Quick Cheddar Jalapeno Buttermilk Scones
I think most of us can attest to the fact that cheesy spice in a baked good is a vibe. I’ve seen so many cheddar jalapeno bakes on social media, from sourdough to popovers, that I knew I needed to make a scone version. A little spice, a little cheese, with a spread of some salted butter? Absolutely, yes, I will.
As a big fan of afternoon tea, I love a scone situation with a cuppa (no, I am not British, but sometimes I pretend I am). Having a mix of sweet and savory scones to choose from is one of my favorite things. Some of my favorite scones include these Rosemary & White Chocolate Buttermilk Scones and this incredibly easy, one-bowl Cinnamon Chip Scones.
These buttermilk scones come together easily and are oh so good, the perfect option for someone who prefers a savory bake over a sweet one.
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CHEDDAR JALAPENO BUTTERMILK SCONES
These use my go-to scone base (slightly tweaked for the savory vibes) and fold in piles of freshly shredded cheddar and finely diced jalapenos. Highly recommend using a block of cheese and shredding it yourself, as pre-bought shredded cheese doesn’t melt as nicely. You can stir or fold the inclusions in, depending on if you want them evenly dispersed throughout the dough or with a cheesy line running right through the middle. These are perfect with your morning eggs or as a savory option for your afternoon tea.
Don’t have buttermilk? No problem: For this recipe, simply add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice to a measuring cup and then fill your cup to the half cup line with milk. Stir and let sit 5 minutes before using.
INGREDIENTS
- Flour: Key ingredient for structure and texture
- Baking Powder: Your rising agent – these scones will puff as they bake!
- Sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps make these scones tender
- Salt: Enhances the flavors while contributing to that savory vibe
- Butter: Gives a tender flakiness to your scones
- Eggs: Bind the dough together and aid in the light browning as they bake from the glaze
- Buttermilk: Adds to the light and fluffy texture of these scones
- Jalapenos: Just a little bit of spice to give a kick without completely knocking your pants off
- Cheddar Cheese: The “cheese” in these scones, preferably freshly grated
- Heavy Cream: For the egg wash, giving your scones a gorgeous, golden finish
How to fold in your inclusions instead of stirring: If you prefer to fold your cheddar and jalapenos in, wait until you remove your dough from the bowl and form it into a square. Then spread your cheese and jalapenos evenly across the square, fold your dough in half, and gently compress it to pack it in. Then, follow the remaining steps as directed below!
HOW TO MAKE CHEDDAR JALAPENO BUTTERMILK SCONES
Combine your dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt – in a bowl. Add in your cubed cold butter to the bowl and use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients until really fine and no large lumps of butter remain. Add in your cheddar and diced jalapenos and give a quick stir to combine.
Whisk together your two eggs in a separate small bowl – this will make it easier to evenly mix them into the dough without overworking them. Make a well in your dry ingredients and pour in your beaten eggs and buttermilk. Use a dough scraper or spatula to cut through the mixture until there is barely any loose flour at the bottom. Then use your hand to gently compress the dough. Make sure to avoid stretching the dough – this compression isn’t a knead – as we don’t want the gluten to build up.
Dump the dough onto your counter and press it into a square – if you prefer to fold in your inclusions, this is where you would add your cheddar and jalapenos – then fold the dough over and gently compress it into a rectangle. Wrap up tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Lightly dust your counter with flour, place down chilled dough, and lightly flour the surface of the dough before rolling it into a rectangle just under an inch thick. Use your dough scraper or knife to cut the dough into 12 triangles. I usually split my dough in half vertically, then cut three rectangles from each side, and diagonally cut each rectangle to form triangles.
Preheat your oven to 325F. For your glaze, whisk together your egg yolks and heavy cream and use a pastry brush to paint just the tops of your scones. You don’t want to paint the sides, as it might cause the layers to stick together in the oven and not rise. Leave your scones uncovered at room temperature to “dry” for 15 minutes. I bake a maximum of 6 scones on a tray, so if you’re only using one tray, pop the other six scones onto a plate and set them in the fridge while the others bake.
Bake your scones for 16-18 minutes, rotating the pan once at the 10-minute mark. They should be puffed up and lightly golden around the tops and edges. Transfer immediately to a wire rack to cool completely, and then enjoy!
3 reasons you’ll love these scones
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- You can easily substitute the cheddar for another cheese if you prefer! I would recommend a sharp cheese to balance out the spiciness of the jalapenos.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice to a measuring cup and pour your milk until the ½ cup line. Give a brief stir and then allow to sit for 5 minutes
- Don’t over-flour your counter or the surface of your dough when rolling. Your dough will absorb some of this flour, and you don’t want it to soak in excess and risk drying out your scones.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
Store your baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
You can freeze your extra scones for the future. Once you’ve rolled and cut your scones out, wrap them between layers of parchment paper and place them in an airtight container. The unbaked scones will freeze for up to four weeks. When ready to use, transfer the dough to the fridge the night before to thaw, and bake as instructed below. You can also freeze the baked scones, stored airtight, for 2-3 months.
MORE SAVORY RECIPES
An accent golden favorite is this Easy Mediterranean Quiche, packed with spinach, feta, and goat cheese. Also, if you’re looking for your next dinner, you have to make this Savory Vegetable Pot Pie, packed with all the goodies and topped with a buttery, flaky crust.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic wrap
- Dough Scraper or Knife
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 3 cups Flour
- 5 tsp Flour
- 6 tsp Baking Powder
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 5 ½ tbsp Unsalted Butter cold and cubed
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup Buttermilk
- ¼ cup small diced jalapenos approx 2
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Add cubed cold butter to the bowl and, using your fingers, rub together with the dry ingredients until fine and no large lumps of butter remain.
- Add in your cheddar and diced jalapenos, stirring briefly to combine
- In a separate bowl, whisk together two large eggs
- Make well in dry mix and pour eggs and buttermilk into the well
- Cut through the mixture with a dough scraper, and then when there is barely any loose flour at the bottom, gently compress the dough with your hand to bring it together. Avoid stretching the dough, as you don’t want the gluten to build up.
- Dump the dough onto your counter and press it into a square, then fold the dough over and gently compress it into a rectangle. Wrap it up tightly and refrigerate it 30 minutes.
- Lightly dust the counter with flour, place down chilled dough, and lightly flour the surface of the dough before rolling it into a rectangle just under an inch thick
- Use your dough scraper or a knife to cut into 12 right triangles, and place no more than 6 scones on one baking sheet at a time. These will puff up a lot as they bake!
- Preheat your oven to 325F
- In a bowl, make your glaze, beating together your yolk and heavy cream
- Lightly brush only the tops of your cut scones with the glaze and leave uncovered to dry for 15 minutes. If using one tray, place half of your scones on a plate in the fridge to dry but stay cool while the others bake.
- Bake at 325F for 16-18 minutes. Rotating the pan once at the 10-minute mark, baking until lightly golden around the top and edges
- Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool completely
- Enjoy!
