Cheese Scones
Posted Mar 21, 2025
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These buttery, flaky cheese scones are moist and delicious with cheddar cheese in every bite. They’re easy to make in 20 minutes, and taste even more delicious than your favorite restaurant.
This cheese scones recipe is what cheesy, carby dreams are made of.
A moist and buttery homemade scone dough is loaded with cheddar cheese and baked to golden-brown perfection.
These irresistibly cheesy scones are best served warm slathered with butter as a compliment to your favorite breakfast or dinner recipes.
Cheese Scones: Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-purpose flour. use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour to make them gluten-free. You can replace up to ½ cup of the flour with whole wheat or white whole wheat flour.
- Granulated sugar. white sugar, organic cane sugar, or honey all work well.
- Salted Butter. Both salted and unsalted butter work well in this scone recipe. TIP: we use frozen butter to make these cheesy scones – so be sure to put a stick in the freezer.
- Heavy Cream. Half and half and whole milk are both great substitutes.
- Cheddar Cheese. Choose your favorite cheese – sharp cheddar, shredded gouda, mozzarella, etc. there are no wrong choices here (as long as you don’t pick a soft cheese like Brie).
How to Make Cheese Scones
Let’s discuss how to make cheese scones step-by-step, an don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F and lining a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
Then, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and sea salt in a large bowl. .
Next, grate the frozen butter into the dry mixture and stir to combine. (Or cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter, if you prefer.)
Then, add the heavy cream, and egg and stir to combine. Once it’s incorporated enough, use your hands to “knead” the dough together.
The dough will look crumbly initially but will clump together when squeezed between your fingers.
Then, add the cheese and work it into the dough with your hands until evenly distributed.
Once the cheese is worked into the dough, turn it out onto a well-floured surface (or pastry slab) and form into a round circle about 8” in diameter.
To Prepare in Advance
If making ahead: tightly wrap the circle of cheese scone dough in plastic wrap store it in an airtight container (or plastic bag) in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready to bake them in the morning, simply continue following the recipe.
Cut the circle into 8 to 12 equal pieces depending on your desired size. Start by cutting the circle in half from top to bottom. Then cut it in half from side to side, then diagonally to make 8 scones. Or cut each ¼ into 3 triangles (by cutting diagonally) to make 12 scones.
Carefully separate the scones and spread them out evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cheese in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, or until the scones look set and are just barely beginning to brown.
Remove from the oven and transfer scones to a cooling rack to cool slightly before serving slightly warm.
Serve
Serve these delicious, cheesy scones warm with a slather of butter and sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
We enjoy serving them alongside our favorite savory breakfast dishes and dinner recipes.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover cheese scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Cheese Scones Recipe FAQS
My top recommendations are sharp cheddar, gouda, and pepper jack.
Yes, you can double the recipe. I would suggest dividing the dough into two round discs.
I will often cut each of the 8 scones in half to make smaller, bite size cheese scones!
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Cheese Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup salted butter (frozen)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and sea salt in a large bowl. .
- Grate the frozen butter into the dry mixture and stir to combine. (Or cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter, if you prefer.)
- Add the heavy cream, and egg and stir to combine. Once it’s incorporated enough, use your hands to “knead” the dough together. The dough will look crumbly initially but will clump together when squeezed between your fingers.
- Add the cheese and work it into the dough with your hands until evenly distributed.
- Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface (or pastry slab) and form into a round circle about 8” in diameter.
- Cut into 8 to 12 equal pieces depending on your desired size. Start by cutting the circle in half from top to bottom. Then cut it in half from side to side, then diagonally to make 8 scones. Or cut each ¼ into 3 triangles (by cutting diagonally) to make 12 scones.
- Carefully separate the scones and spread them out evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, or until the scones look set and are just barely beginning to brown.
- Remove from the oven and transfer scones to a cooling rack to cool slightly before serving slightly warm.
Video
Notes
- All-purpose flour. use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour to make them gluten-free. You can replace up to ½ cup of the flour with whole wheat or white whole wheat flour.
- Granulated sugar. white sugar, organic cane sugar, or honey all work well.
- Salted Butter. Both salted and unsalted butter work well in this scone recipe. TIP: we use frozen butter to make these cheesy scones – so be sure to put a stick in the freezer.
- Heavy Cream. Half and half and whole milk are both great substitutes.
- Cheddar Cheese. Choose your favorite cheese – sharp cheddar, shredded gouda, mozzarella, etc. there are no wrong choices here (as long as you don’t pick a soft cheese like Brie).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
