Cheese and Chive Scones

Whether it’s these cheese and chive scones or my Fluffy Pancakes or Overnight Weetabix, making breakfast at home can be simple and delicious.

But these beautiful savory scones are also perfect to serve for morning or afternoon tea.

🧀 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. 

📋 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. 

⏲️ Storage Instructions

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.

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. 

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