Cheese and herb kefir scones

By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026

Split open while still warm and spread with butter, a cheese scone is the savoury side of the British tea table. These are packed with mature cheddar and fresh herbs, and milk kefir adds a slight tang. The dough should feel soft and a little sticky, which helps scones rise and stay moist.

From Scottish griddle cakes to oven scones

The word scone appears in Scottish writing in the early 16th century, when scones were flat cakes of oats or barley cooked on a griddle and cut into wedges. Baking powder arrived in the 19th century and led to the risen wheat scones baked in ovens today. As late as 1932, an English cookbook still gave recipes for both oven and griddle scones. British scones are lighter and less sweet than American ones. Cheese scones made with mature cheddar, spring onion or mustard seeds are the savoury choice at tea, with cream cheese or chutney, and they also suit soup, stew or a picnic.

Cold butter, light hands and a straight cut

Baking powder carries both its acid and its base, so it works once when wet and again in the oven's heat, and the kefir's acidity adds flavour rather than doing the lifting. Cold butter matters because small pieces turn to steam as they bake, while butter that softens beforehand simply leaks out. Overmixing develops gluten and makes scones tough, and too much flour dries them, so stir only until the dough comes together. Keep the dough at least 2.5 cm thick and cut straight down without twisting, or the scones may not rise well.

Herbs, cheeses and spring onions

Basil, parsley and chives are a good start, and thyme, rosemary, dill and oregano all suit strong cheddar. Dried herbs work at about half the fresh amount. Smoked cheese, chopped spring onion, wild garlic or bacon take the scones in other directions. For a Taiwanese twist, swap the herbs for 30 g finely chopped spring onion greens.