These Cheese Scones really do the most – they are flaky, fragrant and so easy to make. Scones get a bit of a bad rep sometimes for being dry or boring, but these are full of liquid to keep them soft and moist. These ask for two types of cheese, buttermilk and a little bit of a change from the normal scone recipe you might be used to.
For the cheese, I recommend a strong Cheddar and Pecorino – but any two hard, strong cheeses will work. This is a great way to use up any odds and ends that you may have in the fridge. Another trick for perfect scones, is the mustard powder. The end result has little mustard flavour but the combination makes the scones taste even cheesier.
For top tier scones, it is crucial to keep everything as cold as possible. All ingredients should be chilled prior to baking, and if possible, left in the freezer for 10 minutes beforehand too! The dough gets a little freezer time before baking to really shock it. The buttermilk adds a little acidity to the mixture, giving even more reactant for the leavening agents to work with.
For other savoury baking recipes, you could try these Spanakopita Empanadas or these Bombay Potato Puffs. For videos and baking inspiration, head on over to my Instagram. If you make this recipe, don’t forget to drop it a star rating, leave a review or share a photo on your socials!
The Flakiest Cheese Scones
Makes: 10
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Bake Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes (including a little chill time)
Ingredients
- 250g Plain Flour
- 3 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Mustard Powder
- 150g Cheese, Grated (I use 100g Cheddar/50g Pecorino)
- 125g Butter
- 130ml Buttermilk
- Optional: 1 Egg
Method
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, mustard powder, about 3/4 of the cheese, and the butter (in cubes). If doing this by hand, rub between your fingertips until the mixture breaks down – we still want some lumps of butter so it should look rough.
- Add the buttermilk (or milk mixed with a little lemon juice) and bring together with a knife.
- Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough out to form a rectangle. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over. As if making puff pastry, fold over the top half of the dough to the centre, then the bottom half over this. Turn 90 Degrees and repeat.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a large baking tray.
- After the dough has chilled, remove it from the freezer, roll out (it should be at least an inch thick) and cut out rounds using a medium cookie cutter. Place on the baking tray.
- Optional: Beat an egg and brush this over the scones before baking. Otherwise you could use milk (or omit). Sprinkle over any remaining cheese.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until a deep golden brown on top and smelling like heaven.
- Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Best eaten slightly warm with a little butter or red onion chutney!
