These Cheese and Chive Scones are wholesome and tender with soft buttery layers. These savoury scones are filled with fresh chives and grated cheese. Perfect to serve for morning or afternoon tea. Enjoy these easy cheese and chive scones fresh from the oven with a spread of butter or cool them down to serve later.
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What Are Scones?
Scones are similar to biscuits however, they’re a lot more fluffy and they have layers of tender, flakey and buttery dough, if done correctly.
Scone dough is not your typical bread or pastry dough, it’s a lot more rustic. Meaning, you bring your dough together but it doesn’t need to be kneaded until it becomes smooth and elastic.
The dough is rough and will still have pockets of flour which contributes to the classic scone crumb. You can make sweet or savoury scones, today it’s savoury.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Savoury scones filled with melting cheese and vibrant chives throughout.
- Soft and tender with buttery layers.
- Made in one bowl and under 10-ingredients.
Making savoury scones filled with lots of delicious cheese such as my Cheesy Pumpkin Scones are a great alternative to sweet scones like these beautiful Raspberry & White Chocolate Scones. For a classic scone recipe, try my Homemade Scones With Jam & Cream.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Plain all purpose flour as the foundation to your scone dough. I have not made these scones using gluten-free flour.
Baking powder acts as the leavening agent and helps your scones rise in the oven.
Salt to enhance the other flavourful ingredients.
Unsalted butter to create those glorious flaky layers and provide a rich flavour to your scones.
Fresh chives as one of the main flavours.
Grated cheddar cheese as another one of the main flavours, so delicious!
Milk of choice, I use almond milk and you can use either regular full cream, skim or your favourite plant based milk. Milk helps bring the above ingredients together to form the dough.
How To Make Cheese and Chive Scones
In a large mixing bowl add your flour, baking powder and salt. Then add the chilled cubed butter and rub into the flour using your hands or a pastry cutter until it resembles a coarse crumb.
Stir through the chopped chives and grated cheese. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Take a wooden spoon or spatula to gently mix it together until everything is incorporated. It will be a rough soft dough and please be sure not to over-mix. You will continue to bring your dough together in the next step.
Lightly flour your bench top or board and then transfer your dough onto that floured surface. Begin to lightly knead your dough to bring any loose bits together. The dough is not meant to be completely smooth so it’s ok if there are still some small pockets of flour remaining throughout your dough. Ensure not to over-knead your dough either at this point, as it will result in tough scones when you’re finished baking them.
Pat your dough out to form a thick disc which measures approximately 3cm (1 inch) high. Then take your 6cm (2 inch) round cookie cutter and dip it into some plain flour. Shake off any excess flour.
Cut out your scones. Transfer to your lined baking tray and yes, your scones can be slightly touching each other on the tray. Re-roll any excess dough and repeat above method to create even more tasty scones!
Lightly brush the tops of each with some milk. Transfer your scones to the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are lightly golden. Remove from the oven once ready and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve your scones warm with a spread of butter if desired. Enjoy!
Store your scones in an airtight container, in the pantry, for 3-4 days. These scones are best consumed when they’re freshly baked! Or warm scones up over the next few days to freshen them up.
Tips For Recipe Success
- For the cheddar cheese, I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar Block which I grated. You can try using tasty cheese or use your favorite cheese you always use, a block or already grated.
- Use the milk you have on hand. Whole milk or almond milk works great.
- Make sure not to over-knead your scone dough. Scone dough is not meant to be smooth and elastic, it’s meant to look rustic. Overworking the dough will result in tough dense scones.
- Use a 6cm (2 inches) round cookie cutter to make the perfect size round scones.
How To Store
Store cheese and chive scones in an airtight container, in a dry/dark pantry at room temperature for 2-3 days. These scones are best consumed freshly baked. Warm scones in a moderate oven or microwave to the desired temperature after 2 days to freshen them up.
How To Freeze & Thaw
Freeze cheese and chive scones by cooling them completely after baking and storing them in a freezer-friendly airtight container, in a single layer between sheets of baking/parchment paper. Or in ziplock bags. Label with the date and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw cheese and chive scones by leaving them on a plate out of their container/ziplock bag at room temperature until completely defrosted. Warm them back up in a moderate oven or microwave to the desired temperature.
Related Recipes
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Recipe Card
Cheese and Chive Scones Recipe
Equipment
- 1 6cm (2 inches) round cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 300 g (2 cups) plain all purpose flour, scoop & leveled
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 80 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- ⅓ cup fresh chives, chopped, bit bigger than diced
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup milk of choice
- 2 tablespoon milk of choice, for topping
- 2-3 tablespoon extra grated cheese, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 200ºC (400ºF). Line a baking tray with baking/parchment paper, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add in chilled cubed butter and rub into flour using your hands or a pastry cutter until it resembles a coarse crumb.
- Add chives and cheese, stir through until combined.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in milk. Using a wooden spoon or spatula to gently mix together until incorporated. It will be a rough soft dough. Ensure not to over-mix.
- Lightly flour your bench top or board.
- Transfer dough onto floured surface and lightly knead to bring any loose bits together and you have a soft dough. The dough is not meant to be completely smooth so it’s ok if there are still some small pockets of flour remaining. Ensure not to over-knead as it will result in tough scones.
- Pat dough out and form a thick disc, approx. 3cm (1 inch) high.
- Dip your 6cm (2 inches) round cookie cutter into flour, shake off excess and cut out dough into round scones. Transfer to lined baking tray. Each scone can be slightly touching.
- Re-roll excess dough, pat it back out to 3cm (1 inch) high disc and cut out more scones.
- Lightly brush the tops of each scone with milk.
- Sprinkle a little extra grated cheese on each scone.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are lightly golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to wire rack to cool completely or serve your scones warm with a spread of butter if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!