For the perfect breakfast, brunch, or as a side with a cozy bowl of stew, these rich and flavorful cheese scones are loaded with cheddar flavor.
Not only are they easy to make, but I’ve shared my favorite tips to ensure they come out tender and light every time. Serve these warm from the oven with butter.
I am excited to have partnered with Cabot Cheese to share these perfectly flaky cheese scones!
Cheddar Cheese Scones
Scones are the English partner to American biscuits — and these are upscaled for any time enjoyment! While scones often have added fruits (like blueberries or cranberries), I personally prefer a savory addition, like Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar and a sprinkle of chives.
Some store-bought scones can be dense, but not these! They’re extra light and fluffy with a rich savory cheddar cheese flavor.
They’re quick and easy to make and all you need is a bowl, a wooden spoon and some great cheese!
What’s in a Cheese Scone?
BASE The base of this recipe has easy to find ingredients with flour, cream, and eggs with baking powder to help them rise.
CHEESE This is where the magic comes in and since the cheese adds so much flavor to these scones, I chose Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese. This cheese is deliciously rich adding flavor to every bite. The cheese is folded into the dough ensuring savory goodness you can see throughout the flaky layers.
Cabot is a cooperative owned by over 800 farm families in New York and New England. They truly produce the best cheeses which are 100% naturally aged and naturally lactose-free! They are a certified B corporation which means they meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance.
Variations
Cabot Seriously Sharp adds great flavor to this recipe but swap it out with any of the following add-ins to make these scones your own!
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- Try Smoked Bacon Cheddar with a sprinkle of green onions.
- Add in Garlic Cheddar with some fresh chives added right to the dough
- Or try Cracked Peppercorn Cheddar Cheese with a touch of fresh rosemary
How to Make Cheese Scones
Scones are very easy to make, here are my favorite tips to ensure they’re perfect every time:
- Use cold butter and keep the butter in the fridge until ready to use. The cold butter creates pockets giving layers and a flaky texture.
- Mix the dough using a pastry cutter and a spoon, not a mixer. Fold the cheese into the flour mixture before adding the liquid.
- Work quickly to handle the dough as little as possible.
- When patting out the dough, very lightly flour your surface if needed, I prefer to work on parchment paper. Try not to add too much extra flour, this will make the dough dense.
Tips for Storing Scones
You can freeze scones before baking meaning scones fresh from the oven at any time!
- To freeze before baking, prepare scones as directed and cut into wedges. Freeze on a baking sheet until firm. Once firm, place in a zippered freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- To bake from frozen, remove the scones from the freezer for about 20 minutes before baking (while the oven preheats). Preheat oven to 400°F and bake for 18-22 minutes or until baked through.
More Cheesy Favorites
Cabot cheeses are hands down my favorite for flavor and quality. They’re perfect slicing and snacking, the perfect addition to cheese soup, and are a favorite with breakfast egg sandwiches or sprinkled over a breakfast pizza! Add your favorite Cabot Cheese to any of the following:
- 20 Minute Broccoli Cheese Soup – so fast!
- Ham and Cheese Drop Biscuits
- Cheese Bread (Quick Bread)
- Pimento Cheese
- Garlic Cheese Toast
- Cheesy Hamburger Dip
- Quick Cheese Muffins
Did you make these Cheddar Cheese Scones? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Cheddar Cheese Scones
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup cold butter cut into pieces
- 1 ¼ cup shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar
- 2 eggs beaten
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- milk to brush top of scone
Chive Butter (optional)
- 2 tablespoons melted salted butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cheese and stir to combine.
- Combine eggs and heavy cream. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until it forms a dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead dough by folding and gently pressing dough for 10 to 12 strokes until nearly smooth. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle and cut into 8 wedges.
- Place wedges 1-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden. Remove scones from the baking sheet. Let cool slightly.
- Combine chive butter ingredients. Brush over warm scones and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Not enough liquid. I used 1 1/4 c cream. Also, the baking time was more like 18 minutes. I usually cook scones at 425 though, maybe that’s it
Thanks for your feedback, Stacey!
I agree – it needed slightly more liquid than stated, and I also baked them (non-convection) at 400 for 18-19 minutes. I also added a little more cold butter to keep them extra flaky. Delicious!
Glad you enjoyed them, Sandy! Thanks for sharing your tips!
I meant 5 stars! I missed that somehow. They were really good.
Love the recipe! I made it anyway but you don’t specify salted or unsalted butter in the scone recipe, but you did specify “salted butter” for the chive butter topping. Is it salt or unsalted butter for the dough? I also used less sugar. I can’t remember now which butter I used so please clarify. They were really good! Thanks!
Cheese scones were delicious, thank you;)
You’re welcome Cathie!
They are delicious, but I baked them 20 minutes, 10 is not enough
Glad you enjoyed them Boba!
I made these tonight to go with our soup and they were perfect! Checking with my British mother beforehand, I made them a bit in advance and put them on the baking sheet with a tea towel over. Then just before dinner I brushed with milk and put in the oven so it was perfectly timed. Also I didn’t have the cream so used milk. It didn’t affect the outcome at all.
if you don’t have heavy cream, what would you use as a substitute?
I’ve only tried the recipe as written Deb. Let us know if you try the scones with something different!
I made these with milk instead of cream and they still came out perfect!
Absolutely loved the cheese scones. They were light, cheesy and super easy. Will definitely make these again. The family loved them.
Hi Holly,
I just wanted to shout out a big thank you for this simple, hearty, delicious recipe. Truly. :)
I bake a lot of things, but never tried my hand at scones until today. Boy…my house smells like the best bakery! I can’t wait for my hubby to come home and try one (he’s out walking our sweet pup, Dixie, right now).
Anyways, happy coincidence reading your bio (had to see who this awesome-recipe-maker was), and low and behold, we are practically neighbors! Your bio says you’re “living in the suburbs of Vancouver Canada”, and I’m in Coquitlam. How cool!
Have the best Mother’s Day today, and know how much your recipe was appreciated. I’ll be making many, maaaaaany more of your recipes, I know it!
Cheers!
Melana
Thank you so much Melana! You definitely made my day!
Hi can you please mention ingredients in grams n ml.. it will be great help. Thanks
I don’t have these available in grams Nitika. I would suggest using an online converter. Enjoy the recipe.
This sounds like a winner, but can I replace the heavy cream with milk or anything else?
I’ve only tried the recipe as written Mary. Let us know if you try the scones with milk!
Delicious! Made these for brunch and everyone loved them.
Delicious mouthwatering
I used Murray Irish Cheddar and added chives and parsley. I also made them drop biscuit style. So good! Went great with Irish Stew!
I love your recipes! Your crock pot Mac n cheese has become a favorite for my son to make and bring to holiday meals (he has made a delicious change of subbing some of the cheddar with pepper jack). But back to scones…these sound wonderful and I want to try them, but I was wondering if you thought they would work just as well with whole wheat flour. Thanks!
I haven’t tried this particular recipe with wheat flour. I would suggest trying half wheat first to see how it works out as subbing all wheat can sometimes cause a dense dough. Let us know how it goes!
Love love looooooove these. I used just regular cheddar jack and a sprinkle of parsley in the dough for some color. I also shaped them with a heart cookie cutter. It was like 3/4 inch tall and then they baked to an inch and a half of perfection.
Sounds gorgeous Alex!
Made these, very easy recipe, I used 1 cup of heavy cream instead of 3/4 cup, dough did not come together with 3/4 , came out beautifully wish I could send you a picture
So happy you love the scones Dale!
Haven’t tried it yet but sounds like a winner!
Let us know how it goes when you try it!
Easy & delicious! Happy to have made this!
So glad you loved them Amy!
yummy!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Shelly!
I will definitely be making this. Living in Vermont, Cabot cheese is the best. It would be amazing with your chicken stew. Love your recipes.
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the recipes and I can’t wait to hear how you love these too! I agree, Cabot truly is the best cheese.