Savory Cheese & Scallion Scones Recipewith Cream Cheese & Feta

Did I ever mention how much I love scones? No? Huh. Well, I do. Absolutely adore them. Could probably eat them every day for a month and never tire of them. I even have a whole stack of delectable sounding scone recipes to try someday. In the meantime, I make my tried and true favorites. I already shared one of them with you last month—Cranberry Christmas Scones, which are tasty any time of year.

Another recipe I've been loving and making for years is for Savory Cheese & Scallion Scones. These were created during a severe scone craving when there was no butter in the house. They mix up quickly and are also quite versatile.

Half & half will give you richer scones with a slightly nicer texture, but milk works fine, too, is lower in fat and calories, and is usually always in the fridge. Either way, these are very moist and are healthier for you than traditional scones made with butter and heavy cream. You can also substitute Neufchatel cheese for the cream cheese, but I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese. Fresh baking powder is essential.

And as always, I urge you to seek out local and organic ingredients whenever you can. These days they're easy to find and, in my opinion, really do taste better—not to mention how much better they are for farm workers and the environment.

When I don't have scallions in my kitchen garden, I buy Earthbound Farm organic green onions for just 50 cents a bag at an upscale supermarket in the Big City. Sometimes it pays to shop around, as I've seen the same item for $1.49 at a giant discount grocery store. If you live in a place where now is actually a growing season, look for green onions at your farmers' market.

Serve these scones warm from the oven with dinner instead of rolls or bread—plain, buttered, or with cream cheese. Or split and toast them in the toaster, spread with cream cheese and thinly sliced ham or turkey for a satisfying breakfast on the run, light lunch, or terrific after-school snack.

They also freeze beautifully if you happen to have any left over (hint: the recipe can easily be doubled). Defrost at room temperature and heat at 375° for about 5 to 8 minutes. If you're in a hurry, defrost them gently in the microwave and then put them in the oven or toaster oven (I love my Oster toaster/convection oven for things like this).

The optional egg glaze gives these scones a beautiful shine and dark golden color. Look for local, farm fresh eggs at your farmers' market or natural foods store. You won't believe the difference compared to commercial eggs laid by unhappy hens living in horrible battery cages. The yolks are sometimes so dark they're a gorgeous deep orange, and the eggs actually taste like eggs! And of course, you're also supporting small farmers.

Not a feta fan? Try cheddar and chive instead, with or without a sprinkling of dill.



Farmgirl Susan's Savory Cheese & Scallion Scones
Makes 8 large scones or 12 small ones

2½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons baking powder*
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (I use sheep/goat milk)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened in microwave 15-30 seconds (you want it very soft)
4 scallions (green onions), green & white parts, chopped

1 cup half&half or whole milk
1 egg

Optional Egg glaze:
Beat well with a fork:
1 egg & 2 Tbsp. milk

1. Heat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

3. Add cheeses & toss gently with a fork until combined.

4. Add scallions & toss gently with a fork until combined.

5. Beat half & half (or milk) with egg and gently fold into dry ingredients, mixing lightly until a soft dough forms. Add up to 1/2 cup additional flour if the dough is too sticky.

6. On a floured surface, gently pat the dough into a circle approximately 1-inch thick (or into two smaller circles for 12 scones). The key to tender scones is to handle the dough with a light touch and as little as possible.

With a sharp knife (I use a large serrated knife dipped in flour), cut the circle(s) into 8 or 12 wedges and place them on a greased or unbleached parchment-lined** heavy duty baking sheet. (A couple of commercial half-size baking sheets like these are one of the best kitchen investments you can make. I've been using some of mine for 17 years.)

7. Brush tops and sides of scones with egg glaze if desired, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm, or cool completely and refrigerate or freeze in a heavy zipper bag or airtight container.

*Make sure it's fresh! If your baking powder has been open more than a couple of months, toss it out and buy a new container. I prefer Rumford brand, which is aluminum-free and always gives me excellent results.

**Although I'm always urging people to use less (and create less waste), you would be hard pressed to get me to give up my roll of unbleached parchment paper. It's marvelous stuff, and the sheets can be reused several times before discarding.

Still hungry? You might enjoy these other Farmgirl Fare bread recipes:

Yeast Breads
Ten Tips For Better Bread
Three Onion & Three Cheese Pizza
Tomato Pesto Pizza & My Favorite Basil Pesto Recipe
Swiss Chard and Artichoke White Pizza
Carrot Herb Rolls & A Bargain Bread Book For Beginners
Fresh Tomato & Basil Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
No-Knead Crusty Freeform Bread
Oatmeal Toasting Bread
Four Hour Parisian Daily Baguettes
Italian Black Olive Cheek Rolls
The Pita Project: My Search For The Perfect Pita Bread Recipe

Muffins, Scones, & Quick Breads
Whole Wheat Beer Bread
Onion Rye Beer Bread
Savory Cheese & Scallion Scones
Cranberry Christmas Scones
Heavenly Lemon Coconut Quick Bread
Spicy Pumpkin Pecan Raisin Muffins
100% Whole Grain Ginger and Pear Bran Muffins
Best Blueberry Bran Muffins & Other Bran Muffin Variations

Hey Breadies! I also bake over at A Year in Bread. Check out our index of recipes and come bake bread with us!

© Copyright FarmgirlFare.com, the sconehead foodie farm blog where Farmgirl Susan shares stories & photos of her crazy country life on 240 remote Missouri acres - and you can always find a scone or two in the freezer.