Green Chile Cheese Scones
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure.
Made with roasted New Mexican green chile and sharp cheddar cheese, these green chile cheese scones have a buttery, flaky texture and just the right amount of chile and cheddar flavor.
After living in New Mexico for 6 years, I can’t help but add green chile to everything! Even though I don’t like peppers, I absolutely love the smoky, savory flavor of green chile. If you’re a chile head like me, you’re going to fall head over heels in love with these cheddar scones!
Honestly, they taste like Cheddar Bay biscuits from Red Lobster, but they have that smoky chile flavor that takes everything to the next level. Since you just process everything in the food processor, they’ll be on your table ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes!
What are green chile cheese scones?
These fluffy scones are very similar to biscuits. They’re made in a similar way, except they’re formed into triangular shapes.
This green chile scone recipe is made by carefully incorporating butter into the dough to get the perfect flaky layers. The cheddar is blended into the dough as well to make sure every single bite is nice and cheesy. They’re such a great bread to make an egg sandwich or to dip into soup!
What you’ll love about these green chile cheddar cheese scones:
Equipment
You need very few supplies to make scones. I highly recommend using a food processor because it really simplifies the processor. You can also make these scones by hand, but they’ll take slightly longer.
- Food processor
- Half sheet tray
- Parchment paper
- Chef’s knife
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: You don’t need any fancy flour here. Just grab the all-purpose already in your pantry.
- Butter: It’s important to use very cold butter. I prefer to use unsalted, but you can use salted. Just reduce the salt below.
- Kosher salt: Since kosher salt has larger flakes than table salt, the two are not interchangeable. I recommend using kosher salt when at all possible.
- Baking powder: Double check that your baking powder is fresh to get a good rise.
- Onion powder: This is optional, but it adds a nice savory flavor that complements the cheese and green chile.
- Buttermilk: It’s standard to use either buttermilk or heavy cream for scones, and I prefer how buttermilk adds a light, tangy flavor and always get a good rise.
- Egg: This will help bind the dough together and get a nice rise, but egg is technically optional.
- Green chile: You need about 4 ounces of roasted green chile. This is as much as a small can or you can chop up freshly roasted and peeled green chile.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: My favorite trick is to shred a block of sharp cheddar using the shredded attachment for my food processor right before making the scones. There’s less mess and the cheese will be shredded almost instantly!
How to Make Green Chile Cheddar Scones
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add 4 oz of the cheddar, flour, salt, onion powder, and baking powder to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse 1-2 times to combine.
- Cut the cold butter into 1 cm cubes and add them to the flour mixture. Process for 5 seconds or until you have small pea-sized crumbles.
- Add the buttermilk, egg, green chile, and the remaining 2 oz of cheddar. Pulse 3-4 times until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overwork.
- Empty the food processor onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Knead the dough into a ball and press it down. Then, use your chef’s knife to cut 8-10 even slices. Separate the slices and distribute them around your baking tray.
- (Optional) Set the entire baking tray in the fridge and chill the dough for 20-30 minutes to get a better rise.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the bottoms of the scones are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the scones cool for 5 minutes or so. Serve warm.
Storing
Store leftover green chile cheese scones at room temperature in an airtight container, like a plastic tub or Stasher bag, for 2-3 days. Scones are best when made fresh, and the flavor and texture will change over time.
You can also freeze leftover scones in a freezer-safe bag for several months. Just let the scones thaw in the fridge before reheating by baking for a few minutes or microwaving for 30 seconds to one minute.
Serving Suggestions
These green chile cheddar scones are delicious on their own, but they really light up when you pair them with a savory dish. For example, try serving them like this!
- Slice them in half to serve with an over-easy or poached egg
- Make a breakfast sandwich with bacon, cheddar, and egg
- Serve with Dutch Oven Chili
- Dunk into green chile stew or posole
Tips & Variations
- Feel free to sprinkle the tops of your scones with extra shredded cheddar for a pop of color!
- For more chile flavor, add 1/2 to 1 tsp of green chile powder!
- If you like spicy flavors, choose hot green chile and add 1 tsp of red chili flakes for extra heat.
- To get the best rise, let the scones chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or so before baking.
- Add a handful of diced green onion, chives, or cilantro for a fresh herby flavor.
- Crumble up some crispy bacon and add 1/4 cup to the dough for a savory flavor.
- Feel free to roll the scone dough out and cut it into rounds for a biscuit-like shape.
- You judge the doneness of scones by the bottom, not the overall appearance. The bottoms should be golden brown before removing from the oven.
- Sharp cheddar cheese has a robust flavor that complements the chile better than milder cheeses. You can, however, use any melty cheese (mozzarella, Monterey jack, pepper jack, smoked gouda, etc.).
FAQs
Nope! I’ve made dozens of scones and have tried them both ways. Eggs are totally optional, but they can help hold the dough together and give your scones a nice rise. I find that if I don’t use eggs, I prefer to use heavy cream instead of buttermilk for a little extra fat.
Although you could add more, I prefer to use 4 oz of roasted green chile because it’s the same amount that’s in a small can and adds just the right touch of green chile flavor. You can always use more, but you may want to add an additional tablespoon or two of flour.
If you don’t have a food processor, you’ll want to follow a different method to make your scones.
Start by adding your cheese, flour, salt, onion powder, and baking powder in a medium sized bowl.
Cut the butter into small pieces and work it into the flour mixture like you’re making pie crust. It should be in small pea-sized pieces.
Add the green chile, buttermilk, and egg, then mix the dough until fully combined. You may need to use an additional tablespoon or two of buttermilk to bring it together.
Then, knead the dough into a ball, press it down, and cut it into 8-10 rounds before baking like normal.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this green chile cheese scone recipe, you’ll love these other options:
- Green Chile Egg Casserole
- Butter Bean Chili
- Green Chile Meatloaf
- Light & Fluffy Cheese Scones
- Air Fryer Cornbread
Green Chile Cheese Scones
Equipment
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper or silicone mat
- 1 Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 cup butter, very cold; cut into 1 cm cubes
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 4 oz green chile, roasted, peeled, and diced
- 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add 4 oz of the cheddar, flour, salt, onion powder, and baking powder to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse 1-2 times to combine.
- Cut the cold butter into 1 cm cubes and add them to the flour mixture. Process for 5 seconds or until you have small pea-sized crumbles.
- Add the buttermilk, egg, and green chile. Pulse 3-4 times until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overwork.
- Empty the food processor onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Knead the dough into a ball and press it down. Then, use your chef's knife to cut 8-10 even slices. Separate the slices and distribute them around your baking tray.
- (Optional) Set the entire baking tray in the fridge and chill the dough for 20-30 minutes to get a better rise.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the bottoms of the scones are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the scones cool for 5 minutes or so. Serve warm.
Notes
-
- Feel free to sprinkle the tops of your scones with extra shredded cheddar for a pop of color!
- For more chile flavor, add 1/2 to 1 tsp of green chile powder!
-
- If you like spicy flavors, choose hot green chile and add 1 tsp of red chili flakes for extra heat.
-
- To get the best rise, let the scones chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or so before baking.
-
- Add a handful of diced green onion, chives, or cilantro for a fresh herby flavor.
-
- Crumble up some crispy bacon and add 1/4 cup to the dough for a savory flavor.
-
- Feel free to roll the scone dough out and cut it into rounds for a biscuit-like shape.
-
- You judge the doneness of scones by the bottom, not the overall appearance. The bottoms should be golden brown before removing from the oven.
-
- Sharp cheddar cheese has a robust flavor that complements the chile better than milder cheeses. You can, however, use any melty cheese (mozzarella, Monterey jack, pepper jack, smoked gouda, etc.).
