Cheddar and chive spelt scones are savory, cheese-flecked scones made with whole spelt flour, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives, baked until golden at 220 C / 425 F. The spelt flour gives them a nuttier bite than plain flour scones, and the sharp cheddar keeps every bite savory instead of sweet.
These scones come together in one bowl, with no yeast and no waiting on a rise. Cold butter and cold buttermilk, plus a light hand with the dough, keep the crumb soft instead of dense.
I use extra-sharp cheddar because mild cheddar gets lost once it bakes. Fresh chives add a mild onion note without taking over the cheese.
Serve them warm from the oven, split and buttered, or pack them cold for lunchboxes and picnics. They hold up well the next day too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One bowl, no yeast, ready in 35 minutes
- Whole spelt flour gives a nutty, wholesome bite
- Sharp cheddar and chives in every wedge
- Freezes well for make-ahead breakfasts and lunches
Ingredient Notes
- Whole spelt flour: Gives a nuttier flavor and slightly denser crumb than plain flour. All-purpose flour works as a swap but the flavor turns milder.
- Extra-sharp cheddar: Mild cheddar disappears once baked, so go sharp for real flavor. Grate it yourself for a cleaner melt.
- Fresh chives: Add a mild onion note without overpowering the cheese. Finely chopped scallion greens work as a substitute.
- Cold buttermilk: Keeps the dough tender and reacts with the baking powder for lift. Plain yogurt thinned with a splash of milk works in a pinch.
- Cold unsalted butter: Cold fat is what creates flaky pockets in the dough. Cube it and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to rub it in.
Easy Homemade Spelt Scones with Cheddar and Chives
Description
These spelt scones use whole spelt flour, extra-sharp cheddar, and a generous handful of chives, with a light hand on the dough to keep the crumb soft.
Ingredients
Dough
Topping
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F. Line a sheet pan 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch with parchment paper.
- Whisk the spelt flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized lumps.
- Stir in 130 g of the grated cheddar and the chopped chives, tossing so they're coated in flour.
- Pour in the cold buttermilk and mix with a fork just until the dough clumps together. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains, overmixing here is what makes scones tough.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat it gently into a round about 20 cm / 8 inches across and 2 cm / 3/4-inch thick.
- Cut the round into 8 wedges with a bench scraper or sharp knife and space them on the sheet pan, leaving a gap between each one.
- Brush the tops with the beaten egg and scatter the remaining 20 g cheddar over each wedge.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 336kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 17g27%
- Saturated Fat 10g50%
- Cholesterol 50mg17%
- Sodium 465mg20%
- Potassium 115mg4%
- Total Carbohydrate 34g12%
- Dietary Fiber 4g16%
- Sugars 2g
- Protein 11g22%
- Vitamin A 420 IU
- Vitamin C 1 mg
- Calcium 170 mg
- Iron 2 mg
- Vitamin D 9 IU
- Vitamin E 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K 2 mcg
- Thiamin 0.2 mg
- Riboflavin 0.2 mg
- Niacin 2 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
- Folate 28 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.3 mcg
- Phosphorus 145 mg
- Magnesium 28 mg
- Zinc 1 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Chill dough scraps a few minutes before recutting if the butter softens.
- Use extra-sharp cheddar; mild cheddar disappears into the bake.
- Do not overwork the dough once the buttermilk is added.
- Check scones at the 16-minute mark since spelt browns faster than wheat.
