We usually think of scones as sweet, not savory. But these rich, tender scones are packed with chunks of cheddar cheese and diced bacon, and accented with fresh chives. Serve them with soup or a salad for a satisfying meal.
Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly, with some of the butter remaining in larger pieces.
Mix in the cheese, chives, and bacon until evenly distributed.
Add 3/4 cup of the cream, stirring to combine. Try squeezing the dough together; if it's crumbly and won't hang together, or if there are crumbs remaining in the bottom of the bowl, add cream until the dough comes together. Transfer the shaggy dough to a well-floured work surface.
Pat the dough into a smooth 7" disk about 3/4" thick. Transfer the disk to the prepared baking sheet. Use a knife or bench knife to cut the disk into 8 wedges, spreading the wedges apart a bit on the pan.
Brush the scones with a bit of cream; this will help their crust brown.
Bake the scones for 20 to 22 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
Refrigerate any leftover scones, well wrapped, for several days; reheat before serving. Freeze for longer storage.
Looking for a gluten-free version of this recipe? Find it here: Gluten-Free Bacon-Cheddar-Chive Scones.
Make mini-scones: Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a 5" round. Cut each round into 8 wedges. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes; or for about 18 minutes if frozen.
Want to make scones now, freeze and bake later? Make scones up to the point they're on the baking sheet, cut and ready to bake; don't brush them with cream. Freeze, then remove from the sheet, and wrap airtight in a plastic bag. When you're ready to bake, remove however many you want to bake from the freezer, place on a baking sheet, brush with cream, and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 22 to 24 minutes, until golden brown.
For slightly tangy flavor, try adding discard (or fed) sourdough starter to these scones. Use the following ingredients:
Follow the recipe instructions above, adding the starter after the bacon and chives and before the cream.
