How to make the lightest, fluffy cheese scones, with my best ever tricks in making your scones rise. Easy recipe using plain flour with suggested best cheeses and how to serve them. Also on video.
Best scones ever! I've always made dry or crumbly scones boooo so a very huge THANK YOU for sharing your awesome recipe, and the tips were so helpful. - Emma
Quick and Easy Cheese Scone Recipe
There's something incredibly comforting about serving warm, light and fluffy cheese scones with melted butter and a pot of tea. It's Oh-so-British!
As my girls were growing up as both French and British living in France, their British part has them often crave the best ever cheese scones. They simply associate them with their nostalgic family trips to Scotland; it's their Madeleine de Proust, so to speak. However, in France, they are not made in Parisian bakeries. What? Quoi?
So we make them at home - especially as they're so quick and easy to rustle up a batch - and they're perfect for baking with kids in the kitchen.
See more of my Scottish recipes,
including this gluten-free shortbread.
Best Flour to Use for Scones
It's best to use plain all-purpose flour for this recipe, so you can control how much baking powder goes in. This savoury scone recipe also includes an egg.
What makes a good cheese scone? It's light, high and fluffy. I started off many years ago using the classic bero cheese scones recipe in the Be-Ro Flour Cookbook. Over the years I have slightly tweaked it with all my tips included, simply to ensure they have a lovely height.
How to Make Cheese Scones Rise & Fluff
These are my top 3 tricks to making the best, high rise fluffy scones:
- Don't be shy on the baking powder. I use a sachet of French levure chimique (11g which is no more than a level tablespoon). If using self-raising flour, use just a teaspoon
- Scone dough should be wet. It's messy but I assure you, it works. Too dry makes them crumbly
- Don't work the dough too much - including not rolling it out too flat. Keep it quite thick, cutting them with a scone or pastry cutter (such as these wave scone cutters).
What Kind of Cheese is Best for Cheese Scones?
For cheese scones, the best ever are cheddar cheese scones. Use a good mature or sharp cheddar (orange will give it a lovely colour but it's not necessary) as the flavour shines through. Better still, buy a block of good quality and grate your own with a box grater or attachment.
Otherwise good cheeses for savoury scones is a mixture of cheddar and other aged ones. Grate half of aged parmesan or an extra msharp gouda or mimolette with cheddar to add extra punch. The more mature the better!
As we don't have the easiest access to the best mature cheddar in France, I use a half and half mix of mature cheddar (the best I can find) with good French Comté cheese (preference 12-18 months mature). I guess that gives these a Scottish-French Auld Alliance!
Variations - Extra Ingredients
It's easy to customise your own cheese scones. While this recipe contains fresh herbs, it's easy to replace the flavours or use the following add-ins with a tablespoon of these extra ingredients. See the recipe card below for quantities:
- Thinly sliced spring onion
- Fresh chives, dill or parsley
- Chopped bacon or ham
- Broken walnuts
- Sun-dried tomatoes (drained).
Likewise, add a good pinch of spice with cayenne pepper, a tsp mustard powder or smoked paprika. However, I strongly advise against using garlic powder - the flavour is nothing like real garlic and it leaves a strange aftertaste.
Fluffy Cheese Scones - Egg Wash with Milk
For a royal scone look, brush the tops of the scones with a milk and egg yolk wash. A wash is simply to give them a glazed, shiny appearance once baked.
If you don't have any extra eggs to hand, however, you can brush the tops of the scones with milk only (alas, for the pictures here, we ran out of eggs as they were rationing them at the market at the start of the pandemic).
Topping Ideas
Before they go in the oven, top the scones with more grated cheese and/or a sprinkling of poppy seeds and sesame seeds.
The result? The cheese scones have a lovely, finished shine that gives that slight crunch to the outside. Split open warm, they're soft, light and fluffy inside - ready to spread with quickly melting butter!
Can I Freeze Scones?
The bonus is that cheddar scones freeze very well. When cool, store in a ziplock bag or sealed airtight container. Freeze up to 6 weeks to conserve their best cheesy flavour.
Either defrost thoroughly or remove 15 minutes before heating in a warm oven for about 15 minutes.
What To Serve With Cheese Scones
Cheese scones are best split in half while warm. Just spread on a little salted butter and watch it melt. So what do you eat with them? They're delicious as part of a classic British style teatime served with finger sandwiches - ideally eaten before the sweet cakes.
Savoury scones are also a real winter treat served as a light lunch with comforting bowls of soup. Here are some accompanying ideas that go well with cheese:
- French pea soup (potage Saint-Germain) - either with fresh, frozen or split peas
- Fresh Vegetable Soup - no stock needed, just the freshest seasonal veggies
- Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup
- Pastina Italian Soup
- Crème du Barry Cauliflower Soup (can be made without the yolks and replace cauliflower with any fresh or frozen vegetable you have at hand.)
- Broccoli cheese soup
- Top with cheese spread (Cervelle de Canut), a fluffy herby dish from Lyon
- Smoked Garlic and Rocket (arugula)
- Sweetcorn and Red Pepper Chowder
- Leek and Potato Soup (Potage Bonne Femme)
Having never gotten on with buttermilk scone recipes, I tried this recipe and it is AMAZING, scones come out perfect every single time. I've made them about 5 times in a fortnight. Can't recommend enough 12/10 thank you! - Leanne
Need more cheesy recipes?
Enjoy cheese waffles, high-protein cottage cheese waffles,
broccoli cheese soup, parmesan crisps, and potato gratin Savoyard.
Fluffy Cheese Scones
Equipment
- cookie or scone cutters 6cm/2½ inch (plain or wave)
Ingredients
- 250 g (9oz/ 2 cups) Plain (all-purpose) flour T55
- 11 g (1 tablespoon scant) Baking powder (use only 1 teaspoon if using self-raising flour)
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- pinch salt & black pepper
- 50 g (2oz/ ¼ cup) Unsalted butter, unsalted (at room temperature, in cubes)
- 100 g (3½oz/ 1 cup) Cheese, finely grated (Cheddar, French Comté, Mimolette)*
- 1 tablespoon Rosemary, finely chopped (or fresh chives, thyme, dried Herbes de Provence)
- 1 large egg (@60g) organic, free-range
- 100 ml (3½fl oz/ ½ cup) Milk (whole or semi-skimmed)
Scone Glaze or Wash
- 1 egg yolk (optional)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan/Gas 7). Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder/soda, salt, pepper, and rosemary (or other herbs) in a large bowl. Either rub in cold butter using your fingertips but if you have a mixer, this is even better (butter at room temp). Mix just until the butter looks like breadcrumbs in the flour then add the cheese. Add the egg and milk and mix until fully combined, pushing down with a silicone spatula if the dough sticks to the side of the bowl. The result should be a sticky, wet dough. If you find it's too dry, add a little bit more milk.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 2 cm thick (nearly an inch). Don't press on the dough too hard - keep them high. Using a scone/cookie cutter (6cm/2.5"), cut out medium-sized rounds. Alternatively, to save time or if you don't have cutters, roll into a circle (use a plate as a guide) and cut into triangles with a sharp knife.
- Place on the baking tray and brush with the egg wash - mixture of egg yolk and a little milk to glaze (yolk is optional but recommended for an extra shiny glaze).
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.
Heidi
Thanks for sharing recipe! Planning to make these for a tea party on the weekend. Have you ever tried prepping the scones and then flash freezing them before baking? I’m looking for a way for the freshest scones with less mess the day of the party.
Jill Colonna
Hi Heidi,
I have but thanks for asking, as I should update the post to explain.
Just prepare the dough cut and place on a baking tray and flash freeze for about an hour (uncovered). When frozen, transfer to a zip-lock bag and freeze until ready to bake. Bake from frozen, following same instructions (glaze etc) adding 3-4 minutes to baking.
Let me know how you like them. Cheers, Jill x
Deb
Oh my, I made these for the first time this morning and they are magnificent. Easily the lightest, non-stodgy I've ever tried. I also appreciate that the French version of the correct flour (T55) is included for those of us still getting our heads around flour by numbers. In other recipes I've seen, cream is identified by % fat which again is very helpful since the French don't designate it as single or double. Thank you for the detail 🙂
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much for your lovely words, Deb. So glad you liked them. As for all of the extra tips, it has taken me years to understand the French way myself, so it's a pleasure to share. Jill x
Naomi
Wanted a cheese scone recipe without mustard and came across this. Patted down into a circle on floured baking tray rather than rolling out (quick and easy) and cut into 8 triangular pieces. Checked nothing sticking and baked with no glaze as in a hurry. They came out beautifully - delightfully risen, fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside and golden brown. I had added the chopped fresh rosemary and loved the herby flavour. Really pleased and will use this recipe again!
Jill Colonna
Thrilled to hear you loved them and they came out so well without the glaze. Thanks so much for taking the time to review, Naomi. Means the world!
Marnie Ferraro
I just tried this recipe. I used half the amount of cheese - goat cheese and gourmet cheddar. incredible. amazing. wow. saving this one!
Jill Colonna
So happy you love this, Marnie - even with only half the cheese! Thanks so much for taking the time to share.
Vandna
Can I substitute flaxseed egg for the regular egg? I want to make this for a social at work. I love rosemary and this recipe sounds yummy! Thank you for sharing Jill.
Jill Colonna
Hi Vandna,
I have never tried flax eggs and so can't say if it works. If you do try it, let me know how you get on but I'd stick with this classic recipe with fresh eggs and butter. As it's dairy using a lot of good cheese, I don't see the plus for using just one vegan item, in my humble opinion 😉
Vandna
Thank you Jill. Sure I will let you know, I just don’t eat eggs so wanted to try to substitute it with flaxseeds.
Jill Colonna
Well that sounds ideal, Vandna, especially as it's just replacing one egg. Thanks for checking in!
Ruth B
Fabulous fluffy scone recipe, I used mainly yoghurt with a little milk to mix, worked very well. Thank you.
PS I live in New Zealand (originally UK).
Jill Colonna
So glad you like this, Ruth and thanks for sharing about the yoghurt!
Olia
Wood dry curd cottage cheese work?
Jill Colonna
I'm sure it would, Olia, even if I haven't tried it. I would, however, think it would be lacking a bit of flavour, as scones do need a stronger cheese. Please let me know how you get on!
Kirtika saha
Thanks for your efforts in sharing this information in detail. This was very helpful to me. kindly keep continuing the great work.
Jill Colonna
Only too happy to share, Kirtika! Thanks for your kind words.
Opal Moon Girl
Lovely my favourite recipe - I did cayenne pepper!
Jill Colonna
So happy to hear you like them - and with that delicious kick!
Liz
YUM! These look like a yummy addition to any meal!!! I remember visiting my parents the year they lived in Glasgow - a neighbor brought over a trifle and I'm pretty sure we had some delicious scones, too. Printing off your recipe to try---the boys always like some bread/biscuits with their dinner!
Jill Colonna
That's wonderful to hear, Liz. Had no idea your parents lived in Glasgow for a year. I bet you can have a Glesga lilt to your voice too!
Barbara Peel
Very light and fluffy- absolutely delicious! I’d like to adapt the recipe to make a sweet scone, have you tried this? I am thinking adding about 20g sugar and upping the butter to about 75g, to replace the fat from the cheese … what do you think?
Jill Colonna
I'm so happy you like them! I have indeed tried this and it works really well. I just haven't had the time to produce the sweet scone version yet but it's coming soon! Just follow the same method and enjoy, Barbara. Let me know how yours turn out.
Barbara
I have made the sweet version, they are just as delicious! I used 40g sugar, due to accidentally tipping in more than I meant to, but gave just the right level of sweetness for me.
Jill Colonna
Wonderful to hear this, Barbara. You've just pushed me to finally post that sweet scone recipe version - coming soon, as promised!
June Robson
Very nice recipe, used with Cathedral City "Our Strongest Cheddar" and with an extra of 35gms of Feta cheese which gives it a moister and more succulent taste.
Jill Colonna
So glad you like the recipe, June and interesting addition of Feta.
Janice And Lana
Omg amazing
Michael
Just the best scones. Added cayenne pepper for some kick, & topped them with grated cheese. Cut them into squares rather than using a cutter. Came out perfectly.I
Jill Colonna
Thrilled to hear, Michael and love your cayenne kick to them. Far from being square! :-))
Leah
Just made these, thank you I’ve been looking for a recipe that worked like this! Puffed up beautifully, Holden, light crumb gorgeous! Made 2 batches on same day. My 3year olds both loved them.
Jill Colonna
So happy, Leah. Thanks so much for your feedback. I can imagine your 3 year olds were excited with all the lovely baking and fragrances from the kitchen this weekend!
Mmetja
Wow..delicious!
Jill Colonna
Glad you liked the recipe!
Dani Paule Volerich
Best cheese scone recipe, thanks.
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much for your feedback, Dani. So thrilled you like the recipe.
Margaret Blue
Just made these for grandchildren’s after school snack - wow! so fluffy and tasty. Being Scottish, I don’t usually use an egg in my scones but I will now! I sprinkled some onion seed on top of the milk painted surface along with some extra cheddar.
Jill Colonna
So happy you like the recipe, Margaret. Love your touch of onion seeds on top - no wonder your grandchildren love them! Thanks for your feedback.
Brenda
I've tucked all my other scones recipes in the back of the book because I will not need them anymore. These are wonderful! Thank you for sharing such a treat.
Jill Colonna
That's so kind of you - so happy to hear you like the recipe, Brenda. Thanks for your feedback.
Hazel-Jayne
Although nice and fluffy, they never rose at all. I followed the recipe exactly. Was it because I used gluten free flour?
Jill Colonna
Hi Hazel-Jayne,
I'm afraid you didn't follow the recipe exactly if you used gluten free flour. Yes, that's why your scones didn't rise. I suggest you follow the recipe to the letter next time and return with a better rise in your star review too.