Pam Anderson’s Master Formula for Perfect Savory Scones

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Directions

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or nonstick liner.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Grate about one-third of the butter into the flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; toss to coat with flour. Repeat the grating and tossing twice more. Using your fingertips, work the butter and flour together a bit more.

Mix in the Cheese and Flavoring.

Mix the sour cream and egg with a fork until smooth. Add the sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with the fork until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the sides of the bowl to form a ball. (There may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together. If necessary, flick a little water into the bottom of the bowl to get the last bits to adhere.)

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 71/2-inch round about 3/4 inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.

Bake until golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Savory scone options:
Cheese (Pick 1)
• Grated extra-sharp Cheddar
• Crumbled feta, goat, or blue cheese
• Grated Parmesan
• Grated pepper Jack
Flavorings (Pick 1)
• Scallions—sliced
• Olives—green or black, chopped
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Dried fruit: chopped figs, cherries, apricots, or peaches; or raisins or dried currants
• Scallion-herb mix: 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens plus 1/4 cup chopped dill, parsley, basil, or cilantro
• Mixed fresh herbs: 6 tablespoons minced basil, parsley, and/or cilantro plus 2 tablespoons thyme, rosemary, dill, sage, and/or tarragon.

Pam’s fave combos for perfect savory scones:
Cheddar and scallions
Feta and pimiento-stuffed olives
Goat cheese and fig (add 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary if you like)
Blue cheese and golden raisins
Parmesan and mixed fresh herbs
Fontina and scallion-dill mix
Pepper Jack and scallion-cilantro mix