We’re solidly in herb season. For Mom, this means that the large pots of herbs on the back deck are baking in the sun and growing like weeds. For me it means getting big, fat bunches of dill, parsley, basil, and cilantro every week in our CSA. Yes, herbs can be added to almost any summer dish. And yes, there’s always pesto and chimichurci to use them up by the bunch. But it can be overwhelming to get through that many herbs before they start getting dark and slimy and before the inevitably guilt over wasting good produce sets in. So, we’ve created a recipe that uses a bunch of different herbs (the more the better!), thrown into one flavor-filled scone.
Mom went out and clipped parsley, cilantro, dill, chives and even a little rosemary and thyme for the batch we made. Not only do we love the taste of warm herbs and sharp white cheddar, we love the look too – flecks of bright green nestled into a cheesy, flaky scone. These freeze well, so you can make a batch or two and store them in the freezer for a weekend brunch or special breakfast.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, frozen solid
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup mixed chopped fresh herbs (your choice)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Grate ⅓ of the butter into the flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; toss. Repeating grating and tossing twice more. Using fingertips, work butter into flour a bit more. Mix in cheese and herbs.
- Mix sour cream and egg with a fork until smooth. Using same fork, stir into dry ingredients until large dough clumps form. Use hands to press dough against the bowl into a ball. (There may not seem like enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together. If necessary, flick a little water into bowl bottom to get the last bits to adhere.)
- Place on a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 7½-inch circle, about ¾-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut dough into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably silapat- or parchment-lined), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve—hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was just going to put the call out for herb recipes! I’ve got sage, thyme, rosemary and chives to use up. Can’t wait to try these!
These look so good. I cannot wait for my herbs to come in fully. This will be first up on the list of uses.
My son loved the scones! Thanks for the recipe! I’m a stay at home mom working on Univhers.com – please feel free to check out my site and share your recipes! I can also feature you as ‘friend of the week’ sometime.
Natasha
My friend made these for her bridal shower and they were SO good!! She didn’t have fresh herbs but substituted with dried basil and dried chives. Still amazing. I can’t wait to make these myself with fresh herbs, along with the BLT scones!!
What’s the best way to keep them fresh if I made the a few hours before my function?
I think scones are best served warm out of the oven.
I made these today and they were great! I had my mother over for tea. She said she would only eat half, but the other half was mysteriously gone before her tea was half empty! I used basil and lemon thyme from my garden.