This site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links.
Welcome to the freshly baked scone club, if you’ve never been here before, prepare yourself. You’ll be experiencing a steamy flaky salty treat with crisp golden cheese along the edges and bites of fresh chives to balance out the richness.
Trust me. This is a bucket list experience. These scones specifically are extra special, with small pockets of gooey melted cheese steaming as you take a bite. With something so magical, you’d expect hours of hard work right? How else would we achieve this amazing texture?
They’re surprisingly simple. Mix up some dry ingredients, quickly mix in cold butter and cheese, add cream and mix a bit, shape and bake! Then you’ll have scones that could win against your favorite brunch spot or bakery.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The best texture: flaky pockets of cheddar, a crisp golden crust, and the most tender bite.
- Chives and spices to complement the cheese! No one-dimensional flavour here.
- The most cheese a cheese scone will ever see. Packed on the inside, then sprinkled on top.
- It’s a one bowl recipe with minimal chilling!
Problems this recipe solves
- Sandpapery texture is replaced with a tender biscuit-like flakiness.
- Grating frozen butter is messy. We use frozen grated cheese instead and chill the scones before baking for the same result with less mess.
- There’s no egg so this recipe is easily scalable.
Ingredients
Each ingredient in these scones is super important, so let’s give them a proper introduction 😊
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour has the right amount of protein so these scones hold together yet stay beautifully tender.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar gives these scones a subtle sweetness that enhances all the flavours.
- Baking powder: Baking powder gives the scones their rise. Do not substitute with baking soda, they are not interchangeable.
- Onion powder, black pepper, chili powder: These spices add flavour to complement the cheese. If you’d like to substitute these, go ahead!
- Finely chopped chives: Chives offer freshness to balance out the richness of the cheese. Cheddar and chives are a match made in heaven. Green onion also works great here.
- Cheddar cheese: Make sure to use a cheddar you love since they are the primary flavour in the scones.
- Unsalted butter: Since there’s so much cheese, we use unsalted over salted butter to maintain balance.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream add even more richness and flavour to these scones.
Instructions
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the butter and break into small pieces.
Transfer dough to counter and mix in any dry crumbs. Follow the instructions to process the dough.
Cut the dough into squares, chill, then brush with cream and top with cheese.
Add cheese and mix until combined.
Add heavy cream.
The dough will have come together after the pressing and stacking (laminating) process. If your dough gets warm at any time, chill it!
Bake until golden.
Variations
These scones taste so delicious on their own, changing them feels a bit wrong. However, I encourage you to play around and add all your favorite mix-ins! Bacon or ham chunks, herbs and green vegetables, or even roasted tomatoes would be absolutely delicious in these scones.
Equipment
Baking pan material can affect scones. If you use a dark coloured baking pan, the scones will bake and brown faster than if using a lighter pan, so keep a close eye on them. Don’t overbake these scones or else they’ll become dry.
Also, make sure you have a kitchen scale for this recipe since most of the measurements are in grams. Using a kitchen scale ensures you get the same results I have! Learn about why I use a kitchen scale here. If you’d like to use measuring spoons or cups, you can use an online recipe converter to change the units to whatever you’re using.
Storage
These scones are so good, they never last long enough in my home to need prolonged storage. However, they do store really well and are perfect for making in advance.
You can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Afterwards, freeze them in an airtight container. If making in advance, just freeze the scones for the 20 minute rest time until solid, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
Always make sure to warm your scones before eating, they’re 100x better that way. I like sticking them in an oven until they’re fragrant and hot.
FAQ
This recipe uses cheddar since it’s accessible, melty and delicious. However, any melty semi-hard or hard cheese will work just as well.
Since these scones are pretty heavy, there isn’t a significant amount of rise. If there is no rise and the inside is dense, it’s likely due to overmixing or overly warm dough. The butter and cheese need to be cold so that when they melt in the oven, they can produce steam and make little pockets of air.
Hot honey, a smear of butter, warm tomato soup, the possibilities are endless! I’d just avoid anything overly salty since these scones are already salty on their own.
Let’s bake!
These scones convert scone haters into scone lovers. They’re so flaky, buttery, and you’ll have fresh scones in an hour if you start now. Aren’t you excited? I am so excited for you.
Just a quick reminder before you start, make sure all your ingredients are as cold as possible. Don’t take out your cheese, butter or heavy cream from the fridge before starting. The colder the better!
When you make them, tag me on Instagram @bakewhenitrains so I can see your happy little cheese scones.
Also, don’t forget to leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to hear your feedback.
With love,
Your baking friend Sherene ❤️
Cheddar Chive Scones
Ingredients
- 175 grams all-purpose flour
- 20 grams granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 3 tbsp finely chopped chives
- 120 grams cheddar cheese grated, then frozen (grate a bit extra for sprinkling on top)
- 50 grams unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
- 130 grams heavy cream cold
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, onion powder, black pepper, and chili powder.
- Add cheese and mix until combined.
- Cut in butter until they're in pea-sized chunks. This just means to break the butter into small pieces, which you can do with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands (work quickly to keep the mixture cold).
- Pour in the heavy cream and mix until it's a shaggy texture. There will a good amount of dry bits and that's okay.
- Transfer the dough to a clean counter and mix in any large dry bits. I do this by pressing the dough down, bringing the dry parts into the dough, folding the dough, and repeating.
- At this point, if you need a light dusting of flour for your counter, dough, hands or rolling pin, you can dust with some flour. With a rolling pin or your hands, press the dough out into a 1 inch thick square. Cut into four with a sharp knife or bench scraper. Stack and press down to another 1 inch thick square. Press the edges straight with your hands or bench scraper. Cut into 9 equal squares.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. This allows the scones to rest and chill. Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Take out the scones and brush the top with heavy cream. Top with extra grated cheese. Bake for 22-27 minutes, until cheese on top and the bottom of the scones are golden brown.
These are genuinely the best scones I’ve ever had !! Sooo flavourful and flaky, definitely recommend
Thanks Emma, your comment made my day 🥹