Description
These Overnight Bacon and White Cheddar Scones combine smoky applewood bacon with sharp white cheddar and fresh chives, creating a savory breakfast treat that can be prepared in advance and baked fresh when ready. The dough is gently mixed to maintain buttery chunks, chilled overnight, and then baked to golden perfection, resulting in flaky, flavorful scones perfect for any morning or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Scone Dough
- 12 oz. applewood smoked bacon, cooked, drained and cut into ¼ inch pieces, drippings reserved
- ¾ cup all purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon, spooned and leveled
- 1 & ½ cups cake flour, plus ½ teaspoon, spooned and leveled, sifted if clumpy
- 1 & ½ teaspoons baking powder, plus 1/8 teaspoon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda, plus 1/8 teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons sugar, plus ¾ teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/8 teaspoon
- 4.7 ounces cold unsalted butter (1 stick plus 1 ½ tablespoons), cut into ¼ inch cubes
- ¼ cup heavy cream, plus 1 tablespoon
- ¼ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt, plus 2 ½ tablespoons
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated
- ¼ cup chives, minced
To Top Scones
- 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 & ½ teaspoons sugar
- ½ cup white cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: In your largest skillet, add the bacon and cook over medium heat until crispy but still slightly flexible. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Once cool, cut each piece lengthwise then chop into small pieces. Reserve the bacon drippings and store in the fridge.
- Mix dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Stir gently with the paddle attachment to blend.
- Add butter: Cut cold butter into small pieces and add all at once to the mixer. Mix on the lowest setting for about 30 seconds. Continue mixing in short increments until flour is mixed but chunks of butter about the size of peas remain. Use a knife to cut any large butter pieces. Do not overmix.
- Add liquids and mix: With the mixer running, pour in the heavy cream, then add the Greek yogurt and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds until the dough starts to come together. Scrape down the sides and pulse again to combine thoroughly.
- Incorporate bacon, cheese, and chives: Add chopped bacon, 2 cups of the grated white cheddar, and minced chives. Pulse the mixer a few times just to incorporate evenly.
- Shape dough and chill: Spoon dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press together with your hands. Form into a 7-by-9-inch rectangle, smoothing the top and straightening the edges. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.
- Cut and freeze scones: Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat mat. Cut the chilled dough lengthwise in half, then cut each half into 6 rectangles (12 scones total). Place scones on the sheet 1 inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, preferably overnight (can be stored up to 1 month).
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare topping: Warm the reserved bacon drippings in the microwave until melted. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the top of each frozen scone with the drippings. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper over each. Sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons sugar evenly over the entire pan, then top each scone with grated white cheddar cheese.
- Bake scones: Bake in the preheated oven for 27-29 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
- Storage: Scones are best eaten the day they are baked but can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Notes
- You don’t need a stand mixer for this recipe; you can mix the dry ingredients by hand in a bowl and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut in the butter, then mix in the liquids and other ingredients with a spoon.
- Freezing the scones before baking allows you to bake fresh scones whenever desired, ensuring the best texture and flavor.
- Use cold butter and avoid overmixing to ensure flaky layers in the scones.
- Make sure to cook the bacon to a point where it is crispy but still slightly flexible to retain texture inside the scones.
Keywords: overnight scones, bacon scones, white cheddar scones, savory scones, breakfast scones, make-ahead scones