These simple yet impressive scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, and beyond.
Did I ever mention how much I love scones? No? Huh. Well, I do. Absolutely adore them. Could probably eat them every day for a month and never tire of them. I even have a whole stack of delectable sounding scone recipes to try someday. In the meantime, I make my tried and true favorites. I already shared one of them with you last month,
Cranberry Christmas Scones, which are tasty any time of year.
Another recipe I've been loving and making for years is for Savory Cheese and Scallion Scones. These were created back in 1993 during a severe scone craving when there was no butter in the house. They mix up quickly and are nicely versatile.
Half & half will give you richer scones with a slightly nicer texture, but whole milk works fine, is lower in fat and calories, and is usually always in the fridge. Either way, these are very moist and are healthier for you than traditional scones made with butter and heavy cream.
You can also substitute Neufchatel cheese for the cream cheese, but I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese. Fresh baking powder is essential.
And as always, I urge you to seek out
local and organic ingredients whenever you can. These days they're often easy to find and, in my opinion, really do taste better—not to mention how much better they are for farm workers and the environment.
Serve these scones warm from the oven with dinner instead of rolls or bread—plain, buttered, or with cream cheese. Or split and toast them in the toaster, spread with cream cheese and thinly sliced ham or turkey for a satisfying breakfast on the run, light lunch, or terrific after-school snack.
They also freeze beautifully if you happen to have any left over (hint: the recipe can easily be doubled). Defrost them at room temperature and heat at 375° for about 5 to 8 minutes. If you're in a hurry, you can defrost them gently in the microwave and then put them in the oven or toaster oven.
The optional egg glaze gives these scones a beautiful shine and dark golden color. Look for farm fresh eggs at your farmers' market or natural foods store, or search for a local farmer on
Local Harvest. You won't believe the difference compared to commercial eggs laid by unhappy hens living in horrible battery cages. The yolks are sometimes so dark they're a
gorgeous deep orange, and the eggs actually taste like eggs! And of course, you're also supporting small farmers.
Not a feta fan? Try
cheddar and chive instead, with or without a sprinkling of dill. You'll find more about growing your own chives (it's easy!), along with a recipe for homemade herbed yogurt cheese
here.
Farmgirl Susan's Savory Cheese & Scallion Scones
Makes 8 large scones or 12 small ones
**Click here to print this recipe**
I highly recommend investing in a couple of heavy duty commercial rimmed baking sheets. Treat them well—I usually line mine with sheets of unbleached parchment paper, which is wonderful stuff—and they'll last for ages. I've been using the heck out of some of mine for 20 years for everything from
baking cookies to
roasting Brussels sprouts.
2½ to 3 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons baking powder (make sure it's fresh!)
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
4 ounces cream cheese, softened in the microwave 15-30 seconds (you want it very soft)
4 scallions (green onions), green & white parts, chopped
1 cup organic whole milk or half and half
1 large egg
Optional Egg glaze:
Beat 1 egg and 2 Tablespoons of organic milk (or half and half) well with a fork
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine 2½ cups of the flour, the baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add the cheeses & toss gently with a fork until combined.
4. Add the scallions & toss gently with a fork until combined.
5. Beat the milk (or half and half) with the egg and gently it fold into the dry ingredients, mixing lightly until a soft dough forms. Add up to 1/2 cup additional flour if the dough is too sticky.
6. On a floured surface, gently pat the dough into a circle approximately 1-inch thick (or into two smaller circles for 12 scones). The key to tender scones is to handle the dough as little as possible and with a light touch.
With a sharp knife (I use a large serrated knife dipped in flour), cut the circle(s) into 8 or 12 wedges and place them on a heavy duty baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper.
7. Brush the tops and sides of the scones with the egg glaze if desired, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm, or cool completely and refrigerate or freeze in a heavy zipper bag or airtight container.
