A few weeks ago I made some Pumpkin Scones and was so happy with the way they turned out, I decided to try another scone recipe. This time I chose a savory recipe. I was inspired by the delicious savory scones that my local health food store makes. When I saw this recipe for Jalapeno Cheddar Herb Scones, I thought it would be a good one to try. I just made a few small changes and really liked the way these scones turned out! They’re cheesy (with cheddar cheese in the batter and some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top) and very savory, flavored with green onion, finely chopped jalapeno, and sun-dried tomatoes. So I give these scones a “thumbs up!” You can make them for breakfast or serve them at lunch or dinner with soup or chili. If you like savory things, I am very sure you will like these! This recipe makes 8 good-sized scone wedges.

JALAPENO CHEDDAR HERB SCONES by NancyCreative, adapted from Buttercream Barbie

Makes 8 scones

• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon dry mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cold and cut into tablespoon-sized slices or thinner
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese (or 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese)
• 2/3 cup frozen, fresh, or canned corn
• 1 green onion, finely chopped (chop up both the white onion part and the green stem
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno, no seeds
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 to 3  Tablespoons shredded or freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top (or use the same amount of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese)
• Parchment paper, for lining your baking sheet

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl. Cut in butter slices until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl, beat buttermilk with egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Toss mixture a few times with a fork to blend, then add in the cheese and other remaining ingredients (except for the 2-3 Tablespoons of cheese to be sprinkled on top) . Mix until dough sticks together enough to be rolled out or patted down.

On a floured surface, roll or pat down dough to 3/4″ thickness in the shape of a circle (your circle will be about 10″). Cut into 8 wedges. Place scone wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle tops with Parmesan (or Cheddar) cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown (my baking time was 17 minutes). Note: If you use Cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top, you can add that to the scones the last 5 minutes of baking if you prefer).

These are what the scones look like before you bake them (I forgot to sprinkle the cheese on before I took this picture!)…

These are the scones fresh out of the oven…

Let the scones cool slightly before serving. Makes 8 deliciously savory scones! 🙂

As I mentioned, shredded Cheddar cheese can be substituted for the Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top…or sprinkle on a little of both!