Cheddar and Green Chile Scones
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Updated Jul 05, 2025, Published Oct 07, 2014
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Looking for a savory, cheesy, buttery breakfast idea? These Cheddar and Green Chile Scones are a New Mexico-inspired twist on classic scones, filled with roasted green chile, sharp cheddar, and rich cream. They’re perfect for brunch, gift baskets, or make-ahead mornings — and they’ll have your kitchen smelling heavenly in under 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
- What are Cheddar and Green Chile Scones?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make Cheddar and Green Chile Scones
- Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Cheddar and Green Chile Scones Tips & Tricks
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Cheddar and Green Chile Scones Recipe
What are Cheddar and Green Chile Scones?
These scones are a savory spin on the classic sweet version. Think buttery, tender scone texture infused with the smoky heat of roasted green chile and the salty richness of aged cheddar. If you’ve ever had Hatch green chile in anything — you know it adds magic. These are like a Southwestern biscuit-meets-scone hybrid, and I’m not mad about it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bold, Southwestern flavors – Green chile + cheddar = a perfect match.
- Tender and buttery – Thanks to heavy cream and plenty of butter.
- Perfect for brunch or gifting – They freeze and reheat beautifully.
- One bowl, no mixer required – But you can use a stand mixer to save time.
- Ready in 30 minutes – Great for make-ahead mornings or last-minute guests.
Ingredients & Substitutions
These easy savory scones come together with pantry staples and a few flavorful upgrades.
- Aged cheddar cheese – The sharper the better! Feel free to sub with pepper jack or a cheddar blend.
- Roasted green chile – Use Hatch green chile if you can! Canned chopped green chiles work too.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and level for accurate measurement.
- Heavy cream – This keeps the scones rich and tender.
- Large eggs – For structure and moisture.
- Baking powder – Gives the scones a light lift.
- Chili powder + salt – For seasoning.
- Unsalted butter – Keep it cold and cube it small.
- Egg wash – Optional, but adds a golden crust.
Note: See the printable recipe card below for full measurements and instructions.
How to Make Cheddar and Green Chile Scones
Step 1: Prep the oven. Preheat to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Step 2: Mix the cheese and chiles. Toss grated cheddar and chopped green chile together in a small bowl.
Step 3: Combine wet ingredients. Lightly beat 3 eggs with the cream in a separate bowl and set aside.
Step 4: Make the dough. In a stand mixer (or large bowl), mix the flour, baking powder, chili powder, and salt. Add the cold butter and pulse/mix until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the egg mixture, then fold in the cheese and chile.
Step 5: Shape and cut. Transfer dough to a floured surface and pat into a 9-inch circle. Cut into 8–12 wedges using a floured knife.
Step 6: Bake. Place wedges on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and bake 15–20 minutes or until golden.
Step 7: Cool and enjoy. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter, jam, or even a smear of crema.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Serve warm with salted butter, honey butter, or even a dollop of crema Mexicana.
- Pair with hearty soups or stews like Red Pozole or Green Pozole for a cozy meal.
- Add a wedge alongside Huevos a la Mexicana for a flavorful breakfast.
- These scones are a great sidekick for Mexican Chili Beans or Chile Verde con Carne y Papas to round out your next brunch or dinner.
Cheddar and Green Chile Scones Tips & Tricks
- Keep ingredients cold. Cold butter = flaky scones.
- Don’t overmix. Mix just until combined for tender results.
- Freeze before baking. You can freeze unbaked wedges, then bake straight from frozen (add 2–3 minutes to bake time).
- Double the batch. These go fast — you won’t regret it!
Storage Instructions
- Room Temp: Store cooled scones in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at 300°F for 5–7 minutes.
- Freezer: Freeze baked scones for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start by mixing flour, spices, and cold butter until crumbly. Add eggs, cream, cheddar, and roasted green chile, then shape the dough into wedges and bake until golden. Full step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below!
Yes! While freshly roasted Hatch green chile adds the most flavor, canned green chiles are a convenient and delicious option. Just be sure to drain them well to avoid adding extra moisture to the dough.
Definitely. Sharp cheddar adds bold flavor, but you can also try pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend. Just make sure the cheese melts well and packs a punch.
Yes, these scones freeze beautifully. You can freeze them unbaked (cut and shaped) or after baking. To reheat baked scones, warm in a 300°F oven for 5–7 minutes until heated through.
They have a mild to medium kick depending on the chile you use. Hatch green chile tends to be flavorful with subtle heat, but you can dial it up or down to your preference.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried these Cheddar and Green Chile Scones or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Cheddar and Green Chile Scones
Ingredients
- 4 ounces aged cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 ounces green chile, roasted, peeled, and chopped or 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- 3 large eggs, beaten lightly
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, roughly chopped, 1 1/2 sticks
Egg wash:
- 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cover a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, and set aside.
- Place the cheddar cheese and chiles in a small bowl, and toss to combine; set mixture aside.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat 3 eggs and the cream, and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, chile powder, and salt. Add butter; mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-size pieces, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg and cream mixture; mix on low speed until just blended. Add cheese and chile mixture; mix until just combined.
- Transfer dough to a well-floured surface, and pat into a 9-inch circle. Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, cut circle into 8 to 12 wedges. Transfer wedges with a spatula to prepared baking sheet; brush tops with egg wash.
- Place in oven; bake, until outside is crusty and inside is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
- Green chile: Fresh roasted Hatch green chile is ideal, but canned chopped green chiles work great too. Be sure to drain well before adding.
- Cheese options: Sharp cheddar gives these scones a bold flavor, but feel free to try pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend.
- Make-ahead: Shape the scones and freeze before baking. When ready to bake, add a few extra minutes to the oven time.
- Serving suggestions: Delicious warm with butter or paired with pozole, huevos a la mexicana, Mexican chili beans, or chile verde con carne y papas.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a great recipe. I used 1 1/2 cups of flour, refrigerated the dough for a few hours and patted the dough out to a 10 inch circle for 8 scones. Rave reviews! I have made them three times.
OMG ! Best savory scones I’ve ever had! Thanks so much for sharing!
So happy to hear that Laura. Thank you!
These scones look delicious! Thank you for posting this recipe. We would love to send you a free box of our Hatch Green Chile as a thank you. If you’re interested, please send me an email.
FREE Hatch green chile?! Yes please. Please email me at yvette@muybuenoblog.com
Oh I definitely will make these scones. I have a lot of hatch chili, Big Jim and other. I ordered the seeds from New Mexico and have been growing our own. I too have my freezer packed. Thx for the recipe.
I’ve been baking with green chile lately and thought about scones the other day; I look forward to trying your recipe. I am enjoying a loaf of cheddar chile bread at the moment. So nice that frozen hatch chile help extend the chile season!
I have to make these scones. have never had them, but they sure sound good,, especially with the chile, I’ll take mine spicy. Please.
I LOVE the idea of these scones- imagine how tasty they’d be with eggs and salsa for breakfast! YUM.