t burn! I kept my mixture over heat for 1-2 minutes, max. Spread the nuts out in one layer on that extra sheet of parchment to cool.

In a small bowl combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar, and allow the mixture to curdle.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. With a pastry cutter, or your fingers, cut in the vegetable shortening until the mixture looks like little pebbles. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the curdled almond milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla, and gently mix until everything is moistened. Carefully fold in the cherries and sugared walnuts.

Using an ice cream scoop, drop the batter onto the baking sheets and top with a sprinkling of brown sugar. Bake for 20-22 minutes. These are especially good fresh out of the oven, but they also stand the test of time if you're an alien and you want to wait until later.