Introduction
Hey there, friend! Ever have one of those moments where you just need a little something savory, warm, and utterly comforting? Maybe it’s a rainy afternoon, a lazy Sunday morning, or you just need the perfect companion for your soup or salad. Well, let me tell you, these Cheese and Olive Savory Scones are exactly that kind of magic. Forget the fancy bakery – you can whip up a batch of these flaky, cheesy, olive-studded delights right in your own kitchen with surprisingly little effort. They come together so quickly, and the smell as they bake? Absolutely heavenly. Get ready to fall in love with this easy recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: From start to oven in under 15 minutes! Perfect for when a craving hits.
- Easy: No complicated techniques, just simple mixing and baking.
- Giftable: Bake a batch for a friend or neighbor – they’ll be so impressed!
- Crowd-pleasing: Who doesn’t love warm bread, especially when it’s loaded with cheese and olives?
Ingredients
Gather your ingredients! Most of these are probably hanging out in your pantry and fridge already.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour: Your trusty baking base.
- 1 tbsp baking powder: This is our lift-off! Ensures light and fluffy scones.
- ½ tsp salt: Just enough to enhance all those savory flavors.
- ½ tsp garlic powder: Adds a lovely depth of flavor without mincing fresh garlic. Easy peasy!
- 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed: This is KEY for flaky scones! Keep it nice and cold.
- 1 cup shredded cheese: I love using a sharp cheddar or a mix with Parmesan, but use whatever cheese makes your heart happy!
- ¾ cup chopped olives: Kalamata are fantastic here, but black olives work great too. Make sure they’re pitted and roughly chopped.
- 1 large egg: Binds everything together.
- ½ cup heavy cream or whole milk: Adds richness and moisture. Cream makes them extra tender!
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme or chives (optional): A little bit of fresh herb just brightens everything up. Thyme is cozy, chives are fresh.
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get baking! Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have warm scones in no time.
1. First things first, preheat that oven to 400°F (200°C). While it heats up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This makes cleanup a breeze, and trust me, you’ll want to dive into these right away!
2. Grab a big bowl. Whisk together your dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Give it a good whisk so everything is nicely combined.
3. Now for the butter part. This is where the magic happens! Add those cold butter cubes to your dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender, a fork, or even just your clean fingertips to cut the butter into the flour mixture. You’re looking for the mixture to resemble coarse crumbs, with some pieces of butter still visible – maybe pea-sized or a little bigger. Don’t overwork it; those little butter pieces are what create those lovely flaky layers as they melt in the oven.
4. Time to add the stars of the show! Stir in the shredded cheese, chopped olives, and those fresh herbs if you’re using them. Give it a quick mix to distribute them evenly throughout the dry ingredients.
5. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the egg and your heavy cream or whole milk. Just a quick whisk until the yolk and white are combined.
6. Now, pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. This is important: mix gently with a fork or a spatula until everything is just combined. The dough will be a bit shaggy, and that’s okay! The biggest mistake with scones (and biscuits!) is overmixing. Too much mixing develops the gluten and makes them tough. We want tender, flaky scones!
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Don’t knead it! Just gather it gently together and pat it into a circle or a square that’s about 1 inch thick. I find patting is much better than rolling for a tender scone.
8. Use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to cut the dough into wedges (like slicing a pizza) or squares. I usually get about 6-8 scones from this batch, depending on how big I make them.
9. Carefully place the cut scones onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space between them so they can expand.
10. Pop them into your preheated oven! Bake for 18-22 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re beautifully golden brown on top and around the edges. The bottoms should also look nicely baked.
Let them cool slightly on the pan before transferring them to a wire rack. But honestly, they are best devoured warm from the oven!
Substitutions & Additions
This recipe is super versatile! Feel free to play around based on what you have or what you love.
- Cheese Swap: Try using Parmesan, Gruyere, Provolone, Feta (if you love salty!), or a spicy pepper jack.
- Olive Options: Green olives, sun-dried tomatoes (pat them dry!), or even finely chopped roasted red peppers would be delicious.
- Herb Variations: Fresh rosemary, parsley, dill, or even a pinch of dried mixed herbs could work instead of thyme or chives.
- Mix-Ins: Add a tablespoon or two of finely crumbled cooked bacon, a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat, or some caramelized onions.
- Liquid Swap: If you don’t have heavy cream or whole milk, half-and-half will work too. Buttermilk would also be great and add a lovely tang – you might just need a tiny bit less as it’s thinner.
Tips for Success
Want perfect scones every time? Keep these simple tips in mind:
- Keep everything cold! Cold butter and cold liquid are essential for creating those coveted flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, you can even pop the dry ingredients with the butter back into the fridge for a few minutes before adding the wet.
- Don’t overmix the dough. I know I said it before, but it’s the most important rule! Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. A shaggy dough is a happy dough.
- Don’t twist your cutter. If you’re using a round cutter (or even a knife), cut straight down without twisting. Twisting can seal the edges of the scone, preventing them from rising properly.
- Gentle is key. When patting out the dough and handling the cut scones, be gentle.
- Prep Ahead: You can cut the scones and place them on the baking sheet, then cover and chill them in the fridge for a few hours or even freeze them to bake later. If baking from frozen, you might need to add a few minutes to the baking time.
How to Store It
Let’s be honest, these are best eaten fresh and warm! But if you happen to have any leftovers (a rare occurrence in my house!), here’s how to keep them.
Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. For slightly longer storage, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, pop them in a warm oven (about 300°F) for 5-10 minutes until heated through, or microwave briefly if you’re in a hurry (though the oven keeps the texture best!).
You can also freeze baked and cooled scones for up to 2-3 months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or reheat directly from frozen in a low oven.
FAQs
Got questions? I’ve got (brief!) answers!
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, but you might want to reduce the added salt in the recipe by about half to start, then adjust to your taste next time.
Can I freeze the unbaked dough?
Absolutely! Cut the scones and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
What should I serve with these savory scones?
They’re perfect on their own! But they’re also fantastic with soup, chili, a hearty salad, or even alongside scrambled eggs for a weekend brunch.
Easy Cheesy Olive Scones
Equipment
- Big bowl
- Whisk
- pastry blender Optional, can use a fork or fingertips
- Fork Optional, can use pastry blender or fingertips
- Spatula
- Smaller bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife Optional, can use a bench scraper
- bench scraper Optional, can use a sharp knife
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter cubed, KEY for flaky scones! Keep it nice and cold.
- 1 cup shredded cheese sharp cheddar or a mix with Parmesan suggested
- 0.75 cup chopped olives Kalamata or black olives suggested, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 cup heavy cream or whole milk Cream makes them extra tender!
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme or chives optional
Instructions
- First things first, preheat that oven to 400°F (200°C). While it heats up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Grab a big bowl. Whisk together your dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Give it a good whisk so everything is nicely combined.
- Now for the butter part. Add those cold butter cubes to your dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender, a fork, or even just your clean fingertips to cut the butter into the flour mixture. You're looking for the mixture to resemble coarse crumbs, with some pieces of butter still visible – maybe pea-sized or a little bigger. Don't overwork it; those little butter pieces are what create those lovely flaky layers as they melt in the oven.
- Time to add the stars of the show! Stir in the shredded cheese, chopped olives, and those fresh herbs if you're using them. Give it a quick mix to distribute them evenly throughout the dry ingredients.
- In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the egg and your heavy cream or whole milk. Just a quick whisk until the yolk and white are combined.
- Now, pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix gently with a fork or a spatula until everything is just combined. The dough will be a bit shaggy, and that's okay! Don't overmix; we want tender, flaky scones!
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Don't knead it! Just gather it gently together and pat it into a circle or a square that's about 1 inch thick. Patting is better than rolling for a tender scone.
- Use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to cut the dough into wedges (like slicing a pizza) or squares. This batch usually yields about 6-8 scones.
- Carefully place the cut scones onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space between them so they can expand.
- Pop them into your preheated oven! Bake for 18-22 minutes. They're ready when they're beautifully golden brown on top and around the edges.
- Let them cool slightly on the pan before transferring them to a wire rack. But honestly, they are best devoured warm from the oven!
Notes
- Keep everything cold! Cold butter and cold liquid are essential for creating flaky layers.
- Don't overmix the dough. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Don't twist your cutter; cut straight down.
- Be gentle when handling dough and cut scones.
- Prep Ahead: Cut scones can be chilled for a few hours or frozen to bake later. Add a few minutes to baking time if baking from frozen. Storage:
- Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat in a warm oven (about 300°F) for 5-10 minutes or briefly microwave.
- Freeze baked and cooled scones for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat from frozen in a low oven. Serving Suggestions:
- Perfect on their own.
- Fantastic with soup, chili, a hearty salad, or alongside scrambled eggs for brunch. Variations:
- Cheese Swap: Parmesan, Gruyere, Provolone, Feta, or spicy pepper jack.
- Olive Options: Green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or finely chopped roasted red peppers.
- Herb Variations: Fresh rosemary, parsley, dill, or dried mixed herbs.
- Mix-Ins: Crumbled cooked bacon, red pepper flakes, or caramelized onions.
- Liquid Swap: Half-and-half or buttermilk can be used instead of heavy cream/whole milk.