When most people think of scones they think of fancy tea parties with sweet fruit filled scones. However, as you will find with this recipe, scones are the perfect vehicle for savory rich ingredients like bacon and cheddar cheese. Savory scones are one of my favorite breakfast-brunch treat.
What Makes a Scone a Scone?
Unlike your typical breakfast biscuit, scones are drier with a crumbly texture. They stay tender on the inside, but are hearty enough that they can hold up to larger mixed in ingredients like thick cut bacon without falling apart.
How to Make a Perfect Scone.
Cold is your friend and heat is your enemy. Try and keep all of your ingredients refrigerated until ready to use, and that even includes your bowl. Grated your cold butter will keep the fat intact until baked, which results in a tender scone.
Working the dough is a tough job, which is why I suggest using a wooden spoon. But less is more, so only work the dough until it just barely comes together. Overworking the dough could cause your scones to be tough and chewy.
What Can I Use Instead of Buttermilk
Buttermilk isn’t something your everyday baker keeps on hand, so here are a few substitutions that work just as well. Each of these will make 1 cup of buttermilk.
Vinegar and Milk – add 1 tbsp of white distilled vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and then fill the remainder of the cup with milk. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes before adding to your recipe.
Milk and Lemon Juice – add 1 tbsp of lemon juice, fresh or bottled, to a liquid measuring cup and then fill the remainder of the cup with milk.
Milk and Cream of Tartar – add 1 ¾ tsp of cream of tartar to 1 cup of milk. Wisk to combine and then add to your recipe.
Sour Cream with Water/Milk – whisk ¾ cup of sour cream to ¼ cup of water or milk until smooth and then add to your recipe.
Preparing Your Scones in Advance
Scones are a perfect breakfast treat that can be prepared in advance and kept frozen until you are ready to bake them. Follow all of the steps leading up to baking. Then place your baking sheet with the uncooked scones into the freezer until the scones are frozen solid. You can then transfer the frozen scones to a resalable freezer bag.
When you are ready to make them place them in the oven at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 6 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 1 cup of cold butter grated
- 3 cups of sharp cheddar
- 8 green onions
- 20 slices of cooked bacon chopped into pieces
- 2.5 cups of buttermilk cold
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tbsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large cold metal bowl combine the flour, salt and pepper. Grate butter into flour mixture and mix by hand until incorporated. Add cheese, bacon and green onion until mixed throughout. Add cold buttermilk and, using a wooden spoon, mix. Roll dough into a ½ thick circle and cut into wedges. Arrange on a lined baking sheet. Brush each scone with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.