Bacon Cheddar Scone Recipe

Preheat and ready pan

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Chill a box grater or large mixing bowl and the butter in the fridge for 10 minutes if butter isn't very cold. Grate the cold butter if not using cubes.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Add the cold butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, quickly cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining (about 6-10 brisk pulses if using a food processor).

Add cheese and bacon

Stir in 1 1/4 cups of the grated cheddar (reserve 1/4 cup for topping), the crumbled bacon slices, and the chopped chives so they are evenly distributed through the crumbly mixture.

Mix wet ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and the large egg until combined.

Combine to form dough

Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in about three-quarters of the cream-egg mixture. Using a flexible spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until the dough just comes together. Add more cream mixture as needed — you want a shaggy, slightly sticky dough that holds when pressed but is not wet. Do not overmix.

Shape the scones

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press the dough into a disk about 1-inch thick and roughly 8 inches in diameter. Avoid overworking. If dough is very sticky, chill 10 minutes before shaping.

Cut into wedges

Using a sharp knife or bench scraper dusted with flour, cut the disk into 8 equal wedges. Transfer wedges to the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart (or place wedges so their outer edges touch slightly to help them rise evenly).

Brush and top

Brush the tops of the scones lightly with the reserved heavy cream (or a little beaten egg) and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheddar evenly over the tops.

Bake

Bake in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 18-22 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.

Cool

Remove from oven and let scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for another 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.