Savory Scones with Bacon Cheddar and Chive (2024)

Savory Scones with Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive

Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones—tender, buttery savory scones with bacon and cheese in every bite! Easy recipe that yields perfect, flaky scones every time.

Servings: 16 scones

• ¾ cup cold unsalted butter
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour*
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder I recommend aluminum free
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup cold buttermilk plus 1–2 tablespoons, plus additional for brushing the scones
• ¾ cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese divided**
• ½ pound thick-cut bacon cooked and crumbled (about 12 slices)***
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

• Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Cut the butter into small cubes (or grate it with a coarse cheese grater for even easier incorporation) and place it in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients. (Alternatively, you can freeze the entire stick of butter, then grate it directly into the bowl with the dry ingredients in Step 2 below.)

• In a mixing bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne. Working quickly with your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. In a separate bowl, combine the egg and 1 cup buttermilk.Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the liquid all at once, stirring just enough to make a soft dough. If the mixture is very crumbly, add buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time until it is soft but not sticky (you should not need more than 1 or 2 tablespoons. You want the dough to be moist but not wet or soggy). With a rubber spatula, fold in 1/2 cup of the cheese, all of the bacon, and the chives. Stir in the ingredients as much as you can by hand, but don’t worry if they are not perfectly incorporated.

• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead about 15 times, further distributing the bacon, cheddar, and chives as you go. Divide the dough in half, then working one half at a time, gently pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick round that is about 5 inches across. With a knife or bench scraper, divide each round into 8 wedges. Gently pull the wedges apart, then arrange them on a baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between each. Repeat with the second half of the dough. If the dough seems very warm and sticky at any point, pop it into your refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to allow it to firm back up and become easy to work with again.

• Brush the tops of the scones lightly with buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let cool directly on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.Serve warm.

• *You can also swap whole wheat pastry or white whole wheat flour for regular all-purpose flour. If you do make this swap, reduce the amount of buttermilk to 3/4 cup, plus a few additional tablespoons as needed.
• **I recommend grating your own cheese directly from the block, as it will have a better texture and melt more evenly in the scones. You can use reduced fat, but do not use fat free.
• ***Use one of my easy methods for cooking bacon: Oven Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon.
• Scones are best enjoyed the day they are made but can be individually wrapped and stored at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
• Unbaked scones can be frozen for up to 2 months. Make the batter and shape the scones on a baking sheet as outlined in Step 3. Place the baking sheet in your freezer. Once the scones have hardened, remove them from the sheet, wrap them individually in plastic, and pop them into a ziptop bag. When ready to eat, bake as directed, directly from frozen, adding a few minutes to the baking time as needed.

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