These Spring Onion and Cheddar Scones are the perfect addition to any breakfast or brunch. Always tender and buttery with the perfect amount of cheese and a pretty pop of green.
Scones! That look like biscuits! That are actually scones!!!
In all seriousness though, these Spring Onion Scones with Cheddar and Bacon Butter are like buttery, savory, cheesy little bites that will make your Easter brunch or breakfast table happy happy happy.
Also Google does not really know the difference between biscuits and scones.
The general consensus is that scones are typically sweet with things like currants and are typically served with jam, but savory scones are a thing. THEY ARE.
Trust me.
Bacon butter is also a thing. It’s a you-should-put-it-on-everything-thing.
- 3 cups all purpose flour (plus a little more for your work surface)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup COLD unsalted butter
- ½ - ¾ cup green onions, thinly sliced (most of the way down the stalk but stopping about 2" from the bottom)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
- For the Bacon Butter:
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and finely crumbled
- 3 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- kosher salt to taste
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. You can line a baking sheet with parchment but it is not required.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and crushed red pepper.
- Add the cheese and incorporate it into the flour with your fingers.
- Using a box grater, grate the COLD butter into the bowl. Use your fingers (or a pastry cutter) to incorporate the butter into the dough until mostly uniform crumbles form, the largest being about the size of a pea.
- Add the onions and toss them into the dough until you have green flecks distributed evenly.
- Pour in the buttermilk and gently incorporate it using a rubber spatula. The less you mix the better, but you want the dough to come together.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough 2-3 times. Pat it out to about 1 inch thick. Cut the dough using a 1½" biscuit cutter. You should have about 30 little scones (see note)
- Place them on the baking sheet about an inch apart. Brush the tops with the egg wash.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. The tops will be a pretty golden hue and the scones will have puffed up a lot.
- While the scones bake, use the back of a spoon to smash and mix the bacon and butter, adding just a little salt to taste.
- Scones are best served warm but will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
COLD butter is crucial to tender scones. After you cut them and put them on the baking sheet you can put them in the fridge for a few minutes to chill before baking if you'd like.
Cutting the butter in with a box grater is my favorite way to quickly incorporate cold cold butter into biscuits or scones yielding uniform pieces. No more chasing cubes around the bowl with a fork or wishing you had a pastry cutter.
I originally wrote this recipe as a guest post for my friend Ashley at Spoonful of Flavor. You can read that post HERE.
You can also see Ashley’s Strawberry Scones Recipe which I LOVE.
Kathy McDaniels
Thursday 24th of April 2014
OH MY GOSH!!! These look fantastic! Can't wait to try them!
Heather
Friday 25th of April 2014
Awesome Kathy! I hope you will!
Laura O |Petite Allergy Treats
Monday 21st of April 2014
Wow! Those look so buttery delicious! Drooling…
Heather
Thursday 24th of April 2014
Thank you so much Laura!!
Kelly
Saturday 19th of April 2014
Heather, I love the sound of these savory scones! They look so flaky and good and oh my goodness bacon butter? Count me in!:)
Heather
Thursday 24th of April 2014
Thank you! I really love savory scones. And the bacon butter is a MUST!!!
Joanne
Tuesday 15th of April 2014
Savory scones are definitely a thing! I'm not sure what makes them different from biscuits...but they just are. And i love them. Off to check out your recipe! The spring onion infusion sounds pretty super.
Heather
Tuesday 15th of April 2014
Thanks so much Joanne! Green onions are soooooo pretty at the farmer's markets right now. I really needed to celebrate them. And bread.
Choc Chip Uru
Tuesday 15th of April 2014
I want them... even if the bacon butter isn't an option... I want them :D
Cheers Choc Chip Uru
Heather
Tuesday 15th of April 2014
They are delicious even without it!!!