Light and Fluffy Wholemeal Cheese Scones -Savoury Scones
Light and Fluffy Wholemeal Cheese Scones are a great savoury addition to an afternoon tea or picnic. These savoury scones are made with two types of cheese and are really easy to make.
Recipe Overview
Skill Level:
BEGINNER
Prep Time:
15 MINUTES
Cook Time:
20 MINUTES
What Makes This Recipe Great
Perfect for Snacking: These wholemeal cheese scones are an excellent option for satisfying hunger pangs, making them ideal for lunchboxes or after-school treats.
Quick and Easy to Prepare: This savoury scone recipe is straightforward and requires just a few simple ingredients. All made in one bowl, they’re a great option for beginner bakers.
Customisable: You can get creative and add in your own flavourings.
If you’re looking for light and fluffy cheese scones without eggs, this is a good recipe to try.
A mixture of two types of flour and two types of cheese, including a strong cheddar for plenty of flavour, we decorate the top with a little brush of milk and extra cheese, giving each scone a nice golden brown finish. These cheesy wholemeal scones taste great for picnics, packed lunches and even an after-school snack.
These easy cheddar scones are quick to make and you can make the dough all in one bowl saving you on clean-up time.
Feel free to experiment by adding your favourite herbs or spices to create your own unique twist like I have in this Cheese and Marmite Scones Recipe. Serve them warm or at room temperature, either as a standalone treat or as an accompaniment to soups, stews, or afternoon tea.
Check Out More Scone Recipes:
- Cheese and Marmite Scones – If you’re a Marmite fan, you’ll love these.
- Rhubarb Scones – A sweet variety that uses fresh rhubarb in the mix.
- Cheddar and Rosemary Scones – A light, fluffy scone with fresh rosemary.
Equipment Needed:
- Mixing Bowl: You’ll need a large mixing bowl for combining all of the ingredients to make the wholemeal scone dough.
- Pastry Cutter or Fork (optional): A pastry cutter or fork is used to cut the butter into the flour mixture, creating a crumbly texture. You can use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour if you don’t have anything else to hand.
- Grater: To grate the two types of cheese, go for a medium/fine grate to the cheese to make it easy to spread throughout the dough.
- Baking Sheet: A baking sheet/baking tray lined with baking paper (parchment paper). Depending on their size, you may need two to comfortably space the scones so they don’t touch as they bake.
- Pastry Brush: Use a pastry brush to coat each scone top with milk. It helps to create a nice golden brown finish and help the cheese to stick to the surface.
- Biscuit Cutter: A biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter is used to cut out the scone dough into individual rounds. You can choose a size that suits your preference for the scone size. I chose to use a 6cm round cookie cutter for my scones.
- Cooling Rack: A cooling rack is used to allow the baked scones to cool down properly after coming out of the oven. This helps to prevent them from becoming soggy on the bottom.
- Weighing Scales: For baking recipes in particular it’s always best to weigh the ingredients accurately to create the best results.
Ingredients:
- Wholemeal and Plain White All Purpose Flour – I use a 50/50 ratio for the flour but you can use all White Flour if you want. I’d advise against using 100% wholemeal flour as the scones will be too dense. This ratio gives you delicious wholemeal scones.
- Baking Powder – used as a leavening agent to help the scones rise. Make sure it’s in date and has been opened in the last 6 months. Old baking powder doesn’t rise as well.
- Sea Salt – For seasoning to enhance the flavours of the savoury scones.
- Unsalted Butter – Be sure to use cold butter. I recommend cubing the butter and placing it back in the fridge while you prepare the other ingredients. We add in the salt separately to control the amount, so stick to using unsalted butter.
- Milk – I use whole milk to bring the dough together, you can also use semi-skimmed milk too but the dough might not be as rich.
- Dijon Mustard – You can try different mustards for different flavours.
- Cheese – I use a mixture of mature cheddar and Red Leicester cheese. You can use all cheddar as a substitute if you’d prefer.
Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Wholemeal Cheese Scones
Prep-Ahead Time Saving Tips for Wholemeal Scones
Planning ahead makes this recipe even faster! Here are some ways to streamline your prep:
TOTAL TIME SAVED:
15 MINUTES
Prepare The Dough (save 10 minutes): After mixing the ingredients together, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, proceed with shaping and baking the scones as directed in the recipe. You can also freeze the dough for 3 months. I find it best to cut out the scones and freeze them on a tray. This way you only need to bake as many as you need.
Pre-grate the cheese (save 5 minutes): Pre-grated cheese saves lots of time in recipes. Having some grated cheese in the fridge or freezer will save you time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use self-raising flour instead of plain flour. However, since self-raising flour already contains baking powder and salt, omit the baking powder and salt called for in the recipe.
Yes, you can make mini-sized cheese scones by shaping smaller portions of dough and adjusting the baking time accordingly. Keep in mind that smaller scones will bake faster than larger ones, so keep a close eye on them to prevent overbaking.
Mastering This Recipe – Expert Tips
- Keep Ingredients Cold: Unlike some recipes that call for room temperature ingredients, it’s important to use cold milk, cheese, and butter for your cheese scones. Chilling these ingredients beforehand ensures you achieve the flakiest, fluffiest, and most delicious scones possible.
- Preheat the Oven: Before baking your scones, make sure your oven has reached the correct temperature. It’s crucial for the oven to be fully preheated to ensure the scones rise up quickly and evenly.
- Avoid Overmixing: Overmixing the scone dough develops gluten in the flour, resulting in a dense, bread-like consistency. To maintain lightness and crumbliness, mix the dough just until it comes together. Avoid unnecessary kneading or excessive mixing.
- Incorporate Butter Properly: When adding butter to the flour, cube it into small chunks and rub it between your fingers until you achieve a breadcrumb-like texture. This method creates a barrier that helps prevent gluten formation in the scone dough. Ensure the butter is fully incorporated before adding any other ingredients.
Storage
Storage:
- Room Temperature: If you plan to consume the cheese scones within a day or two, you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container or a resealable bag. Ensure that the container is tightly sealed to prevent air exposure, which can cause the scones to dry out.
Freezing:
- Freezing Before Baking: For best results, I would recommend to freeze the shaped scones before baking. You can keep them in the freezer for 3 months. Here’s how to do it:
- Prepare the Scones: Shape the scones as instructed, but leave off the cheese topping and milk brush.
- Freeze on a Tray: Place the shaped scones on a flat tray or baking sheet, ensuring space between each one. Freeze them until solid.
- Transfer to Freezer Bag: Once frozen, transfer the wholemeal scones to a freezer bag, remove any excess air, and seal it tightly.
- Baking from Frozen: When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to defrost the scone dough. Simply place them directly from the freezer onto a baking sheet. Brush the tops with milk, sprinkle grated cheese on top, and bake them in the oven for a few minutes longer than the original baking time. Ensure they are golden brown and cooked through before removing from the oven.
Light and Fluffy Wholemeal Cheese Scones -Savoury Scones
Ingredients
- 150 g Plain White Flour
- 150 g Plain Wholemeal Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 70 g Butter, chilled
- 175 ml Milk, chilled
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 30 g Red Leicester Cheese, grated
- 30 g Mature Cheddar, grated
- Extra Cheese for topping, grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
- In a bowl, mix together the plain white flour, plain wholemeal flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the chilled butter cubes to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you achieve a breadcrumb-like texture.
- In a separate bowl, stir the Dijon mustard into the chilled milk. Gradually add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing gently until a slightly sticky dough forms.
- Add the grated red Leicester cheese and grated mature cheddar cheese to the dough. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and shape it into a flat circle. Cut the dough into 9 equal-sized circles.
- Place each scone on a lined baking tray, leaving some space between them.
- Brush the top of each scone with a little milk and sprinkle extra grated cheese on top.
- Bake the scones in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are risen and golden.
- Once baked, remove the scones from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the baking tray for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the scones to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Keep Ingredients Cold: Use cold milk, cheese, and butter for flaky and fluffy scones.
- Preheat the Oven: Ensure the oven is fully preheated for optimal rising.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix the dough just until it comes together to maintain lightness.
- Incorporate Butter Properly: Rub cold butter into flour for a breadcrumb-like texture.
- Use Fresh Baking Powder: Replace baking powder regularly for optimal results.
- Adjust Dough Consistency: Add more milk if needed for a slightly sticky dough.
If I have SR White Flour do I reduce the amount of baking powder thanks?
My Wholemeal flour is plain but I have several bags of SR white .
Hi, the baking powder content of self-raising flour can differ slightly between brands but is usually equivalent to approximately 1 tsp per 150g. So in your case for using SR flour to replace the white flour, try reducing the amount of added baking powder by 1 tsp.
I just love this recipe. My kids love to bake with me and this kind of recipe is perfect for our time together. We loved both – baking and eating these lovely cheese scones, thanks!
So so so good! I love the combination of cheeses which add so much flavor. Plus so simple. I put them in my hubby’s lunchbox – he loved them!
Made this recipe for a change in my breakfasts and it’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Delicious! The use of Leicester cheese is genius. Thanks for another tasty recipe.
Absolutely delicious – I made a batch to serve alongside some tomato soup. Added a little fresh chive to the mixture and they were so tasty! Thanks for such a great recipe – I’ll be making these again soon!