I wore heels to the hospital when I showed up for my induction four weeks ago. Heels. And a sundress. Oh, and my mother and I decided to walk there from the doctor’s office, since it was such a nice day (we only made it ten blocks, but still). Heels. Sundress. A stroll on a lovely September day. I say this not to point out how ridiculous I can be — because really, I believe it points itself out — but to outline this thing I do where I get an absurdly ambitious ideal in my head and spend the rest of my time trying to close the gap between the dream and my reality.
Hm, perhaps that didn’t make much sense. Let me put it in food terms. Before I had the baby, I attempted to spend some time baking and stashing, no, not practical things like meals to save us from an endless rotation of diner eggs and takeout pad thai, oh please no. I made things like treats to woo extra-awesome care from labor and delivery nurses and granola bars that our families in the waiting room might enjoy and some date cake we could all enjoy with some fresh baby and coffee the next day. Like I said, absurd. I also imagined that we’d have an influx of visitors in the weeks after we took Jacob home, and realizing I’d have no time to put out my usual spread, decided to ambitiously bake some things we could set out as needed … like banana bread. And lemon cake. And scones. Except I only got to the scones. At least I picked good ones.
Enter the reality of life with a newborn and sure enough, baked goods are the last thing on our minds. And of course we’d forgotten that these scones were stashed them in the freezer until an unusually calm Sunday this past weekend when two friends came by to meet The Cutest Baby Ever Baked (an objective assessment, of course, especially once tiny, elbow-patched Fair Isle sweaters are involved) on Sunday and I wanted to find something — besides wine, that is — we could snack on. The pantry presented me with sorry options — wasabi peas, stale raisins, and half a box of Jelly Belly Sours, anyone? — but there in the freezer were these forgotten scones. I baked them still frosty until they were puffed, golden and made our apartment smell like a fondue pot (that’s a good association, trust me) and even though we were ridiculously overtired and even though the North Fork wine I’d been so eagerly anticipating only put me in a coma and even though Jacob managed to, shall we say Christen, the guest who had the misfortune to witness a diaper change (oops!) and perhaps this wasn’t the kind of calm gathering I had pictured in my late pregnancy haze, it was delicious and hilarious and I realize now that I wouldn’t want it any other way.
One year ago: Molly’s Apple Tarte Tatin and Cranberry-Walnut Chicken Salad
Three years ago: Classic Brownies and Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons
Jalapeño-Cheddar Scones
Adapted Peter Oleyer at Calexico Carne Asada in Brooklyn, via NYMag
It’s worth noting that I had my doubts about this recipe. This world is overflowing with terrible scones and after trying too many bad ones, I came to the conclusion that the only good scones — the only ones you should bother making or eating, ever — are these dreamy cream ones. However, this recipe manages to be different — it contains eggs! — and yet is still delicious but considering the possibility that there are two good scone recipes on earth makes my sleepy head hurt thus I will reconcile this another time. For now, know that these are good, very good.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick or 4 ounces) cold butter, diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggs, divided
1/4 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, diced
2 small jalapeños pepper, minced (I wimped out and used only one only to find my scones entirely heat-free)
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter and sauté the jalapeños in it until soft, about two minutes. Let them cool, then place them in a small bowl with the cheddar cheese and coat them with one tablespoon of the flour. Combine the remaining flour with the baking powder and salt. Cut in the remaining butter with a pastry blender, fork or two knives, until the butter bits are pea sized.
Lightly whip two of the eggs and cream and add to the flour-butter mixture. Using a wooden spoon, fold mixture until it begins to come together. Add the cheddar-jalapeño mixture to the dough and mix until everything is incorporated.
Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead gently for less than one minute. Pat dough out to a 3/4- to 1-inch thickness and either cut into 8 triangles or the shape of your choice with a biscuit cutter. Make an egg wash by beating the remaining egg with a teaspoon of water. Brush the scones with egg wash and place on a parchment-lined (or well-oiled) baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Scones are always best the first day.
Want to flash-freeze yours, as I did? Brief directions, here.
These look and sound delicious and your baby in that sweater is the most ridiculously cute thing I have seen in weeks! Congrats!
Yummy! I say good for you for being ambitious. It’s better than relinquishing yourself to what they call in the armed forces “the suck”.
I just bought a pint of the last-of-the-season hot peppers at the farmer’s market. You have wonderful timing!
GORGEOUS baby and photo. And these look more like busicuts…but thats a delicious thing. I love busicuts.
Oh, that adorable sweater. He may just be the best-dressed guy in the neighborhood.
I love how you’ve neatly you’ve cut up the cheese cubes. I so feel like making scones na. Going to grab my baking book for some sweet options!
Those look yummy! I’ll be making those with my next batch of butternut squash soup for sure.
I AM MAKING THESE! I would make them right now if I could! They sound so deliciously perfect. Yes, little boys always know the worst possible moment to let it fly. :) Hopefully your guest wasn’t too horrified. :)
On my baking list for the weekend, my gosh they look fantastic!
They look great, thanks for sharing. Give baby Jacob many hugs and kisses!
These look fantastic! Yum! And that baby of yours – come on!! He’s too much – how can you not be kissing that boy 24/7? Nothing makes my day like a new post from smitten – thanks so much for your wonderful blog.
As usual, look incredible!
Dear smitten kitchen…. it is about 4 days that I found your blog and I am very very happy… At first I would like to wish your “little cinnamon bun” wellness and happiness for all his life…
Secondly I leave in Greece and I boy, enjoy your cooking…. today I made your blueberry pancakes and in a split of a sec where all gone by my husband, my 12 year old son and my 20mos daughter. The recipe was excellent and I may say that also is excellent the way you explain the method….
I am very pleased to come across this blog…
And by the way, the images of this blog are also fantastic…
bravo!
I have to make these TODAY.
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I believe it is everything I love in one delicious package!
Haha, I curled my hair when I figured out my labor had started. I knew I wasn’t going to need to be in the hospital for a couple of hours so, I curled my hair. At 1 AM. And I wasn’t even inducing. If that’s not crazy talk, I don’t know what is.
On the topic of scones, Tyler Florence has some lovely, lovely lemon blueberry ones.
Oh these look fantastic! ps – I miss baby pictures, hopefully we can see more soon. :)
I love the picture of Jacob! :-) The sweater with elbow patches is so cute on him that it is almost off of the cutie-ness scale, but the scones are a welcome respite; they look fab! And let’s be honest: They’re bunches better than stale rasins. :-) Hee hee. Thanks for sharing!
Curious… do you include the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno when you mince them? Or do you take them out?
Pamela — I removed them but I was paranoid it would be too hot. Jalapenos range wildly in their heat. Best bet is to just try a nibble of one and get an idea of how hot it is, and if it seems too hot, remove the seeds or use less.
Oh this looks delicious!
Jacob is ridiculously cute.
yum! to the scones. . . adorable!! to that son of yours!
Jelly Belly Sours are an incredible snack, what are you talking about?! Why, I could subsist entire on those and a bottle of whisky… until someone found me in a whisky and jelly bean induced coma and took them both away.
But seriously, I am totally going to try these soon. I’m in the land of scones, now, if not so much the land of jalapenos, but why not combine the two? It’ll taste like home, only better.
Also, as your public, I request (nay, demand!) more baby pictures. Because I’m sure you don’t have other things to do, like take care of him.
looks fantastic! would love these with a little chili…
It is bordering on criminal on how cute your baby is. We are definitely in the territory of UNFAIR, having long passed the land of jealous. At least I can make me some scones.
The sweater made my heart ache…. I want another baby. Is three too many???
-A
We just finished our unit on quick breads. Will save this recipe for us to use next semester. But, in the meantime I will have to make them for my family. Photography beautiful as usual.
Okay so you know I’ve loved your blog since the first day I stumbled across it and we started the dialogue about my dominican pastelitos. BUT I can’t tell you how big of a smile I get when I see a new entry post-baby because I know I’ll see a bit of cuteness (that I don’t have to nurse or burp at 3am mind you) in each one.
These look amazing. I’ve been searching for a spinach and cheese scone recipe for quite a while. Do you think adding spinach in place of the jalapenos would work? There would be more spinach than jalapenos, so it’s not exactly an even trade and I’d be worried about all the extra moisture. Does anyone have any suggestions?
hey deb! that’s a handsome looking guy you got there… so much hair!!!
i heart savory baked goods. we love a corn/cornmeal/jalapeno and chive biscuits and this one…
i freeze scones and gourges all the time. people think i’m superwoman but i’m just prepared.
Deb, he is wonderful, and I just want to eat him up! My son had gobs of hair too – love the hairy babies. These days are tiring and difficult, but so worth it. You are doing a great job!
These look marvelous, and may I fully concur my objective opinion “You have the cutest baby. Ever.” I can remember that my baby brother delighted in ‘christening’ people…something about the open air on certain parts- made it happen almost every time! We finally learned to keep the new diaper ready as a shield, just in case.
Oh yum! This is the perfect cold weather treat. And you crack me up with your pre-labor “preparations”!
I really must make these! Two of my favorite flavors!!
Whenever I think of cheddar biscuits, it reminds me of the ones they have at Red Lobster. While I love the buttery, garlic goodness of them, I curse myself every time I eat them because I know how bad they are for me, and can only imagine the lard they put into them. These on the other hand, look amazing!
I do have to disagree with you on one thing though… how could you say that wasabi peas are a sorry option??? I love those things! :P
Yessss, I’ve been waiting for this recipe since I spotted the pictures on flickr. Huzzah!
Also, needs moar bebe pics, plz.
Mmm, those look scrumptious.
…But not as much as your little boy. Seriously, every time you post a picture of that frighteningly adorable baby, I melt into an incoherent puddle of girl. But, seeing as I’m far too young to bake one of my own, I’m just going to stick to the scones.
As usual, thanks for posting!
For some reason I have decided you are the type of person who watched Friends, when it was one. If I am correct then you must remember the episode when Phoebe says that she has two rules in life 1) never fool around with clients 2) always be prepared. To the latter she remarks, “I know its from the army, but it’s just good sense.” Well, it seems to me, Deb, that you too followed that good sense. You took the time when you had it and you’re not regretting it now are you? These scones sound unreal, it’s like math for me cheesy+spicy=good
Definitely my kind of scone!
please, i beg of you, keep it up with the gorgeous baby pictures. now that my Cutest Baby on Earth is a whopping 9 months old, i need to live vicariously through your teenty=tiny adorability!!
Ha Ha this is a funny post! Funny how mother/father HOOD is nothing like it looks on TV! I found that out REAL QUICK lemme tell you! Scones look yummy!
As much as I love your site and have had great success with many of the recipes, I now say food/schmood…just post pictures of Jacob!!
Isn’t it sad that I now skip right over the food photos in search of the baby!?!
These sound divine! I can’t wait to make them. I think they would pair well with a hearty fall stew or soup. Yum!
Those look super delicious, though I’m sure that eating these is not on the lose 10 pounds plan. I must investigate how small I can make them so they won’t be deadly to the waistline.
Oh my God, Jacob is adorable in that sweater! The elbow patches are really darling! And of course your scones look delish too. :)
All babies should wear adorable sweaters (not that they’d be as cute as Jacob…but they could try!) and these jalapeno-cheddar scones should be made often. :) Thanks for the recipe!
Scones? What scones? I only have eyes for the cute little guy in the red sweater!
Keep baking!
I just baked some scones yesterday with white cheddar and green onion. And since there can never be too many scones in one location, I’m making these tonight. Phoo, diet.
And ohmylord, that baby. Seriously. Thank you for sharing pics of him with us. His pretty little face makes my heart happy. :)
Deb, those scones would be PERFECT with a bowl of Texas chili…I have got to go make some RIGHT NOW.
The scones look like just the ticket to accompany a pot of white chili this weekend. And that Jacob is adorable in his little professorial sweater! (Though until I spotted that little link, I was worried that you were prematurely weaning us off our Jacob habit!!)
Thanks, Deb!
Mmm I was thinking about making jalapeno cheddar cornbread and I think these are in order too while it’s still chili season. And sometimes it’s nice being ridiculous like wearing heels on the beach because it’s your honeymoon and you’ll do what you want!
OMG that sweater and that face he’s making is just the cutest and most beguiling photo ever! I can see what you mean when you say you just want to eat him up! At first I was disappointed reading this post when no new photos of Jacob were showing, but figured out I needed to click through. Thanks for sharing your baby with us!
Yummy! I just made scones last week, just delish! Wish i had my camera fixed so i could have taken some pics. Your’s are mouthwatering!
Finally! Savoury scones! I’ve never understood the ones with fruit in them. Might as well have a muffin. I am totally making them this weekend. After your rosemary flatbread (a perennial request since I first made it) this might end up being my new favourite.
Question: How long did it take to bake them from frozen?
As a writing teacher and food blogger, the first line of this post may be the best “lead” I’ve yet seen…I’m going to show it to my students :) Beautiful post, as always. These look rockin’. I’ve been into soup lately, and these would be a great accompaniment.
Oh my, cutest little sweater ever! (on an equally as cute, little guy). Plus, those scones look and sound wonderful. It’s great to know they freeze well!
Yummy. Your post cracks me up. I don’t plan on having kids, but if I did I imagine I would take that approach.
Another hooray for savory scones. The ones filled with fruit surprises make me shudder.
i love seeing the blue tones in your photos. that new kitchen of yours makes for some prettie pix. xoxoxox Tracy
Mmm…can’t wait to make these!
those scones look so freakin’ good, i’m a sucker for anything with jalapeno in it!
on the subject of walking to your induction in heels, I drove myself to the hospital for my (scheduled) c-section when my son was born :) so i understand the crazy-ness of it all!
Beautiful scones. I love cheese in flaky biscuits! Really, what’s not to love?
Jacob in that sweater is amazingly adorable. WHO creates the tiny elbow patches for these tiny sweaters?
I can’t wait to give this a try! super delicious looking~
Im drooling!!!!
Oh nom. NOM NOM NOM!
I make cheddar dill scones frequently but I wouldn’t have thought about jalepenos. Brilliant idea. Thanks!
Forget the recipe! (I actually won’t, sounds great!) But that Jacob is absolutely adorable! And relaxed and posing in a beautiful sweater! Does he ever cry?
Kristina — “Does he ever cry?” Bah! Hoo hoo hee hee.
My favourite kind of scones!
Delightful explanation on trying to close the gap between your dream and reality, by the way. :)
Hello :)
First time to comment here. love your blog and your new baby too, so cute!! :)
on scones.. love the addition of jalapeno peppers, what a great idea!
These looked so good that I ran to the grocery just before they closed to pick up jalapenos and heavy cream so I could make them tonight. They’re baking now and they smell delicious! 10 more minutes….I don’t know if I can wait.
Do you know if it’s possible to substitute buttermilk for the heavy cream? Or maybe yogurt?
I just made a batch. Cooked one in the toaster oven in my apartment, flash froze the rest. I’m surprised it came out really well! I’m going to make the rest fresh at my parents’ house and surprise them, I can’t wait. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Omigosh – I totally understand the gap between dreams and reality. I, too, wore heels to the hospital. Although I wasn’t induced – I was just firmly convinced that I Was Not Having Baby Today.
I wish I had this recipe then,; not 8 days after the Birth, my husband looked at me with those wide, hungry, “feed me,” eyes. He has many good qualities … and cooking is not one of them (Once got flustered and very frustrated at me for “tricking him” by telling him to “throw a pat of butter” in the sauce. Apparently Software Blogs don’t explain “pats of butter”).
I wish I had these scones to throw in the oven that afternoon. I agree, most scone recipes are not worth trying! These look like a keeper. (Kinda like that new resident with cinnamon-swirl hair)
PS: Congrats :)
First post without Jacob in it! I miss him, we need some more pictures of your adorable baby boy.
But these look fantastic and so up my alley! Thank you again for another great recipe.
I’ve never made a scone, but these? I bookmarked them before the screen had even fully loaded. Must make these immediately!!!
Wow! These look so great! Only tried scones from the local bakery. Can’t wait to make my own spicy ones!
Ah, I love a savory scone!
And I love a little baby with a full head of hair!
These look so tasty.
You’re so kind to be baking and sharing recipes with all of us while you adjust to life with your precious parcel (he is adorable – just don’t let my little guy know I said that!).
Aren’t we insanely stupid when we are pregnant. I made sure to have a pedicure before I went in to labour – so far from my mind were my toes that day. I think it’s all part of the fun though. The memories of what we thought life would proceed as are precious. I love your blog and these scones look damn tasty!
Hi, first time commenter. I’ve been a longtime fan and scan your archives constantly and have been trying to decide which scone recipe to make. I just have to ask, what about the North Fork Scones? you loved those too! have you changed your mind about them? I’ve been torn between those and the dreamy creamy and now of course these!
I am in the cohort of the fellow commenter above that mentioned how she now scans every post looking for a pic of Jacob before going back to start the recipe. I was at a Seattle dinner event last night and a fellow diner and I were chatting about Orangette (Molly) opening Delancey which then lead to us chatting about you, Deb. We then giggled in delight over talk about how far you have come on here since your days before your delightful hubs and now this scrumptious baby. I am a long-time reader and commenter and I can’t thank you enough for giving me and a strangers that I meet something to bond over at the dinner table. You do great work, are a delight to follow and your lightweight humor reminds me of how human we all are. Thank you!
These look awesome and though it’s still 88 and steamy in Hong Kong, I am cooking chili and these scones on Sunday. And just so you know you aren’t alone, I decided the day before I was induced with bambino #2 that it was an excellent time to install a dimmer switch in the babies room of our pre-50’s era house. My mom tried to dissuade me, but I felt it HAD to be done. My husband came in from work to find me enormously preggers with a screwdriver in my hand, switchplate off, ready to go. At least I did turn off the electricity first. At the time, it made SO much sense!
These are certainly a far cry from the scones I grew up with – English style with jam (must always be strawberry) and cream. I will give these a go sometime just for a change, think they would make a nice addition to a brunch table. I’m sure you will post some updated recipes of precious Jacob soon, he must be changing and growing already.
Where are the baby pictures? Regardless, these scones look delicious! What a wonderful savory breakfast treat. I can’t wait to give these a try!
Perfect timing! I have a housewarming party to go to next week and I’m SO making these, yum!!
Jacob is the cutest newborn ever, and that sweater…aaaaaww
the baby in the fairisle sweater – why would you do that to a woman who has finally convinced herself she doesn’t need a third child? Why?
These look yum! Two recipes worth a go, these ones http://www.masterchef.com.au/date-and-lemon-scones.htm and David Lebovitz’ cherry and white chocolate ones.
Very lovely. I will be making this the next time a make a big bowl of chili. Wonderful recipe.
Hey Deb, just wondering if you would use chili peppers or cayenne peppers instead. My husband had three plants of each this past summer and grow over 100 peppers of each kind and I am trying to figure out what to do with them all.
PS – love the blog, I read it all the time, your baby is so sweet
I had scones only once, they were so dry and chalky I never ever tried another one….
hummmmm….. now I wonder :-)
your baby is just the cutest thing!
i will try these scones, love love love your site….
As a long-time nanny and newly-minted postpartum doula, I consider myself an expert in the field of baby-adorableness, and I can officially say that yours, especially in that FREAKING CUTE sweater! is definitely the cutest baby ever. :)
Thanks for sharing. We have a lot of jalapeno cheddar cornbread down this way in Texa, but I had not thought of doing a scone. Great idea. My friends will so impressed. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great writing and work you do.
Yum! These look remarkably like biscuits posing as scones, but I don’t care…jalapeno plus cheese automatically wins me over!
Can you give me some tips on how you made these scones ahead? I am a new mom myself and always imagined myself donning an apron and baking goodies! I would love to make these scones and stash them away in a freezer.
Thanks
Amy
As an over ambitious gardener and lover of hot peppers, I stashed a rather large supply of jalapeno peppers in the freezer this year; my plants are still producing and I am certain I will have enough to last me through the winter. Thank you for posting such a delectable recipe, one that I will certainly be trying this weekend to put those brilliant peppers to use!
NOTE OF CAUTION TO ANY JALAPENO CHOPPING VIRGINS! Wear gloves! I made these delicious scones last night, but didn’t know I had to wear gloves b/c the chef’s on tv never do! Well normal people have to or it will hurt. Badly. For HOURS.
In other news, the scones were awesome and I served them with chili — huge hit!
Deb, did you have any problem with the cheese causing them to burn on the bottom a little, even with the parchment paper? I did. Wondering if you have a trick.
The last line is the best; I love how you always not only make peace with whatever is going on but embrace it. btw how did an ad for a free bible from the church of latter day saints get on your site? Is that a paid ad? Kind of um, strange to see that here.
Deb. He seriously is the cutest thing since sliced bread. WOW. The scones look great too. I am going to try them. Especially the freezing part, guess I will need a double batch.
I really want a baby now but too old and my son is not old enough to provide grandchildren. So I will settle for the scones and pictures of your boy.
Elbow patches on the cutest sweater on the adorablest baby = my week being made. Thanks Deb!
Also, the scones look delicious, and as I’m a big fan of jalapeno corn bread, and scones, I can imagine these being delicious.
A savory scone! Delish! This is very similar to the scone recipe I’ve adapted from Ina Garten, except I substitute buttermilk for the cream and form the dough into two disks, freeze till firm, and cut into six triangles.
Congrats on the scones, and the cute little muffin!
Well, I guess I’ve been unfortunate in that all I’ve apparently ever had were bad scones. I do not get the excitement they stir in so many people. The ones I’ve tasted have just tasted like either a biscuit or a shortcake with stuff in it. They were dry, flourly and tasted predominately of baking powder and salt with a sweet back note. The “stuff” in them was dried out and chewy. At least this recipe has cheese and fresh jalapeno pepper in it that couldn’t possibly taste dry.
I don’t know, Deb, it looks like a biscuit with stuff in it to me. I’d be more inclined to make a savory cobbler with this dough..like over a root vegetable casserole! Mmm..that sounds like a much better use for this dough!
Drool. I need these. I need these right now. Well, in all honesty, I’m going to make and freeze them so that I have them on hand when placed in similar situations or when I have put off shopping because life intervened, as it often does with four kids, and those aforementioned children are angry and upset that I served them a meal that did not include a side of bread, which may have happened yesterday. This will be my answer. Thank you.
And that little boy you have? He looks cute enough to eat, as always. I want to come and just give him a little squeeze and smell his head.
I think of myself as an expert scone maker. I love to cut them thick and I usually bake mine frozen (take out of freezer, preheat oven and put in — perfect) and they come out perfect. I always use my fingers when I make scones — for the butter cutting in part. I love savory scones and will definitely try these. I have a recipe I call “the best scones recipe, ever” and I have started using one basic recipes for whatever scone I want to make — chocolate chip, coconut, black walnut, dried cherry. Your scones look yummy.
Wait..no baby pic? Ahh
Those scones look yummy. I just made jalapeño cheddar cornbread.
Re “Christening” the diaper change watcher. There are two lifesavers for the boy changing table. One: what they call “Lap Pads,” which are little squares of waterproofish material. I guess they are supposed to be for your lap, but really, I always used them in the tush area of the changing table so that if there was, um, poop spillage, it would go on the lap pad and the whole changing table cover didn’t need to be changed. Two, get a huge bag of little cheapo baby washcloths. Drop them on the winky (what my boy named his) while changing. It keeps him warmer, making him less likely to squirt, and if he does anyway, the washcloth gets it, and not the grownup near him.
Good luck! The scones look amazing. I’ve never tried making them but I am now!
These look amazing!! With a nice pinot noir, yum. Where is the photo of Jacob in the sweater?! I must see the cuteness!
Yayyyy! I’ve been waiting for the recipe. I’m making these tomorrow! :-)
Tried these with a mixture of yogurt/milk instead of the heavy cream (didn’t have that handy), and they turned out GREAT! Tender, rich and moist. They were excellent fresh out of the (toaster) oven, but weren’t so great (though still nice) later that day. Definitely best fresh.
I don’t know how you manage to write a whole post with that little one occupying your attention, but your loyal fans are thankful!
Great post, but where is the baby picture?
First post ever – I think I’ve read ALL your blog EVER but within 48 hours… am like a girl possessed… And there’s a baby – incredible!!! But I was very sad that the baby picture with this magic jumper has vanished?
When my wife went into labor with our first girl, some 26 years ago, it was 3 AM. We stopped at a donut shop to buy donuts for the nurses. She still kids me about taking too much time selecting the donuts while she was in labor in the car!
Savory scones are great – our local hangout makes a great Bacon – Gruyere scone that I allow myself to eat about once a month.
I think I just gained 10 pounds just from reading this post! Mmmmm… cheddar and jalapeno scones!! I’ll be making these soon!
Oddly enough, we bought these at the market the night before receiving your recipe, but that didn’t stop us from making them. Like you, neither of us had much success with scone recipes, so we were beyond excited to hear you rave about them. Let me rave too! They were fantastic. We upped the jalapeno ante to four and they were still pretty tame, with just enough bite. Thank you for another incredible meal!
aah! that scone is making me droool!!!!!!! I am so trying this one out!
To all the people asking about the baby picture: click on the embedded link (Cutest Baby Ever Baked) in the text.
To Deb: Truly, Jacob is the cutest baby ever baked. Love your blog, love your humor, love your cooking. Thank you for brightening my day :)
As it so happens, my very first three home-grown jalapeno peppers will be ready for picking tonight! I feel like I blog so much about recipes I find here, that I’m basically ripping you off, but how can I NOT MAKE THESE? They look phenomenal. Your dishes are a real inspiration to me. Thank you so much!
Oooh, these look amazing. I just made some pumpkin scones the other day and they were delicious. I’ll have to try these – I don’t think I’ve ever had a savory scone.
mmmh, savory scones. i got hungry reading this post.
i have to say that i am amazed that your visitors drop by empty-handed. it would never occur to me (or anyone i know) to visit a brand-new-baby-household without bringing something to nibble on, so that the new mama doesn’t have to run around…
Did I suggest that our friends drop by empty-handed? I hope not. No, our guest spoil us rotten. But I still itch to be a good host, or you know, back to my normal ways.
I’m always looking for good scone recipes, so I’ll give this one a spin. I’m sure the hubby will enjoy the flavors with his next steak.
I’m demanding these for dinner tonight to go along with potato and black bean soup.. I can’t wait!
Hi Deb,
I absolutely love your blog and recipes!!
However, I have a question. I am a vegetarian and do not eat eggs too.
Is there any substitute for eggs in your recipes( for e.g . in these scones or your awesome cake recipes)?
Thanks in advance!!
Oh, i almost forgot to add…….jacob is SO cute :)
Um, I have to admit the lack of baby pic in this post is a disappointment :)
They are now the best part of your site! Great recipe though…will try tonight!
Oooohh.. these are my favourite type of scone, period. You’re killing me. I recently moved to france to study and my tiny, tiny little french appartment has no oven. 2 sketchy burners and a microwave but no concievable way to bake.
Is there any way to make oven-less scones? Or any sort of baking?
ps. Congratulations!
The recipe sounds delish — but ohhh, that BABY!!! He is too adorable for words (wee, little, tiny, elbow patches, O.M.G) And, I am so jealous about all his hair. My daughter didn’t have that much hair at age 2!
so, I’m going to attempt to make this more healthy. I was thinking of 2 egg whites + 1 full egg; take down the butter experiment with the super soft tofu (http://www.maangchi.com/wp-content/uploads/ingredients/softtofu-775168.jpg) to make a whipped egg concoction (maybe flavor with rosemary and thyme); and maintain the cheddar and peppers. any other suggestions?
Oh those look scrumptious! I am 20 weeks pregnant, and all I want to put in my mouth are carbs and cheese. Not to mention this whole not-drinking-wine-for-9-months is driving me slowly insane. I told my husband he’d better bring something with him to the hospital!
Well I’ll say…looks good.
I”m bummed. I don’t have a picture of Sweet Baby Jacob in a cute sweater!! Boo , hiss! And you in HEELS and a sundress. You are amazing. The scones look delish but I don’t do anything that has the words dough, knead, etc in the recipe. I’ll just enjoy yours via your fab photos.
V
Hi Deb! I’m looking at what I have on hand to make these. Could I use full fat buttermilk and canned jalepenos instead?
P.S. I must say that Jacob is one of the cutest babies I’ve ever seen. Thanks for posting pictures and congrats!
deb- very glad you are spoiled rotten by your guests. sorry for the slight misunderstanding.
A savory scone after my own heart! I have a jar of jalapenos I need something to do with, this is perfect!
Im pretty sure jalapeno-cheddar anything is amazing. If only putting a slice of cheddar on a raw jalapeno would do the trick..
Cosmic convergence! Stumbled upon your blog after having just pre-made (for tonight’s dinner) a batch of the Barefoot Contessa Chicken Chili…went to bookmark your site from the front page and voila! Jalapeno-cheddar scone recipe staring right at me!! I’m wolfing it down with the chili as I type and all I can think of is MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN! Thanks so much!! You’ve got new devotees in me and the five kids!!
OMG you are so amazing to do all this with a newborn! Love your blog, and your food, and cutest baby ever! Good luck!
Oh geez, I totally know what you mean with the “absurdly ambitious ideals.” I always get these grandiose ideas that I make myself (and my husband) miserable trying to live up to, but I just can’t give up on them even when I realize how ridiculous I’m being.
Speaking of multiple great scone recipes, your cranberry scones started a whole phase for me where I’ve eaten some type of scone almost every weekend for the last year. Those were always my favorite (great with rhubarb too, by the way), until I tried the buttermilk scones from Tartine’s cookbook. And now…I just don’t know! Both recipes are fantastic!
Gah! Such baby cuteness! And such yummy recipes. I just made quiche lorraine a couple of days ago and now I’ll have to do scones. Sigh. I cannot believe how together you are to even post at this stage. I could barely manage to take a couple of pics of my cinnamon swirl boy. But baking as well – even from the freezer. I won’t tell you how many kitchen catastrophies I had in my son’s early days…..You are amazing.
mmmmm… savory scones :)
the combination sounds awesome. I was desperately looking for something to stash in the freezer for unexpected guests and this sounds like it might just be the thing…
thanks!
Maybe I’m crazy, but I love the dried out, chalky scones! I hate it when they’re bread-like and chewy. I want them to be dry, crumbly, flaky, and waiting to be dipped into or eaten with a hot cup of coffee… yum.
Every recipe I’ve tried is chewy and cookie-like. The same goes for biscottis. I think they should be drier, just my personal opinion. Is your ‘dreamy cream’ recipe drier?
Just made these and they are fantastic!! Thank you!
These look delicious. Will try them this weekend. My husband is a huge jalapeno fan. For him, the hotter, the better!
Buttery treat of delicious. Thanks so much!
Made these last night to go with a big pot of chili — so good!! Since it’s just my husband and me, I baked four and froze the rest for later.
I had one problem, though. I used a biscuit cutter for the scones, but as they baked they oozed out of their little round shape and turned into blobs. They were still tasty, but they looked more like drop biscuits. How did you get yours to keep their shape? Did I let my dough, specifically the butter, get to warm? Thanks!
Hi Deb,
Do you remove the seeds when you chop up the jalepeno’s? Additionally, when you freeze do you bake then freeze or just shape and freeze? I love, love, love your site and the new addition to your family is beautiful. Thanks
Lisa — I did remove them (see comment #21). I shape and freeze them unbaked. Scones taste best freshly baked, always.
Re the christening. I was given a 6 pack of pee-pee tee-pees when my son was a baby – I kid you not. They are little tee-pee shaped cones (made of flannel) in a variety of fabrics and designs that you plop over the christening device to avoid such occurances…..I have to say they were very cute (one was a clown hat design, one a christmas hat style) but most of the time the changing was done far away from them on the dresser and I just used to put the new diaper over my boy until the old one was wisked off and the new one in place.
He’s soooo cute! I love that little sweater! Oh, and the scones do look yummy especially with a nice glass of wine.
You haven’t been informed of the pee-pee teepee? =) http://www.bebabean.com/product/pptp/index.aspx
My current favorite scone recipe has eggs in it too–it’s one Martha gave on her show featuring England, called “Mummy’s White Scones” I believe. The eggs make them taste less biscuit-y to me, though still plenty flaky.
I forgot to make a Big Giant Note in the recipe about the “biscuity” and/or “baking powder-y” taste many people dislike in scones and biscuits. It comes from using a baking powder with aluminum in it, and it is entirely avoidable.
This is a great looking recipe! I can absolutely identify with the fondue pot association – yum!
I made these last night to crumble into bread salad as I’m going to be roasting a chicken tonight, Zuni Café style. Just wanted to note that I used two very spicy jalapeños, seeds and ribs included, and the scones came out pretty mild. The high butter and cream content, along with all that tangy sharp cheddar really cuts down the spice. I enjoyed the mild peppery flavor but if anyone wants to kick up the heat I recommend adding 2-3 teaspoons of chili pepper flake.
These look just amazing. I went through similar boughts of lunacy when I was pregnant with all 5! Just chalk it up to enhanced creativity!
Can’t wait to bake em, freeze em and/or smell em!
Hey, Deb, I luuuuuuuuuuv your blog. Anyway, I just HAVE to share this with you and everybody else here. Few days ago I made your ‘majestic and moist honey cake’, just because I like honey and it seems just perfect for my craving that day. I made three little loaf cakes and gave one to my husband so that he can share it with his colleagues at the hospital. It was a huge hit! Everybody went crazy about it and my phone can’t stop ringing from people calling me about the recipe! It’s official, that’s my favorite cake from now on! Thank you for sharing this one. I will make it again somewhere around Christmas time! Greeting from Greece!
They’re in the oven now and it smells like heaven in here! Thanks! You are an inspiration to this old lady to start baking again.
What a fantastic blog you have!
Those scones really do look GOOD- I love the chilli you’ve put in them.
Looks delish!!
Thanks so much. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for a long time. Problem has been that most people don’t really know how to make scones and they ended up like big (not very good) biscuits. I’m thinking of adding a little minced sun dried tomato to it to get really crazy. I have a feeling that this recipe will do the trick just perfectly.
P.S. You’re not the only person who did crazy baby cooking. I discovered a long time ago that the best gift for a new family is a freezer full of dinners. You can’t be expected to think about everyday food when your in the middle of something so magical! It’s perfectly normal to be dreaming of making lemon bars.
Yummers! Made these last night with dinner. Let me tell you, mine came out spicy and delicious. I used 2 peppers and the saute stage of this recipe had me and my boyfriend in a coughing fit. (No exhaust fan in teh apartment) We were BREATHING FIRE but it was worth it. These are great. In fact, I’m eating one right now. Thanks Deb! :)
I made something like this a few weeks ago using buttermilk and they were delicious
These look great. I love the combo of jalapenos and cheddar.
Oh, my … with patches on the elbows of his precious little sweater. Just too cute. I would say you and I were separated at birth (because of our ambitious ideas), but I am approaching 60 and it is not even a possibility! Love your site and that sweet baby.
The cheese looks so good all cubed up like that. I agree, scones are best the first day you make them – like biscuits.
This may seem like a silly question – and I apologize if its been asked before – but did you use salted or unsalted butter for the scones?
Also, in terms of babies “christening” during diaper changes, check out these things called pee-pee tee pees, they’re great!
Julie — Unsalted, but if you wish to have a little more salt in it, just use salted. Or use salted and halve the salt in the scones.
Definitely heard about, and had a laugh over, the PPTPs — but then I saw that they were machine washable. Ugh, NO.
always amazes me when i think about how i viewed things before vs. after baby. you know, how you thought things would be versus how they actually are!!! likely a lot more “flying by the seat of your pants” than you thought you’d be doing, but even with all the crazyness, you would not give up one moment of it.
you go girl! welcome to the crazy world of parenting!
Just wanted you to know that we are using your scone post as part of my class today. Thanks for the information.
OH. MY. GODDIE. truly, truly if i lived in NY or you lived in the midwest, we’d be BFF! am brand-spanking new to SK but HAD to make these scones this past weekend – i did bake the entire batch even though there is only my husband and moi sooooooo . . . had them for breakfast Saturday morning w/a sausage patty and a latte’; lunch w/a bowl of butternut-pear bisque, Sunday morning breakfast ditto of Saturday (even though i know they’re best the first day). Sunday we had to work off those so delish scones BUT we sliced them, added a bit of horseradish cream and a couple slices of the pot roast from Saturday’s supper and voila’ – a perfect fall lunch for hiking! needless-to-say, it was a PERFECT weekend!
I made these yesterday. Phenomenal! Sharing with friends and co-workers today. Everyone is impressed and delighted. Thank you again for such a great recipe!
I’m going to make and freeze these tonight – they look so delicious! I plan on using Cabot habanero cheddar and skipping the jalapenos (and thus skipping the sautéing and the extra pan). Cabot habanero is SO GOOD, but definitely not for the faint of heart! I can’t wait to try this, I think it will be just the right amount of heat when balanced with the all the butter and cream.
Did anyone else find these to be really salty?
I made these today. And flash freezed most, baking only 2 in my toaster oven so far. Yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
I made these for Sunday brunch and there were soooooooooo good. I have been making blueberry scones all summer and wanted to try something savory. I’m glad I did. This one’s a keeper. Hint: Whenever I need to add cold butter to a flour mixture, I freeze the butter first and when I’m ready to use it in the recipe, I place my microplane grater (coarse grate) over the bowl and grate it into the dry mixture. It incorporates so nicely.
I have two questions:
1.) Is it possible to use a food processor instead of a pastry cutter (Julia Child’s method and I had never made a successful pie crust untill I started using this)?
2.) Do you pop the scones straight in the oven from the freezer, or do you let them defrost?
Thanks!
You can use a FP; just be careful not to overly grind your butter. (I prefer the pastry cutter, but know it is not everyone’s thing.)
I bake mine right from the freezer. Just takes a couple minutes longer (no, I didn’t time it).
Made these yesterday after a few days of deep craving for them! I started in the morning but got distracted and couldn’t finish before work so put the dough, covered, in the fridge until the evening. They were easier to work with in the end and delicious to eat! Thanks for the recipe.
I tried the scones with my food processor and they turned out more like a biscut consistency. They were still very yummy though. I think i will go invest in a good pastry cutter.
Also, one note: when I made this, it took only 10 minutes in my toaster oven set at 400 degrees F. I guess it depends on the size of the scone too.
great recipe. where’s the baby?
Seems to be so tasty!yum!
I may not wear heels to the hospital when it’s my time to deliver BUT I’m doing my hair & make-up darn it :p And I love scones … I have no issues with the biscuity taste … make ’em cheesy or creamy or spicy … I’ll eat ’em all! Of course, this could just be my pregnancy hormones talking.
Those scones look great – but your son is the delicious one! Love that lil’ sweater…oh my goodness.
I made these last night for my spanish themed dinner party and they turned out FABULOUS, everyone loved them. I also stuck with 1 jalapeno pepper, but mostly because my eyes and nose were tearing/running. Thanks!
I just tried this recipe – DE-licious!!!!!
I’m an American transplant in Australia and before I got here what little I knew about scones was that they were these extremely dense, dry things that I would occasionally eat at a Starbucks. The only reason I ate them was I assumed they must be healthy, why would any one eat them otherwise, right? The five plus years I’ve lived here I’ve discovered scones are soft, flaky pastries that are best scarfed down warm, right out of the oven.
Classic scone recipes here have 1 egg in the dough. But there is a recipe from Bill Granger, a self-taught Australian cook/restauranteur, known for his simple delicious recipes that are easy to replicate. He has a recipe for what he describes as breakfast scones that have 2 eggs in the dough plus 1 for an egg wash. This recipe is exactly the same as the above recipe for the basic dough except for 1 additional of 1 tablespoon of sugar these are meant for breakfast. Our favorite variation is to substitute dates for the blueberries. Here is the link to the full recipe that also includes a video of Bill cooking the scones on an open camp fire! Here is Australia there is practically nothing that hasn’t been attempted on a “barbie.” http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/6871/blueberry-breakfast-scones
Yum! Looks like the perfect addition to some fall soups I have been looking forward to trying. Thanks!
I made these delicious scones a couple of weeks ago and wanted to chime in with a suggestion that, aesthetically speaking, they are better looking if frozen first.
Mine were a huge hit at a potluck dinner but in order to make them more pretty I sort of plucked off the lacey bits of cheese that fried to the pan. If they had been frozen first I don’t think the cheese would have melted as fast in cooking and the cheese fringe could have been avoided. Just an added bonus of the flash freezing, but only for looks. These are so good I don’t know if I could wait for them to freeze before baking them up.
Also, I used two jalapenos and they still weren’t spicey at all _ just a nice green chili flavor. Don’t be afraid to keep some seeds in if you want a little kick.
Yum!! Those look so good!!
I made these and they are delicious. I added diced ham about 1/2 cup to the recipe. Also, I can’t do dairy. I used manchengo cheese instead of chedder made of sheeps milk. For the heavy cream I put 1/4 cup soy and 1/4 soy cream cheese. Delish! Thanks for the recipe.
I just started reading Smitten Kitchen thanks to a friend who shared it, and I am really enjoying the inspiration you provide :) I just made this recipe, following your instructions to a T (well, except I didn’t shape them with a cookie cutter or anything…just used my hands), and they came out delectably! Thank you for the great recipe! And congrats on your handsome little cinna-bun!
Just got home after a cruddy rainy day, and my husband and are DEVOURING these with corned beef hash and eggs…looking forward to trying the cranberry and lemon scones recipe!
These look amazing.
L.O.V.E. your dark-background macros!!!!
We made these with a roasted Poblano pepper instead of the jalapenos and man, what a delicious recipe! These were definitely one of the pretties things to come out our oven recently.
I made these last weekend, and they were nothing short of divine. And for the first time in my baking life, I actually achieved the much-desired flaky, pie crust like tender texture that had thus far eluded me. These will be prominently featured next time we have dinner guests. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Hi! I made the dough for these on Tuesday and baked them up this morning. The only differences were I used three (red) jalapenos and made drop scones instead of rolled scones. They are so delicious! The texture is nice and tender and there is just enough cheese and a good amount of heat (three was a good amount). I haven’t used diced cheese before in a baked good–I usually use shredded–and I really liked how there were nice little nuggets of cheese in the middle. Thanks for the great recipe!
These were GREAT! I served them with chili 5 minutes after they came out of the oven and everyone was very pleased :)
I used 2 jalapenos and although they gave a nice flavor- there was no heat. Maybe I should have left the seeds in?
funny story…my sweet husband has decided to take up baking (for the most part with great success). He tried to make these this weekend but after 15 minutes in the oven they looked done but kinda weird. We took a bite, looked at each other, and started laughing- they were completely inedible. Clearly, he had made a mistake somewhere bc all of your other recipes we’ve made have been wonderful. After perusing the recipe I asked him what baking powder he used and he showed me the arm and hammer box…he didn’t know that there was a difference between baking powder and baking soda. We had a good laugh about it and he’s going to re-try this weekend with the correct ingredients.
Made a batch of these yesterday, to go with some creamy tomato soup – my wife and I both loved them. I actually used two whole jalapeños (inc seeds!) and to be honest they could have been hotter – but we loved them all the same…
Thanks for a great foodie blog!
hey Deb,
i’ve been surfing ur blog for quite some time now and have tried some of your recipes…they always turn out amazing! thanks so much!! I just tried these scones last night and they turned out great…i tried ’em with monterey jack instead and i think i might even go the route of serranos or habaneros the next time!
I made these this weekend, and they were just great! Everyone loved them! Thanks so much for sharing, and for the very clear and succinct instructions. I’m a complete baking novice- I mean, is there a word for pre-novice, even?- and was able to follow this.
Here’s how they looked (excuse the crappy Blackberry photo): http://www.zannel.com/viewupdate.htm?id=AW8TD
A couple of months ago I actually happened to have sharp cheddar and jalapeños around so I made a batch of these and froze them. I brought them to the coast last weekend for our dinner club getaway and OMG… they were soooo decadent. Everybody loved how perfectly flaky, buttery and cheesy they were, what’s not to love about that?
These sounded so good. Not spicy enough though – even with two big poblanos. And a little dry. I’d not make them again but am glad I tried.
I loved these! I made 4 batches for my sisters fiesta themed birthday. We were in Mexico the week before the party and it was great to make them freeze them and pull them out the morning of the party and have homemade warm scones for the party! I used 8 jalapenos (with seeds) and they had just enough kick! Everyone raved about them! Thank you!
I’m usually afraid of baking. It always comes out never the way I want it to, or the way it should. But I took a chance and made these last night with a lamb stew and they came out AWESOME. Thank you for recipe. I will be making it again.
Thank you for the recipe.
Like a few others, I found it not nearly spicy enough (and I included the seeds). However, my boyfriend loved them. Will be increasing the amount to maybe 5-6 jalapenos.
Thanks again.
Mmmmm….sounds like a great recipe! Reminds me of one that I found (and tried….and loved) that was in an old issue of Bon Appetit Magazine. Cornmeal Biscuits with Cheddar and Chipotle. I love cheese and spice combos when it comes to bread. I’ll definitely be making these scones!
Made these today on a cold, cold day here in Atlanta. They came out great and were the perfect treat to enjoy while I burrowed under the blankets on the couch!
Cheesy delight. It was so quick and easy to make. And made the whole house smell so warm and delicious. The only disappointing factor was it didn’t have enough heat for me. Might try using more peppers or spicier ones next time. Thanks for another go to recipe!!
I tried this recipe today — they are just wonderful! Beautiful texture. I used three jalapenos, and though the flavor was great, they didn’t have any heat. I think I may try again without sauteeing the peppers before adding them.
Truly, a lovely recipe. So glad I found this site!
These are outstanding. I used pepperjack cheese, cut them into rather small triangles and I can’t stop eating them, they’re so buttery and spicy and cheesy and divine.
What could be better than cheese and jalapenos????
These are so delicious. I actually made these awhile back. I think I doubled the recipe, and then I froze some for later… also added bacon to them. Scrumptious!!!
Had some left over chili soup simmering on the stove tonight and thought to myself “this would be really yummy with some home-made biscuits.” I popped onto your site remembering a jalapeno-cheddar scone recipe…and voila!
I only had one serrano pepper (instead of jalepeno), substituted sour cream (with a splash of milk) for the heavy cream, and added in some crumbled turkey bacon. YUMMMMM! These turned out beautifully.
Am such a huge fan of your site & am loving how creative and adventurous I am becoming in the kitchen. You’re an inspiration. Thanks so much, Deb!
I made these and your “dreamy cream scones” for a group breakfast at work this morning. I keep having to take bites of each to try and figure out which I like better! Thanks so much for such great recipes – both are definite keepers.
Just made these, and they’re phenomenal! I replaced the cream with regular milk with no ill effects.
do you think there would be more heat to these if the peppers were not suated first? at first i thought my only mistake was taking the seeds out, but it seems others who didn’t also thought there wasn’t enough heat.
These will def. be joining my next pot of chili. Thanks for sharing!
These were wonderful this morning! We used a serrano (because that’s what we had) and added some bacon (because the hubby had a craving) and they were delicious, though not in the least spicy. We’ll add more bite next time.
These were fantastic. I actually had a smaller biscuit cutter (might have been one of my grandma’s cookie cutters, but who cares, right?) so these made perfect little mini biscuits for me. They are fantastic and I carefully tucked the recipe away for my “chili” days. I also used 2 jalapenos – I definitely taste them, but there’s no heat. Maybe will try not using the saute part next time.
I have been dying to try this recipe and will this weekend. I have to say that I love your writing style. I’m not a huge cook but am totally subscribing to your blog! Thanks for sharing!
I want to do these scones, all I have is buttermilk, which is what I usually do scones with, can i adapt the recipe and use buttermilk
Thank you! I’ve never made scones before, but these turned out great :) Check out my post for pics!
I’ve had this recipe marked to make for quite sometime and finally got around to make them today! I made a gluten free version of them and my, oh my are they delicious!! Thank you!
I’m new to this blog–just found this recipe and I’m very excited to try it–I have a million jalapenos from the garden and I have no clue what to do with them all.
In regards to the cutest baby ever business: at first I was skeptical, but seriously after curiously clicking on that link, I have to agree. Your boy is frickin cute! It’s not just the sweater–the fringe of hair and cheeks are too much.
I made these with double the jalapenos, and they still had NO heat. I know it wasn’t the jalapenos, as they were from my garden and I had a very spicy crop this year. I think the combination of them cooking down in the butter and then again in the oven causes most of the heat to cook out. I would try maybe just tossing them in the melted butter, but not actually cooking them before they go in the oven. Maybe also adding 1/2 tsp of cayenne. These were tasty, but I was disappointed in the lack of heat.
Ok, I just read on Cooks Illustrated that freezing jalapenos causes them to loose their heat, so that was the problem. If you plan on freezing these, I would add some cayenne/chipotle/chili powder to the mix.
Wow, I made these last night and they were AMAZING. I learned to make great biscuits (scones) at my mama’s knee, but I have never had them turn out as well as these. Great texture!
I did substitute milk for the cream (I just didn’t have any) and left out the jalapenos because the flavor wouldn’t have gone well with the rest of dinner.
I also brushed them with some melted butter and a pinch of Old Bay Seasoning.
I doubled the batch and froze some for later like you suggested. I can’t wait to eat them again!
Deb, I have never tried a recipe from your site and had a problem. Thanks!
These were great! I made them tonight with chipotle sweet potato soup (which was so hot that I couldn’t really judge the heat level of the scones — but, anyway, they were delicious). I used milk because I was too lazy to go buy cream, and I was still pleased with the texture. Thanks for the great recipe!
I made these for our trip to the beach. They traveled well and were so savory. We had these on our balcony every afternoon with some red wine. I added some bacon and chives (from Emeril’s recipe). Unfortunately, I am going to start eating clean after the new year…so I guess I will just have to make these for friends and family to enjoy. Yum, Yum, Yum! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Wonderful photographs – which camera/lens combo did you use? Thanks.
I have made these twice now and they are delicious. The second time I ran out of white flour and had to use a cup of whole wheat flour. They were a bit drier but still delicious. I also tried flash freezing as suggested for the first time. This is a wonderful site!
Just made these for my SIL who requested savory scones in place of a birthday cake… Soooooo good! The eggs made for a fantastic texture that I’ve never had on a scone before. Thanks for the great recipe, this is definitely a keeper!
I want to make this for an earlier brunch… I was thinking of preparing them the night before and baking them in the morning. Do you think that would work out alright? Thanks!
I made these this week with jalapenos I grew in my garden. I left a few seeds in just to make sure it would be hot but I could have left more in. I am not brave enough to taste a raw jalapeno to see how hot it is though! Anyway they turned out to be delicious,and my husband even took the leftovers to work the next day and they disappeared! I have come to trust the recipes on your blog because they are so well thought out, and I love the pictures!
YUM! Made these today and am posting them on my blog tomorrow! Loved these, and any jalapeno recipes! :)
Thanks!
Just wanted to delurk to say this is one of my favourite scone recipes. Scones/Biscuits are some of the things I bake most and these are a winner. I’ve made them 2-3 times now and delicious every time.
This is just what I was looking for! I had a hankering for spicy scones but wasn’t sure if I should sautee the jalapeños first. Thanks! Can’t wait to make them!
Hi Deb…this recipe looks great. Would one be able to substitute self-rising flour for the baking soda and all-purpose flour?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried it before but in many biscuit recipes, that works, so it can’t hurt to find out here.
I made these a few weeks ahead of a big tailgating brunch I threw just this weekend- they were a total hit, so delicious, even after freezing the dough for a few weeks! Great recipe, I’ll be making these over and over, for sure!!
yum! if i’m planning to freeze the raw scones for another occasion, do i brush them with egg wash before i freeze them or do i brush them right before i’m ready to bake them? thanks!
Hi Deb,
I had these amazing spinach and cheese scones and now want to replicate them. Do you think this recipe would be well-suited for that? Or should I refer back to your dreamy cream scones? I’m thinking spinach and cheddar/Parmesan….
Thanks!
I made these for a bake sale (I baked them right?) They were such a hit! No one thinks of using savoury baked goods; it may be my new thing. They were such a perfect constancy! Not dry, crumbly or too wet. Melty, crispy cheese helps out too
These were THE best scones I have ever had! Flaky, packed with flavour and perfect with the minestrone soup I just made!
Loved this recipe (and every other one that I`ve tried so far ;-D), but i would suggest to add a few herbs into the batter, I think rosemary or some “herbs de provence” would go beautifully with it! Greetings from German!
Deb!! You did it again! :) I was nervous to make this because I rarely do savory baked goods. You gave me a bit of confidence when the butternut squash galette turned out nothing less of perfect! I froze these scones and baked them straight from the freezer at 400 for only about 18 minutes (I made about 12 smaller scones), and they were so flakey, like a biscuit! I couldn’t stop eating them!! Thank you!
Wow! These are awesome. Made them exactly as the recipe says. Make sure you wear gloves so your fingers dont get spicy! Yum yum. Thanks Deb,
I have a surplus of jalapenos since we decided to plant a jalapeno in our garden this year. thus, the wonderfulness of finding this recipe. I would have used more jalapenos but was afraid of making them inedibly spicy so I only used 2. i’m going to experiment with more next time since mine were not the least bit spicy, though. First time making scones and the texture came out wonderfully so thank you for the great instructions
These are very tasty! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I haven’t been successful with scones until I tried these. I added bacon to mine and they are so amazing. The texture is even better than the delicious scones at the coffee shop near my house, which totally made my day. Thanks again!
I just found your website a couplw of days ago. These turned out great!! I made a butter mixture to put on them from Jalapeno Cream Cheese, Pepper Jelly and butter. Yum
Will try adding bacon next time, sounds great
I just tried these and they bubbled in the oven and when i took them out, there was a pool of grease amongst my scones! I am definitely not a scone expert, but I think there was too much fat to other stuff ratio in the scones… is that possible?
Oh my gosh. I just made these. Subbed sour cream for heavy cream and used 1/4 cornmeal for flour. Delicious.
Note to all…you can freeze these 10 minutes before baking them, this will help the scones rise (as your colld butter steams up in the dough while it’s cooking!) Same amount of time as the original recipe!
These were delicious!! I made the dough last night, froze them, and then baked them to have with dinner tonight. They were so tender and delicious!! I added a TBSP of jalapeno juice from a jar of sliced jalapenos that I had in fridge because my husband is a big jalapeno fan, I added that when I added the cream. I used 2 medium size fresh jalapenos to mince up rather than small ones, that was a good amount for his tastes. But they would have been just as good if I’d followed the recipe exactly. Oh, and I cut them into smaller triangles and baked for less time. I am going to bake the rest of them tomorrow morning to take into work. :)
Awww…baby Jacob :) I have made these with and without the heat (before and after kids!) and my “cheese biscuits” have become a family favorite. I didn’t have any cream with my last batch, so I used half and half and didn’t notice any difference…thanks again for the recipe and adorable baby pics
I made these tonight for a potluck at work tomorrow. They taste amazing right now, very fluffy and light. I used 3 jalapeno for 2 batches and they have a mild kick that i like but i will follow the suggested 2 per batch next time. I think i will try a heat free version sometime and substiture the pepper for green onion since this recipe was so easy to make. Thanks!
I made them this morning and they are delish!! I used two jalapeños with every seed removed and it had a bit of heat. I would say these are far more biscuit than scone. And I ended up with 13 instead of 8 so hooray!
I’d like to make these, freeze them and take them to a friend’s place later. Will the frozen scones survive in a (cold) car for a couple of hours?
This is such an awesome recipe! I have been making them for years. I love that I can easily replace the jalapeños with whatever I have (green garlic, shallot, other herbs) So many of your recipes are like that and I love it. Thank you!
This is certainly not for me but I know someone in my family who will absolutely love me for making these for him. This looks like a real treat for the weekend!
Not bad, but they mostly come out tasting like cheesy bread. I used 3 jalapeños and there was still no amount of heat in the taste.
I made this for a brunch and they were very good! I didn’t have jalapeño or heavy cream so i swapped them for 2 green onions and milk. They were ready after 15 minutes in the oven, maybe the milk made them cooked faster? They are quite tasty anyway and i will make them again!
We made these and reviewed them on our baking podcast, Preheated, in Episode 24. They are SO GOOD! And so easy. Take a listen if you are so inclined:
http://www.preheatedpodcast.com/episode-24-who-wants-to-win-a-baking-contest/
Wow, thank you!
I made these and flash froze them–they baked up beautifully as needed! My notes:
Used 2/3 whole wheat flour–they were still light and lovely.
Serrano chiles were a great sub for jalapeno.
Folded the loose dough a couple of times to create flakes, which seemed to work well!
Next time, I might sub milk for cream. These were so rich (I can’t beleive I’m saying this), that it seemed like it wouldn’t be missed.
Congrats on your son!
These look great and I’m definitely going to make them, but…. if I flash freeze, do I hold off the egg wash until I remove from the freezer to bake?
Much flakier and less dense than more typical scones I’ve made. A good recipe that catches some attention due to the different in texture and the (apparently to my guests I served them to) unexpected savory flavors for a scone. Will def make this again!
I have made these twice for parties I have hosted and they disappear in a flash! Per someone else’s comment, I subbed the cream for milk and baking right away they were done in 15 minutes. I LOVE this recipe and will keep it in my backpocket for last minute guests.
I’ve made these several times and they are super yummy. I have also gotten ahead of myself and not sautéed the peppers and I think they were just as good and quicker to make.
How long do I cook them for from frozen?
They usually just need a few (maybe 3 to 4) minutes more.
Made the Cheddar Jalapeno Biscuits and they were great tho
I changed it a bit.
I used half and half instead of heavy cream and a big spoon of plain yogurt
and served them with a Spring greens soup. Delish!!!
Love how you interact with your kids and love your site and your recipes.
Thanks so much!!
Char
Loved making these. Treated them as biscuits and enjoyed them with homemade soup that my hubby made. I didn’t chop up the cheese as finely as Deb and regretted it but will do that next time. I also didn’t have cream so added slightly less unsweetened almond milk and it was ok but would have been richer with cream. Next time I will go all out! We rationed them which was difficult and toasted them to enjoy with said soup at every meal. Very nice!
Just wanted to say that these continue to be my favorite scones ever. I’ve been making them for at least 8 years. I like cream ones, but we love savory breakfast here so I make these more often. I’ve also occasionally added bacon and chives instead of jalapenos, and it was well received! So thanks again for an awesome recipe. It is especially needed right now, when fresh baked goods are one of the best ways to show love to older neighbors.
Dough came out very sticky, had to add extra flour. Baked up very greasy, not a surprise with all that cheese, butter and cream! Tasted ok, but next time I’m cutting the cream down and possibly the butter as well. Adding spring onion, garlic powder and smoked paprika tasted good.
These were so tasty! I used pickled jalapenos instead of fresh. I think i might add some chives next time. Thanks!
These came out so tasty!! Some of the cheese leaked out during the bake though. What did I miss? Maybe I didn’t mix them with enough flour or make sure they were well-coated?
Ah, nvm, I just tried searching the comments again and found Debra’s comment from 10/27/09 about freezing beforehand and that sounds like it would be a good idea next time! Would also appreciate any other tips on preventing the cheese from oozing out :)
I use the sweet and spicy Jar jalapeños from Trader Joe’s the entire jar. The sweet and hot are amazing together.
I made these today and tried one the moment they were cool enough to bite into!! Substituted thick coconut milk for the cream because that is what I had in the house; they were delicious and perfect…thumbs up from rest of family also. thank you, thank you…can’t believe it’s 2023…this recipe stands the test of time :-)
Deb, can I make these without the jalapenos? I’m making a habanero-apricot jelly to use on a cheddar scone and wanted to use your recipe without the peppers.
Clayton
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, it keeps in the freezer and you can bake even if they’re still a little frozen.