Horseradish Cheddar and Bacon Scones

These Horseradish Cheddar and Bacon Scones are cheesy, bacony, and great served any time of the day! Use meatless bacon for a vegetarian version.

The idea for these scones came from an unused wedge of horseradish smoked bacon cheddar cheese. It was a do-or-die time for the cheese. I decided to incorporate it into scones. Although the test batch turned out decent, it needed more cheese and larger pieces of bacon. In the end, the final recipe utilizes horseradish cheddar cheese (more cost-effective than the wedge with bacon) and 12 ounces of bacon. There’s so much more bacon goodness than the original batch!

These scones are great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack…pretty much anytime of the day or night. They have a crusty exterior, while the inside is flaky and tender. They are great with a nice hot cuppa coffee or tea (or a cold beer! No judging here!!)

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of how these are made.

Ingredients needed:

• Bacon—for dang good flavor!
• Shredded horseradish cheddar cheese—again, for dang good flavor. The horseradish provides a nice sharpness and spiciness.
• Flour—use all-purpose. Fluff the flour and measure precisely. Excess flour will make scones dry.
• Baking powder—for leavening.
• Salt & pepper—for flavor.
• Butter—provides flavor, richness, leavening, and flakiness.
• Eggs—for richness, structure, and lift.
• Heavy cream—for moisture, tenderness, and richness. Use lighter creams or whole milk if you like, but full fat gives the best results.

Recipe highlights:

• Chop bacon and cook in a skillet until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
• Work in butter until they are pea-sized.
• Add shredded cheese and bacon. Combine.
• In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add heavy cream. Whisk.

• Add wet to dry. Mix until the batter comes together into a shaggy dough.
• Turn onto a lightly floured work surface. Form into a round disc.
• Roll into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Cut into 8 slices.

• Place on a parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with heavy cream. Chill for 20 minutes, optional.
• Bake at 400° F for 12 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Top with reserved cheese and bacon. Return to oven and bake for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Refer to the recipe card for detailed instructions. 

What if you don’t like horseradish?

Feel free to use regular cheddar if you don’t like horseradish. I recommend sharp or extra sharp to punch up the flavor.

If you don’t mind spice, add red pepper flakes or chili powder for heat.

How to get scones to rise and prevent spreading:

Well-risen scones with a crispy outside and tender interior are what you’d want. These are things you can do to obtain the best results:

• Make sure to use fresh baking powder. Outdated ones have reduced leavening power.
• Do not overwork the dough. It will make the scones tough and dense.
• Use parchment paper or a silicone mat to line the baking sheet. While both prevent sticking, they are non-greasy and won’t promote spreading. Oil, on the other hand, could contribute to spreading, which results in flatter scones. Avoid coating the baking sheet with oil.
• Position scones close together on the baking sheet (one inch apart). The close proximity encourages them to rise up rather than out.
• If you have time, chill scones for at least 20 minutes (or freeze for 10 minutes) prior to baking. This firms up the butter which helps to prevent spreading. It also gives time for the gluten to relax, creating more tender scones.

How to get the best layers:

This recipe provides simple instructions on how to mix and roll out the dough. It creates flaky scones. But I also provided an optional extra step to produce even more layers in the Notes section of the recipe card. The process is called lamination, which involves rolling the dough out and folding it onto itself to create layers.

Can scones be made ahead?

Yes. Unbaked scones can be stored and chilled for 1-2 days before baking. They can also be frozen. Place the scones on a tray and place them in the freezer until hard, then transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Baked scones can also be frozen in the same manner.

How to reheat scones:

The best method to reheat baked scones is in the oven. I don’t recommend microwaving because you lose crispiness. Place in a preheated 350° F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the interior is hot.

Raw frozen scones can be baked from the frozen state. Just add a couple of minutes extra to the baking time of 14 minutes.

Make it lighter options:

There’s no double about it. These scones are not healthy food, but there are ways to lighten them a bit.

• Instead of heavy cream, use a lighter option: light cream, half & half, or whole milk. The scones will lose some of the richness with the lower-fat options.
• Use chicken or turkey bacon. You can also make the scones lighter and vegetarian with meatless bacon.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

• A box grater for shredding cheese. This comes with a detachable storage container.
• Use your hands or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour.
• Parchment paper or a silicone mat to line the baking sheet.
• A rolling pin—this one is made of beechwood and has non-stick technology.
• Pastry brush for apply heavy cream to the tops of the scones.
• A fish turner for turning bacon. The slotted feature allows fat to drain when transferring the bacon out of the skillet.
• For accurate measurement, I love to use a kitchen scale. This digital scale is inexpensive and has good ratings.

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