Checkmate. Game over. I own your pawns. Your king is crying. I took your queen, covered her in butter, and baked her into the best biscuit to ever exist in the world (alongside these Caramelized Mushroom and Onion Biscuits). Aaaand that’s all I know about chess. I’m spent.
This weekend was heavy on the brain and on the heart. Really, the only thing I wanted to do was pray, binge on a Jersey Shore marathon, and eat boxed macaroni and cheese. If those three things sound at odds with one another… well, they are… and I’ll accept your judgements and criticism.
During this weekend’s trip to the coffee shop I spied a little feta and chive scone in the pastry case. What? More carbs!? Gimme. It was love at first sight… and I was positive I could make a better home version (and then eat two-five scones fresh out of the oven).
Sunday morning, with the flavor combination still on my mind, I whipped up my own scones. I brewed up a pot of coffee while the scones were in the oven and, um… these scones blew me away. Fragrant, salty, and so tender I almost cried in my coffee (ok… I totally cried in my coffee). Comfort carbs. Thank you.
We are no strangers to buttery scones around these parts. We’ve done this before.
Sometimes I call them biscuits. Sometimes I call them scones. My allegiance lies, not in their name, but in their buttery goodness.
Cold butter is combined with flour, a little bit of sugar, leavening, salt, and coarse black pepper. This time we’re using cold sour cream instead of buttermilk. The sour cream makes for beautifully tender (like…. blow-your-mind, whaaat!?) scones.
Cold butter is broken up into the dry ingredients. I do this with my fingers though you can use a pastry brush if you don’t like getting your hands dirty. I get it. No biggie.
We’re going to add an egg with a few splashes of water along with our sour cream. The mixture will come together into a shaggy dough.
Heaps of chunky sheep’s milk feta cheese and chopped chives are added. Good things follow!
Shaggy is good. Aggressive use of cheese and chives are better.
Making scones on a rainy day makes them taste better. It’s not a proven fact, but I’m willing to bake and bake, and taste and taste to really get to the bottom of this.
These might look like they’re ready for the oven but ooooh no. Enough is never enough.
Before baking, we top the biscuits with a bit of egg wash, coarse sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and my happy happy secret weapon: smoky paprika.
All of these little flavors take these scones over the top FOR REAL!
Don’t you just want to pick these up, peel them apart, and shove them in your mouth? Answer: (enthusiastic) YES!
This picture should be evidence enough. These scones are tender and flakey! The flavor of onions is fragrant and savory. The feta cheese is salty and super alluring. I also love the added flavor of the smokey paprika on top. These scones are everything they need to be, and the perfect companion to hot hot coffee. I love you. Eat carbs like you know what’s up.
Feta and Chive Sour Cream Scones
makes about 12 small scones
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons cold water
3/4 cup sour cream, cold
1/3 cup chopped chives
3/4 cup big crumbles of feta cheese
1 egg beaten for egg wash
coarse sea salt, cracked black pepper, and smoky paprika for topping
Place rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black pepper. Cut in butter (using your fingers or a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles a coarse meal. In another bowl, combine egg, sour cream, and water. Beat lightly with a fork. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft and shaggy dough. Add the chives and feta and dump mixture on a clean counter to knead the dough together. The mixture will come together in about 10 to 15 kneads.
Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or cut into 2ร2-inch squares. Reshape and roll dough to create more biscuits with excess scraps. Place on prepared baking sheet, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, black pepper, and smoky paprika. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve warm. These biscuits are best eaten the day theyโre made, but will last up to 2 days.
193 Responses
These are terrific, but 2 cups of flour worked better for me. No need for the sugar. In one batch, I used chopped fresh rosemary and the green part of green onions finely chopped.
These are my favorite biscuits of all time. I donโt remember the first time I made them (I want to say it was 2012-ish?) but they are perfection. I only make them a couple of times per year but am always delighted when I do. Great flavor combination, beautiful, forgiving dough. Whatโs not to love?
love these! any tips on freezing the ‘raw dough’ and then pulling them out to bake? added time? temperature difference? Thanks!
Shame there are so many comments but none from people who actually made these scones. Anyhow, thanks for the recipe… I tried it out… have to be honest I did exactly what the recipe says except maybe I did not put as much chives as it says therefore it is slightly tasteless… otherwise it is looking just like on the photo and it is quite nice…
Bach is definitely more than for 12 small scones and maybe here in the UK the ingredients are a bit more wet I had to add more flour as the dough was way tooo sticky first… overall nice recipe! Thank you!
I make these scones frequently. love them when warm w butter!
Oh. Em. Gee. These were delectable! I used this recipe as a base — I used a little more water and sour cream because the dough was a little too dry to come together, and I didn’t add chives because I didn’t have any. Also, I had a package of the basil flavored feta, so I figured that would be enough. I used a food processor to cut in the butter.
I also brushed the top of the biscuits with buttermilk instead of egg. I like the fact that the milk gives the tops color but keeps them more tender. I use smoked hot paprika a lot, and it was a pleasant addition, but not my favorite application of the seasoning. I think herbs would taste even better, but I’m afraid they might burn.
I cut mine into squares rather than cutting into rounds. Less effort. I froze most of the batch because it is just my husband and I.
They rose beautifully — Some of the tallest biscuits (erum…scones) I have ever made. The feta was very subtle. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender and surprisingly fluffy and light, considering all the butter. Husband approves.
I served these with pasta, but I am thinking about making sliders with italian veggie sausage and spinach.
So did anyone else actually make these scones?
Yes, I did!!! They are nice. I did not put as much chives as the recipe says so probably for that reason it did not have a strong taste but it was still lovely. I am planning to make them again tomorrow. I normally don’t like scones once they are a day or more old but this one was still nice even
a couple of days after.
awww…your top photo makes me wish i could go to craftsman and wolves.
Here in Hungary they call these salty scones Pogรกcsa, and you can get them in the traditional flavors (potato, bacon, cheese, cottage cheese, pumpkin seed) everywhere! But feta and chives is a great addition :)
Um, my mouth is watering and my stomach is demanding that I feed it these immediately. I guess I’m going to have to go grocery shopping…
Oh my! I made these and they were fantastic!!! I didn’t have chives so used green onions, so the bits were bigger, but still got that oniony flavor. I love them for breakfast!
I would like to make these scones what substitutes can l use for the sour cream
SAN.
I just made these right now, and–wow–I think they’re the best biscuits I’ve ever made. Soo much flavor up in there. The smoked paprika is totally something I wouldn’t have added, but made them next. level. I can’t even. I only baked one for myself, but it was so good I’m preheating the oven again to bake up another. YUM!
I totally call these biscuits but I think you’ll probably forgive me for that. I’ve made them a few times now and they’re delicious! I’d made cheddar biscuits before but it was hard to get the cheese flavour to come through. These feta biscuits have little nibs of salty feta in them and they’re perfect! Thanks Joy!
These scones are perfect for breakfast!! I’ve been making a batch, cutting them into individual servings, and then freezing the portioned, raw dough. Then every morning I pop one into the oven, fry an egg, and I have an easy, quick, and super filling breakfast. I love this recipe.
Those are ridiculous!!! So talented! Can I nibble on one right this very second? Warmest, Nic
Joy, your name is very fitting. These scones look joyous.. and amazeballs.
I’m glad you weren’t called amazeballs.
What kind of soup should I serve with this? Is it weird to have it be a black bean soup? Or maybe I should try something different?…
Found myself with 32 scones instead of 12, yet I followed the recipe to the letter. Not going to complain, though: they turned out a bit lopsided but they’re so yummy!!!
Well hello deliciousness…I’m gonna make you, then eat you on Thanksgiving morning. Then eat you again.
Joy, I wonder if you would address the issue of using low-fat, skim, nonfat, etc. milk, yogurt, sour cream. I am always unsure what effect it will have on a recipe. Love your instructional posts, and the recipes are fabulous.
Three words. O.M.G. They just came out of the oven. UNBELIEVABLE! Super easy to make, make sure you have all ingredients measured and keep butter and sour cream in fridge til last minute. Mine looked just like the picture! Hint…make sure they are no higher than one inch or they topple over. THANK YOU!!
Can you freeze the biscuits before baking, if so, do you thaw them before baking or can you bake directly from the freezer.
made these yesterday… yummy yummy yummy!
I made these for a party and they were gone within the first 20 minutes. What awesome layers of savoury heaven. And so dang pretty too. Thank you for another winner Joy.
I’ve been drooling over these for months and finally got around to making them. SO delicious! Everybody devoured them within the day…I’ll absolutely be making them again.
These turned out AMAZING. Even better than I was dreaming they would be (and you had given these some serious hype). I followed your recipe exactly, minus the extra black pepper on top. Perfection!
I just made these last night! They were so good…not my idea or a dry scones! Loved the little pieces of feta!
I baked about 6 of these, and then cut out and flash froze the rest and put them in a ziplock in the freezer. Now, no matter how bad the day, I know I have biscuits in the freezer… And that makes all the difference!
Made these. Dynamite. My husband and I consumed all 12 scones in 24 hours. We both feel pretty guilty about it.
I found your website and this post yesterday, made the scones today. Wow! It is impressive that you can make even me seem like I know how to bake. Thank you!
WHOA. I just made scones for the first time the other day and loved them, but didn’t even think about making savoury scones (even though I like savoury things so much more than sweet). These photos blew my socks off, so just think how good the real thing would be! I am making these as soon as I can. I’m not going to be able to stop thinking about them until I do!
YOU. ARE. KILLING. ME! These look INSANE! love them :)
My last experience making scones wasn’t super successful – I wasn’t thrilled with the crumb and they were a bit dry. I’ll have to give it a second shot and try yours!
These sounded great, but for lack of feta and chives, I used goat cheese and caramelized onion… They were amazing! Everything I have baked using a recipe from your blog has turned out fantastic! Thank you so much! :) You rock!
on a visit to intelligentsia last week i spied- and tried- the same feta scallion scones you speak of. and you’re right- yours are way better!
I just made them, very yummy! :)
Made these tonight only instead of chives, used crumbled bacon. The smoky paprika and the bacon with the salty cheese….soooooo good. Thanks Joy!
GORGONZOLAAAAAA. Best scones I’ve ever made. Thanks for the recipe.
GOEGONZOLA. That is all..
Made these last night and they didn’t make it to today. They’re everything you say and more. I just shaped them into a “square” and cut into 12. Soooo yummy!
I think these would be even better with just the tiniest bit of garlic powder dusted on the tops as well!
Ah these are beautiful! Carbs are a girls best friend! I love how much these rose, they look perfectly flaky. I think I need to make these for dinner tonight…
Just made these and can I tell you, these are a wonderful way to start off the new year. Thanks, Joy!
I made these with a gluten free flour mix and they turned out *amazing*!! A perfect compliment to Christmas dinner- the seasonings on top took it over the top! thanks so much!
Could you pre-make this dough and freeze until ready to bake?
yes indeed!
Happy Holidays! Tis the truth, I really can’t produce too much in the kitchen….burnt out raising five kiddos. BUT, I am proud to say I made your feta-chives scones for Christmas Eve and your Chai Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas brunch the youngest two were home along with my husband.
Wonderful gift from you to me a novice baker…….
Now, I look forward to going through your archives and baking/cooking some seriously delicious items throughout 2013! thank you very much Be Happy & Healthy in 2013!
Holly in Richmond, VA
Joy these sounds absolutely fab! I think i’ve overloaded on all things chocolate, peppermint and well christmassy the last couple of weeks so I’m in need of something savouring and this will do the trick :D
These look spectacular. Alas, my friend doesn’t love the feta, so I will have to make them when I’m not hanging out with friends.
I made these this morning. They’re so fluffy. They are the best.
Scones are a favorite in our house. I usually have several; varieties frozen, ready to be baked on a whim. I’ve done a cheddar sour cream and chive to serve with chili or soup, but I like the salty idea of feta. I’m going to whip up a batch today. This chilly weather is calling for some warm soups and scones!
I made these tonight to go along side with some great soup. They are so amazing!!! Thanks so much! =)
Wow. I just made this with goat cheese and green onion and they were amazing! Definitely the best biscuit I’ve ever made. Thanks!
Oh so much yum! As if they weren’t indulgent enough, I’m imagining them with some thin thin thin slices of smoked salmon heaped lusciously through the middle.
I just found your blog via 101 Cookbooks and OMG. I’m like a kid in a candy store. Great, great, great blog!
I just made these but used blue cheese crumbles and scallions instead as that’s what I had in the fridge, SO. DANG. GOOD.
Seriously.
Yum! I’m preggo and totally digging the savoury – these look like they’d totally hit the spot.
OMG! you are killing me! These look just mouthwatering!!!
Yup. These are definitely amazing. Hope you’re feeling better. In the meantime, let the carbs reign! And ice cream. Don’t forget the ice cream.
x Elena @ Randomly Happy
These are unreal! I am trying to control myself from eating the whole batch as I type this… (Pausing to take a bite) …. Yum, yum, yum!! Thank you Joy!
Another winner, Joy :) thanks for sharing
You nailed it with using paprika on these ones! I know my hubby would love these because he encourages me to put smoked paprika on everything…
These sound great! Do you think goat cheese might work as well?
This morning, while sipping my coffee -thing that normally is a pleasure- all I could think about was “Scones… scones…”
So, thanks a lot Joy.
;) S
You rock my cooking world! Hugs
OH MY these look super good! Might have to make them during the holidays!
and also, is it true that u can’t over knead the dough in scones? I read somewhere that it will cause them to be hard.
WOW! that looks soooo good.
really like the idea of smoky paprika (just bought me some :-) )
Can please, you tell me how much butter and feta needed in grams? (especially the butter)
these look amazing. i’m intrigued by the addition of smoky paprika. might take another step and sub a smoked cheese for the feta.
btw, did you get it at commissary? saw you mention it before and looks like it from the coffee shop photo. my “office” away from home as well.
please feel better soon.
Oh wow that’s a lot of butter for scones! I actually made some lovely buttermilk scones for breakfast this morning since I’m on holidays!
It baffles me why Americans call them biscuits though, here in Australia are cookies, you the the hard rectangle ones not chewy cookies! They sound really good though, and so moist with all the butter and sour cream!
yes. we Americas call your biscuits cookies.
This is a wow! Printed this out and plan on dazzling the Missus with these very soon! Thanks!
Writing Pad Dad
I love a good scone! This recipe sounds awesome!
Oh boy, my mouth is watering at the sight of these! YUM!!!
dude, i’m convinced! these pretty babies look amazing.
xo,
Ashley
My family doesn’t like sweet scones, I don’t know why because I really like it. So, I guess I can make this recipe for them, of course also for me because I love both version of scones….!!!
i really think they’ll love these!
Love your work! ;)
Comfort foods are all I want to eat these days, especially since last Friday. There are no words, really. I have a giant tub of sour cream in my fridge and now I know what to do with it.
i just made some blueberry scones this weekend and m craving these. Scones, buttery ones really blow your mind. I have same issue with carbs :( afraid to finish all my scones, i sent few away to my friend!
Looks delish! Do you think i could substitute Balkan yogurt for sour cream?
I am completely obsessed with feta….and scones. These will be made in the near future. I made apple and white cheddar ones yesterday!
Joy,
You are an absolute joy! I’m 76 years old, love to cook but hate to bake. BUT, I wouldn’t miss your blog for anything. You are a terrific writer as well as a creative, free spirit baker. Even though I don’t bake, I bought 2 copies of your book …1 for me and 1 for a friend and actually found some things athat even I might try.
Have a blessed holiday and joy. Joy in the new year!
Loretta
you are so kind, Loretta! thank you for the sweet words!
Ooooooh baby. I want to pile these with some roasted bell pepper, doused in olive oil. Tasty Tasty dinner, and vego!
Looks amazing! What can I substitute for the feta?
oh man, I totally needed these this week! Amongst all the Christmas sweet baking, these will be the perfect antidote :)
Sending love your way x
Sera
Those look fantastic! Happy Holidays!
ohhhh feta and chives sound so good together. i’m all about this savory scone, it’s pretty much a biscuit and i am totally okay with that!
Can I just say that I’m glad to have found someone that loves a good homemade carb as much as I do? These look fantastic.
Oh my word. Yes! Thank you for sharing this.
Love feta, love chives, love scones!
Ooohh. I want to try these. They look really good, and I’d probably eat like 2 or 3 in a sitting. I’m bad like that :P
Oh wow these look so scrummy! I’ve made cheddar and chive scones before, but not feta! I love feta so much though so really need to make these soon!
I found baking to be the answer this weekend as well! Something about baking up a storm with the anticipation of giving some of your favorite people some of your favorite treats, baked with love….it does a heart good. Catching up on Joy the Baker pod casts didn’t hurt either!
Man, I’ve been on a real crazy carb binge for 3 days now and these are just KILLING me. Would it be crraazzzyy to make a little sammy outta these with salami? I think I need help.
These look wonderful. I wish I wasn’t leaving in a few days and had to clean out my fridge so that I could make these instead. I’ll bookmark it for when I return!
My friend and I just made Smitten Kitchen’s scallion shortcakes over the weekend. I am all about green oniony things in baked carbs. I want these right now!!
these look great – simple and delicious.
Wow! Just wow. Perfect comfort carbs. Def needed this weekend.
Hi, Joy! I just recently started reading your blog. Wanted to tell you that not only are your recipes so mouthwateringly inspirational but your prose is also so beautiful and entertaining. I’m sure you’ve heard it before but I had to reiterate! Thank you for writing.
These look divine! Love the flavour combo. I ran into the comforting arms of carbs this weekend too – mine was a soda bread with cardamom.
Simple but they look so good! These would be a great alternative to biscuits for dinner or breakfast sandwiches. I think I might try these for Christmas.
Oh man. My stomach is now growling. I wish I could reach into the screen and eat one!!!
These look awesome! I love, love, love feta! And carbs.
Do you think there is a way to make the dough ahead of time and bake them up Christmas morning?
Hope your week has improved Joy. Thanks for this recipe – I’m totally inspired to make these, they look so easy and feta makes everything good. Oh – and for your UK fans sour cream is much easier to get hold of than buttermilk over here so thats a bonus!
No fair! No fair! I surrender! These sound so yummy. I love the salt, savory and buttery combination, But the recipe only makes 12. What are you (underlined, caps, bold) going to have? My daughter arrives from N.O. Wednesday. These will be waiting her…if there are any left. Thank you, dear heart.
I so want one of these. Now please!
These sound positively lovely!
Hope your days get better and I find baking takes my mind off my troubles. We had hospice come in for mom Friday, she is niney-six and her time I think is coming. But there are always miracles. Mom was a baker and when he was depressed she baked. Boy did she bake. So this morning before I go to the home I am baking her favorite Biscotti Vanilla Bean. My neice her first granddaughter made her favorite sugar sookie (140 to be exact). I guess we take after mom and yes it really does help. Have a good week. Paulette
My mother in law was much the same. Loved baking and cookies. Ma, as she was known, read cook books like some read romance novels. Her singiature cookie was a molasses ginger concoction that I think is so rich it is banned in 3 states. I hope to have it exhibited at the smithsonian soon. enjoy your time with your mother. I miss ma every time I bake up a batch of her ginger snaps.
I hope your heart lightens this week. Thank you for sharing such a special recipe.
They look so go I want to eat them off the screen. Guess it’s time to buy some feta which is one of my favorites.
YES. YES. YES. i will absolutely be hitting up the kitchen with these the next time i get set apart some time to do so. i would like to gobble these up immediately…
these look absolutely perfect! you can never eat enough carbs. carbs are awesome.
These sound like the perfect pairing to a sweet smear of onion jam. Thanks Joy!
Wondering if oat flour or ww flour would work as well……………….anyone have an idea?
Look at that biscuit height girl! I would love to make these into a breakfast sandwich sitch.
I used to make scones with my mum all the time as a child, haven’t done them in years. These look like the perfect specimen to surprise her with sometime soon. The texture does look beautiful. I remember making more crumbly ones, I really fancy trying these – must get the sour cream though, it seems to be an essential ingredient right? Will they freeze well do you think? Although maybe that’s a silly question. Scones straight out the oven are irresistible – there’d be none left…pinning for later – yum! :)
These look very fragrant and delicious. What about subbing yogurt, full fat, or a greek yogurt instead of the sour cream? I always have that in my fridge.
I used to make biscuits with yogurt instead of sour cream all the time. It works perfectly.
sounds great!
I’m sick and at home today. Absolutely sure I wound’t be able to eat anything ! … It was just before coming on your blog. I want scones.
You are a clever clever baker. I am loving this combo and might just try it. Also, you meant pastry cutter and not pastry brush, right? I want these for dinner.
Btw, after cutting out your scones, what do you do with the leftover pastry? Reshape it and cut out more? I’ve read some bakers say never to do that because those leftover scrappy ones would not rise as high. But to throw them away seems like such a terrible waste.
I hope you’re having a better week than weekend… but what a heavenly recipie to come out of it!
these look absolutely divine. thank yiou.
Dang, you’re a mind reader! I’ve just resolved to up my biscuit game and made a plain buttermilk batch this weekend. I was looking to upgrade to something with cheese this week – and oh, this is it. Comfort carbs, indeed – thanks Joy!!
Love these scones. I like to have something with a strong flavor in the morning with my breakfast to wake up my taste buds. Not those wishy washy cereal….
I don’t know why, but I never make scones. Bread, rolls, donuts, muffins, and everything else but I need to start making scones. Especially ones that look like this! They’re beautiful & fluffy and cheesy!