A light and fluffy Cheese Scone is a very, very delicious thing. So delicious that every time I bite into one warm and slathered with the obligatory salted butter, I actually swoon. I always feel like I've suddenly joined the W.I and cannot understand why I don't bake a batch every morning.

Cheese Scones
Every time I bake Cheese Scones in my kitchen I feel pretty accomplished. They look good, they taste incredible and my kitchen smells like Mary Berry's....I imagine.
Scones have been with us since the 1500's or so the book says.
They originated in Scotland in a more oaty form and were cooked on a griddle. Much like Welsh Cakes I would have thought.
They are a very simple thing to rustle up and knock the pop socks off anything that you can buy in a supermarket.
You can serve them as a snack, a side or just because. I like them just because......

Cheese Scones
How To Make Light and Fluffy Scones
A light and fluffy scone warm from the oven can be moment stopping. Whether sweet plain scones or savoury I care not as long as they are slathered in butter.
The trick is not to overwork the dough too much. Minimum mixing and rolling.
This needs to be kept in mind right from the beginning.
You Can Scroll Straight Down For The Recipe Card But Below Are Step by Step Instructions.
Cheese Scone Recipe
The ingredients are simples.

Cheese Scone Ingredients
Plain Flour - I tend to have just plain flour (All Purpose Flour) but if you have self raising then simply omit 1 tsp of baking powder.
Baking Powder - Only add 1 tsp if using self raising flour.
Milk - I use semi skimmed because that is what I always have in the fridge but full fat milk is good too.
Cheese - It needs to be mature cheddar for the flavour.
Salt - Fine salt
Butter - It needs to be butter and not baking margarine. If using salted butter then only add half of the salt in the recipe.
- I tend to use my food processor to "rub" the butter in as it takes about 20 seconds. You are looking for fine breadcrumbs. But rubbing in with your hands is fine too.
- I then tip the rubble into a bowl and add the cheese.

Cheese and Scone Breadcrumb Mix
- Tip in the wet ingredients and using a wide bladed knife mix until it starts to mostly come together into a shaggy dough.

Scone dough at the first mix.
- I then get in there with my hands and squish it gently together into a more complete dough.

Cheese Scone Dough
- Try to handle it the least amount that you can. The lighter you go the higher they will rise.
- Tip the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and GENTLY shape and roll into a thickness of about 2.5 cm. Try to get the whole thing even.
However it matters not to me to have a bit of a slope going on. Who cares about the rustic look, you're baking with cheese here.
Nothing else truly matters....
- I use a 6 cm cutter and get about 6 out of the dough.
- I usually get 3 out of my first shape/roll and then keep shaping and cutting often times one at a time as I can't keep the thickness and get 2 rounds cut at the same time. Sometimes I have to fashion the last one the best I can as there is not enough dough to be cut out with the scone cutter. That's the one I eat first scorchio from the oven.
- Go very gently when you get the scones out of the cutter. I try to get them drop out by their own accord by a bit of gentle shaking. Also don't twist the cutter just push straight down.

Scone Dough
- Brush the tops with milk and put on a lined baking tray.

Scones brushed with milk.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes. I find it is usually the full 15 minutes but all ovens are different.
- Cool on a wire rack.
What is the secret to making good cheese scones?
They need no more than a pile of mature cheddar to knock your little scone socks off.
Don't be tempted to damp down the strength of the cheese. It needs a strong cheese hit for the flavour.
Be careful not to overwork the dough. Just enough to bring it all together and so that the mixture forms a dough.
Don't twist the cutter just push straight down when cutting out the scones.
Don't be afraid of the deepening colour as they bake. It gives a good flavour but obviously step in if the tops look close to burning.
I always advise an oven thermometer as the temperature can really vary oven to oven. My last oven was always much hotter than the dial indicated.

Cheese Scones
Can You Freeze Cheese Scones ?
The answer is yes. This batch is a small batch so easily eaten in a day but if you do a double batch then freeze away.
They should be frozen on the day of baking once completely cold. I put them in a plastic freezer bag and then another so there is a double plastic layer.
I use the large sandwich freezer bags but you could put them in a tupperware tub after the first bagging to protect them from getting knocked if your freezer is rammed.
They will freeze well for at least 2 months.
When I want them again I retrieve the bag out of the freezer and leave them in there to thaw for 3 hours.
Take them out of the bag and reheat gently at 150 C/300 F/Gas Mark 2 for ten minutes.
How To Make Gluten Free Cheese Scones.
To make these cheese scones gluten free simply exchange the plain flour with plain gluten free flour.
A expert gluten free fellow blogger advised me that a lot of times gluten free flours absorb more liquid than standard flour so add 50 mls more milk to the mixture.
What to Serve with Cheese Scones.
I love them warm and spread with salted butter but also delicious with some chutney and extra cheese or pair them with a salad or soup.
I sometimes use them as a bit of a side dish.
I particularly like to serve them with:
Roast Butternut Squash and Feta Salad

Butternut Squash Salad
Click here for other cheesy baking treats.

Easy Cheese Scones
These are so simple and absolutely delicious. Light and fluffy these Cheese Scones are a perfect snack or treat.
Ingredients
- 225 grams plain flour
- 50 grams unsalted butter cold
- 150 mls milk
- 120 grams mature cheddar
- 2 grams salt
- 2 tsps baking powder.
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 200 C.
-
Put 225 grams flour, 2 tsps baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl or food processor.
-
Rub 50 grams cold butter into the flour with your fingertips or whizz with the flour in the food processor for 20 seconds or so until you are looking at fine breadcrumbs in your bowl.
- If using a food processor then tip the fine rubble into a large mixing bowl.
-
Tip the 120 grams of mature cheddar cheese in and then pour in the 150 mls milk.
- Using a wide bladed blunt knife or similar stir the milk into the mixture until you get a shaggy dough.
- Now is the time to get your hands in and squish the dough into a smoother mass still in the bowl. Tip it out onto a very lightly floured surface.
- Using your hands and a rolling pin very gently roll out the dough to 2.5 cm thick. It will be a relatively small shape. Using a 6 cm cutter or similar cut out the scones.
- Reshape the left overs and gently repeat until you run out. If the last is not enough to fashion a whole scone then just use your hands to make a scone shape. That one is yours......cooks perks.
- Brush with milk and bake for about 15 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack a little before slicing open warm and slathering with butter.
- Apply to Adrian Mole Face.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
All nutritional information is intended only as a guide.
WHAT IS THE SECRET TO MAKING GOOD CHEESE SCONES?
They need no more than a pile of mature cheddar to knock your little scone socks off.
Don't be tempted to damp down the strength of the cheese. It needs a strong cheese hit for the flavour.
Be careful not to overwork the dough. Just enough to bring it all together and so that the mixture forms a dough.
Don't twist the cutter just push straight down when cutting out the scones.
Don't be afraid of the deepening colour as they bake. It gives a good flavour but obviously step in if the tops look close to burning.
I always advise an oven thermometer as the temperature can really vary oven to oven. My last oven was always much hotter than the dial indicated.
Do let me know how you got on in the comments below or tag me in your social media. I love a good old hairy chin wag. Here are my Facebook and Instagram pages.
Lisa Alford
Fabulous ?
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Thanks beautiful xx
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
I absolutely love cheese scones and you've got a great rise on these!
Ai
Yum! I love cheesy anything, but these scones look delightful!!
Jacqui
You are so right a scone warm from the oven is just divine. I so want to eat eat one now If i didnt have to get on I would be down in the kitchen this minute to knock up a batch.
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You're right! They are the sort of thing that one bite and you can't understand why you don't bake them all the time!
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder
Cheese scones must be one of the world's most unexpected pleasures! So simple and unassuming but definitely delivering on big, bold, cheesy flavour. Love your easy and straightforward recipe! Thanks for sharing with #Baking Crumbs 🙂
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Thanks Jo. I love a cheesy classic!
Rebecca - Glutarama
These look sooooo good, I really miss cheese scones, I don't make them anymore basically because I cannot tolerate dairy or eggs...but this is really selfish of me so you've inspired me to make them for the family...as my daughter is Coeliac I will be making these gluten free which as you've pointed out should be fine with substituting the flour for gluten free flour. In my experience gluten flour absorbs more liquid so I'll add another 50ml+ milk to get the right consistency.
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Oooh good tip. Thanks I will amend. Baking with cheese is just so good isn't it?
Helen - Cooking with my kids
These look delicous (but I do looooove cheese scones!)
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And me...bring on the cheese....
Hannah
These look delicious (and so cheesy!) Do you think they'd work using other types of cheese or a mixture - maybe some mozzarella or parmesan? #bakingcrumbs
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Thank you. I'm sure parmesan would be good but not as good as strong cheddar in my humble opinion!