Savory Scones (Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones)

When you think of the word scones you usually imagine sweet treats–lemon scones with strawberries, buttermilk scones with blueberries. . .and so on. These days, though, people are enjoying the ease of the scone with a savory twist and that’s just what this delicious recipe offers.

Why Make Scones Savory?

I’ve been on a roll making scones lately and was recently asked to make some for a high tea. I created several sweet treats but decided the party was in need of at least one savory one, as well.

That’s when I came up with the idea of doing a bacon, cheddar, and chive scone.

To create this recipe I turned to two of my earlier recipes: my Easy Buttermilk Scones and my Cheddar Bay Biscuits. I knew that my bacon scones would need to merge those two ideas into one.

Basically, I wanted something easy to pick up and yet hearty–a true breakfast treat that would also translate to a fancy tea party.

The History of Scones

Scones originated in Scotland in the 1500s and became the height of fashion in the 1800s in England. A friend of Queen Victoria’s, (Anna, Duchess of Bedford), popularized the treats. She enjoyed afternoon “light food” which included tea (of course) and scones or biscuits.

If you think about it, scones are very biscuit-like. They’re filling, but not in an over-the-top way. In other words, they hit the spot.

You can adjust the size of the scones by how you cut them before baking, so large or small. . .it’s totally up to you.

Ingredients for Bacon Cheddar Scones

You’ll find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make these tasty scones:

• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• full fat mayonnaise (brand of your choice)
• whole milk (or heavy cream)
• lean bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled
• sharp Cheddar cheese
• Bagel seasoning mix
• chives (or green onions, your choice)
• butter
• garlic powder

How to make Savory Scones

These came together so quickly and easily. I was happy about that because I made them on the morning of the high tea, knowing they needed to be made and served fresh.

First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Next, fry one pound of bacon. Drain and set aside to cool. Once your bacon is cool, crumble into pieces. (I simplified this by cutting mine up before frying.)

Using a cheese grater, grate your cheddar. (I purchased mine already grated.)

If you’re using fresh chives, this is the time to chop them and set them aside.

Combine all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.

Add the mayonnaise and half of the milk to the flour mixture, mixing well. You can use an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment. I opted to mix mine by hand.

Slowly work in the rest of the milk.

Now it’s time to add the good stuff! Add the cooled bacon, cheddar cheese, chives, and bagel seasoning. (That’s a whole lot of cheddar cheese. . .just the way I like it!)

Stir until incorporated but don’t over mix. You don’t want your savory biscuit dough to be tough.

Drop scone dough by spoonful onto a prepared baking sheet. (I used parchment paper.)

You might opt to roll your scones into a circle and cut them into triangles. This will require additional flour to firm them up and you’ll want to work on a floured surface as you shape your dough into a large circle and then cut into triangles.

Not me, though. I wanted mine to be more biscuit-like.

Melt the butter and add garlic powder. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones with the melted garlic butter. (Alternatively, you could use an egg wash if you prefer.)

Place in preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown.

I placed my scones in a basket and wrapped them in a dishcloth until I arrived at the tea party, at which point they were transferred to a pretty serving dish.

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Store in an airtight container or cover your serving dish with plastic wrap. I did some research to determine whether or not these have to be refrigerated (due to the bacon component). From what I could gather, they’re good for a day or two at room temperature but need to be refrigerated after that.

Me? I would refrigerate and reheat. Better safe than sorry!

What to Expect from these Savory Scones

These are a lot different from my sweet scones! They’re light and biscuit-like. The mayonnaise was the perfect addition! (I knew it would be, based on my Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipe.)

I could have “fancied” these up by shaping them differently, as mentioned above, but most of my other offerings for the tea party were fancy so I decided something rustic was more appropriate for my savory offering.

I absolutely loved the addition of the bacon. It offered a yummy crunch. And the hint of garlic was nice, too. If I make these again I might add even more garlic powder and more chives, too.

See this recipe at

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Variations on this Savory Scone Recipe

My mind is reeling as I think about other savory scone recipes. Here are a few ideas that come to mind:

• Pepperoni and Mozzarella. I mean. . .can you even imagine? Chopped pepperonis and mozzarella cheese in place of the bacon and cheddar? Yes, please!
• Hamburger and cheddar. Oh, yum.
• Turkey and Swiss. This would be an easy and tasty version!
• Check out this fascinating gruyere-prosciutto-and-green-onion scone recipe from Kitchen Confidante. It looks tasty!

Really, the possibilities are endless!

Speaking of possibilities, I’d like to leave you with one of my favorite verses:

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.