For the love of the scone!
These cheddar scones with honey and black pepper are pure little triangles of heaven.
When I consider saying “who doesn’t love a scone?,” I hesitate—because I know several people who don’t. Eddie. My mom. Probably my dad. Definitely one of my brothers. The list goes on.
I always mention this in scone posts: my earliest scone memory is from elementary school on Saint Patrick’s Day—someone brought a classic version with raisins. They were rock hard and dry, and I was not into them at all.
Which has me convinced raisins don’t belong in scones—why ruin grapes that way?
Even though I adore an excellent old-school scone base, I’m always experimenting to find combinations that convert scone skeptics into scone lovers. If it happened to me, it can happen to them too.
Just look at those flaky, buttery layers in the dough!
Those layers—swoon.
This scone is a classic sweet-and-savory pairing. I’m not always a huge fan of black pepper, but combined with sharp cheddar in a scone or biscuit, it’s irresistible. The pepper gives a bright, savory bite that finishes each mouthful perfectly.
These scones don’t look like much at first—simple, unassuming—but the flavor surprises you. You take a bite and think, wow.
This wrapped up my Saint Patrick’s Day recipes for that year, but these scones work any time you want something comforting and slightly unexpected. A drizzle of honey at the end balances the savory cheddar and pepper beautifully.
Honey Cheddar Scones
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Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 3/4 cups cold butter cut into pieces
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup honey
- melted butter for brushing
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in the cold butter with your fingers, a fork, or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the grated cheddar.
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Add the buttermilk and honey, mixing with a spoon until a dough forms. Use your hands to bring it together, then turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently.
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Divide the dough in half (or thirds). Pat each piece into a 5-inch round. Brush the tops with melted butter and add another crack of black pepper if you like. Place the rounds on the baking sheet and cut each into 4 or 6 wedges, or use a biscuit cutter for rounds.
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Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden. Drizzle with honey if desired and serve warm.
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I appreciate you so much!
Dying for a bite of that.