DRIED CHERRY LEMON SCONES

2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup firm butter or margarine, cut into 8 pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup dried cherries
milk (for brushing tops)

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix flour, sugar, lemon peel, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Cut in margarine, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in enough buttermilk so dough leaves sides of bowl and forms a ball. Stir in cherries.

Drop about 1/3 cupfuls of dough about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with milk. Sprinkle with additional sugar if desired.*

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm or cool.

*SPECIAL TOUCH:
Sprinkle the scones with coarse decorating sugar before baking.

VARIATION:

BLUEBERRY ORANGE SCONES
Dried blueberries can be used instead of the cherries. Use grated orange peel instead of the lemon peel, if you like.

Makes 10 scones
Source: Betty Crocker: Celebrate, April 2000