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Rich, flaky, and tender savory scones with sharp cheddar cheese and fresh chives, perfect for brunch, breakfast, or a snack. These scones have a subtle tang from sour cream and beautiful flaky layers from cold butter and gentle folding.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream (plus more for brushing)
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup cold butter (1 stick)
  • 1 ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk the egg, heavy cream, and sour cream together in a smaller bowl until smooth.
  3. Add cold butter to the dry ingredients by cubing and cutting in with a pastry cutter or grating the very cold butter into the flour and stirring to combine.
  4. Pour the cream mixture over the flour-butter mixture and gently fold with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
  5. Stir in the shredded cheddar and chopped chives.
  6. Lift and fold the dough over itself by hand 5–7 times to distribute the cheese and build layers, adding a little ice cold water if needed to bring the dough together.
  7. Lightly flour a work surface, turn out the dough, and pat into an 8-inch circle about 1.5–2 inches thick.
  8. Slice the circle into six wedges using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
  9. Transfer the wedges to a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour.
  10. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  11. Remove the scones from the freezer and brush the tops with cream.
  12. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then lower the oven to 375°F and bake an additional 9–12 minutes until the bottoms are golden and the tops are dry.
  13. Let the scones rest on the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Keep all ingredients, especially butter, very cold for flaky layers., Handle the dough lightly and fold gently to create layers without toughening the dough., Chilling or freezing scones before baking helps retain shape and improves flakiness., For added flavor, cooked and crumbled bacon can be incorporated; reduce salt accordingly., Scones can be shaped into squares for sandwiches and bake slightly faster., Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days., Reheat in air fryer at 390°F for 3-4 minutes to restore freshness., Scones freeze well both baked and unbaked; bake from frozen adding a few extra minutes to baking time., Substitute cheeses like Gruyère, Fontina, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack; herbs like parsley, dill, thyme, or green onions work instead of chives.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cozyovenkitchen.com/cheddar-chive-scones-flaky-buttery/