- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cold butter
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
- 3/4 cup milk, or as needed
- 1 tablespoon shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. With a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Lightly stir in the shredded Cheddar cheese and the chives. Add as much milk as you need, a little at a time, until you get a soft, but not sticky dough.
- Scrape the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead a few times with your fingertips, just to flatten into an oblong shape, 4 inches wide, 6 inches long, and about 1 1/2 inches high. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Cheddar cheese on top of dough, and lightly press the cheese down into the top of the dough. Cut the dough with a sharp knife into 12 scones.
- Place the scones onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. For softer sided scones, move them about 1/2 inch apart; for crispier sides, move them farther apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the scones are golden and the cheese has melted and begun to brown. Serve hot with butter.