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Sausage, Sage & Onion Cheese Scones

Inspired by the flavours of sausage stuffing plus Cheddar cheese, these might just be the ultimate savoury scone. Light, fluffy, and delicious warm, split and spread with butter.

For the best light and fluffy scones, follow the scone making tips in the blog post as well as the recipe.

Course Side Dish, Snack, Bread, Cheese, Lunch, Light Meal
Cuisine British
Keyword christmas, savoury scones
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 scones
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 300 g sausage meat
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 large red onion finely chopped
  • 450 g self-raising flour (plus extra for rolling out)
  • 2 level tsp baking powder
  • 60 g butter (cold from the fridge)
  • 225 g mature Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (plus extra for sprinkling)
  • 2 rounded tsp dried sage (plus a little extra if your sausage meat is unseasoned)
  • 200 - 300 ml plain yogurt

Instructions

  1. Cook the sausage meat

    Put 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the sausage meat and spread it over the base of the pan. Tip: if your sausage meat is unseasoned add a little salt, pepper and extra dried sage.

    When browned underneath turn over, breaking it up as you go, to brown the other side. Continue breaking it up and stirring until it's all cooked through, browned and crumbled into small pieces.

    Remove from the pan and set aside until cold.

  2. Cook the onion

    Put the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook the red onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, until soft and lightly browned.

    Remove from the pan and set aside until cold.

  3. Preheat the oven to 200C /180C Fan /Gas 6 / 400° F.

    Grease or line 1 large or 2 standard baking trays.

  4. Make the dough

    Sift the flour, baking powder, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper into a large bowl.

    Grate the butter into the flour, dipping the block into the flour now and then to stop it sticking. Stir in, then use your fingertips to rub into the flour until it's in small pieces.

    Add to the bowl the cooled sausage meat and onion (leaving any excess oil behind) plus the cheese and sage then stir well.

    Gradually stir in enough of the yogurt to start forming a dough that's soft but not wet. Tip onto a lightly floured worksurface and very gently knead into a smooth-ish dough.

  5. Cut out the scones and bake

    Flatten the dough a little, lightly dust with flour, then roll out to 3 cm thick.

    Stamp out scones with a 7 cm cutter, gently bringing together the scraps and re-rolling to make 12 scones.

    Place the scones on the baking tray and sprinkle with extra grated cheese.

    Transfer to the oven and bake until risen, cooked through and golden brown (approximately 15 - 20 minutes).

    Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool a little and firm up for a few minutes.

  6. Serve warm, split, and spread with butter.

    Tip: pulling apart rather than cutting with a knife keeps the fluffy texture inside.

    Best eaten within 2 - 3 days. If not using straight away, cool completely before storing in an airtight container or freezing.

    Can be reheated in a microwave, low oven, or air fryer.

    Recommended for a fluffy interior and crustier outside: microwave for 30 seconds then air fry on 'Max Crisp' or similar setting for 1 minute. Increase the timings if reheating more than one scone.