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Cheddar and Herb Scones

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Cheddar Herb Scones

Roberta Reynolds
I don’t think I know one person on this planet who does not love scones, and they are almost as fun to make as they are to eat – almost. In this recipe, we take the traditional sweeter scone and make it savory by eliminating the sugar and adding some herbs. Last but not least, we fold in big chunks of sharp cheddar cheese. Hot out of the oven they will make your eyes roll back in your head and that’s a promise. Don’t forget plenty of soft butter and a big bowl of soup to go with it. Before we go any further, I want to let you know that this recipe is borrowed, in part, from my favorite Food Blogger of all time, ‘Joy the Baker’ www.joythebaker.com . If you haven’t been to her site, please do! Her recipes are wonderful, and even better than that, she is so much fun to read. It’s just like sitting down with your best pal for a nice conversation. As in all recipes, Joy was inspired by her friend Suzanne who made a version of hers’ (Joy added jalapeno to hers), and Suzanne adapted her recipe from NY Magazine. That’s how things go in the food world, and that’s a good thing. Thanks, Joy. And Suzanne. And NY Magazine.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 large scones

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks butter cold, cut into small cubes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream plus a little more for brushing the top of the scones
  • 1 tablespoon Itallian Herb Mix or other combination of dried herbs to your choosing
  • ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese half cut into small cubes and half shredded
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • At this point the butter needs to be worked into the flour mixture. This can happen in a few different ways – the end result being your finished masterpiece should resemble coarse crumbs. If you have a food processor, pulse HALF THE MIXTURE just two or three times and check to see how you are doing. It is important not to over-mix because we want the butter to keep most of its shape. Add the rest of the butter and pulse another 2-3 times. It’s OK if many of the butter pieces look like tiny peas. You can also just use your fingers, or use a pastry blender if you happen to have one of those contraptions.
  • Gently toss in all the cheese, both shredded and cubed.
  • Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream. Add all at once to the dry ingredients and fold gently together until it’s almost all incorporated.
  • Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 30 seconds only.
  • Separate the dough into two equal portions, then pat them each into a disc that is about 8 inches in diameter and 2 inches high. Cut into 6 wedges and place in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. OR…If you want smaller scones, it’s a cinch to make four equal portions instead of two, and cut each of them into 6 wedges.
  • When ready to bake, place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with heavy cream and some additional grated cheese just in case you have any lying around. If not, skip the cheese idea.
  • Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Best served the day they are made, however, the formed scones freeze beautifully. Just freeze individually, then wrap separately. When ready to bake, just put them on the baking sheet and pop them in the oven - still frozen. They need to bake a little longer, but other than that you will never know the difference.

I know I say this all the time, but this recipe is the ultimate. If you are ever, ever, ever, in a bad, cranky, or otherwise fussy mood, I highly recommend dropping everything and making these guys. In this recipe, we take the traditional sweeter scone and make it savory by eliminating the sugar and adding some herbs. Last but not least, we fold in big chunks of sharp cheddar cheese. Hot out of the oven they will make your eyes roll back in your head and that’s a promise.

The dough is a cool breeze to make, seriously. In fact, the only way you can get into any possible trouble is by over-mixing the dough, not under-mixing. See? Easier already. Dry ingredients gone into one big bowl along with the herbs and cheeses, and the liquid ingredients go into another. Barely mix them together, and you’re ready to move on. It’s going to be crumbly, and that’s a very good thing.

Kind of smoosh the whole thing together, then split into two equal rounds. Pat each out into about 8 inches wide x 1 inch thick.

Once you have coaxed this all together, find a sharp knife with and cut each round into 6 triangles. Brush with some fresh cream and a sprinkling of cheese (Parmesan is great, but anything works). Are you drooling yet, because I am.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top and the sides start to look flakey.

And yes, by all means…please eat them NOW!!! PS. You can also freeze the scones before baking for later consumption. Just pop them in the oven – still frozen – and they bake up like a dream. It just takes a few minutes longer. It is so comforting to know there is a stash of these guys in the freezer in case of emergencies. And you didn’t think you could make scones!! You now know all the secrets, so go for it!! Happy sconing! xoxoxox

Hello. I’m Roberta Reynolds.

I’m so glad you dropped in! Welcome to Bird’s Nest Bakery and Café, a collection of ‘made from scratch’, seasonal recipes developed in my home kitchen. I’ve been obsessed with creating the easiest and most delicious recipes possible since I could reach the top of a stove.

I hope you’ll find this site a welcome and relaxing place where you can come for inspiration and ideas. Take a look, have fun, and feel free to modify these recipes to suit your particular palate. It would make me so happy if you would share these recipes with friends and family. After all, cooking and baking are meant to be shared with those we care about. That’s what’s so much fun about it!