After the baskets are opened and the eggs successfully hunted, few Easter activities are as satisfying as sitting down to a warm, scrumptious brunch.
Tart Cherry-Orange Muffins
Tart Cherry-Orange Muffins offer a burst of tang and a hint of citrus in a moist, flavorful reminder of why muffins are a favorite breakfast treat.
Classic Northwest Scones
Scones are a brunch staple here in the Northwest, which is why we’ve has created our own Cream Scone Mix. Try adding flavor to this Easy Scone Recipe with our recipes for Lemony Berry Scones, Sweet-Cherry Scones, or Orange-Cherry Scones below!
Cherry Ham and Cheese “Croissants”
For a quick and easy savory treat, try Cherry-Ham-and-Cheese “croissants”. Spread pre-made crescent-roll dough with cream or boursoin cheese, add a spoonful of Red Sour Cherry Preserve or Cherry Chutney and roll with thinly-sliced ham or turkey. Then bake as per the package instructions.
To add even more natural flavor to your Easter brunch, try
Tart Cherry Muffins
Ingredients:
• 1 cup sugar
• Juice of one medium orange
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 cup flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup Chukar® Dried Tart Cherries
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Directions:
Mix sugar and orange juice. Set aside for dipping after muffins are cooked. Cream butter and sugar. Add sour cream alternately with the dry ingredients. Fold in orange rind, dried cherries and nuts to make a stiff batter. Use well greased muffin tins that are small so that these are bite-sized. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. While still warm, dip them in the sugar-orange juice mixture. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 36 miniature muffins.
Easy and Customizable Scones
Ingredients:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup Chukar Dried Cherries or Berries (see “Optional Ingredients”)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoon large sugar crystals
Optional Ingredients:
For Lemon Berry Scones:
-2 teaspoons lemon zest
-Juice of 1 lemon
-1/2 Cup Chukar Dried Blueberries or Cranberries
For Cinnamon-Sweet Cherry Scones
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/4 cup chopped walnuts
-1/2 cup coarsely chopped Chukar Dried Rainier Cherries
For Orange-Cherry Scones:
-2 teaspoons orange zest
-1/2 cup Chukar Dried Tart or Totally Tart cherries
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients and zest (optional) in a medium bowl. Using the large-sized holes on your grater, grate in frozen butter. Work in with fingers until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Mix in dried fruits and nuts (optional). In a separate bowl, combine egg and sour cream. Slowly add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until large clumps form. Using your hands, form dough into a ball (note: dough will be very sticky), and transfer onto a well-floured surface. Form dough into a 7- to 8-inch round circle, about ¾ of an inch thick. Cut into 8 triangular wedges with a sharp knife and sprinkle with sugar crystals. Place wedges about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes before serving.
Note: For even easier preparation, use a food processor: Using the cutting blade, quickly mix dry ingredients (including zest, if appropriate). Cut frozen butter into chunks, add to dried mix. Pulse until combined but still chunky. Add wet ingredients, fruits and nuts (if appropriate) and blend until a large ball forms. Transfer to well-floured surface and proceed with recipe as written above.
For the Chocolate Cherry Dip, the better the chocolate, the yummier the dip. You can use rum, rum extract or vanilla extract for a kid-friendly version. 
