Sometimes a certain food gets ingrained in my mind to the point of obsession and it doesn’t stop until I finally have had my fill of it. This can lead to certain food catastrophes, such as the Cheesecake Incident of 1998 where I helped myself to large, gluttonous portions of Costco cheesecake until I got sick. I still can’t have more than a few bites of the stuff 17 years later, and I am filled with regret that the teenage version of myself lacked restraint.
Lately I’ve had my mind on pimento cheese, the southern staple that has recently popped up more and more on menus and food blogs. Grated cheese, minced pimento peppers and mayo are typically the foundation. It’s rich and satisfying stuff, whether you eat it on pork rinds or spread it on bread to make a sandwich. I wanted to incorporate it into a scone because I imagined the cheese inside being melted and gooey while the cheese on the outside crisped up on the baking sheet. I think we can agree that the best part of a grilled cheese sandwich is those crispy bits of cheese on the pan.
I tried a new method when making these scones. I froze the butter and grated it instead of pressing it into the flour. Once the dough comes together roll it out into a large rectangle, fold it in thirds like a business letter, and fold it in thirds again. Let the dough rest in the freezer to keep the butter cold. Roll out the dough into a 12″ x 4″ rectangle and cut the dough into four equal squares. Then cut each of the squares diagonally. Inhale deeply as they bake because your kitchen will smell like the essence of pimento cheese. After restraining yourself by only eating one or two (or three…), give them away to your friends as I did so that there is no repeat of the Cheesecake Incident of 1998.
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
- 1/8 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter frozen
- 1 packed cup of sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 3/4 cup of buttermilk preferably whole milk plus 2 tablespoons
- 4 oz. of jarred pimentos minced
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
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Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, white pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika together in a large bowl.
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Grate the butter on the large holes of a grater.
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Toss the butter and cheese into the flour. Fold in the pimentos.
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Pour in the 3/4 of the buttermilk with a spoon until it comes together as a wet but shaggy dough.
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Put the dough on a floured surface and knead a few times until it's a cohesive dough.
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Roll out into a large rectangle and fold into thirds like a letter. Fold again into thirds.
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Put the dough on a floured plate and stick it in the freezer for about ten minutes.
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Roll out the dough to 12 by 4 inches.
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Cut the dough into fourths. Cut each of the squares in half diagonally.
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Put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with the 2 tablespoons of buttermilk.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden.
Oh my gosh. I love pimento cheese, and I love scones. This recipe has my name on it, I think 😉
Send me a pic when you make them! 🙂
You can take the girl out of the South…. 🙂 thank you for this!
TRUTH! haha 🙂
This recipe is like FATE, as we just came back from a trip to South Carolina where my Southern husband ordered pretty much anything with the words “pimento cheese” in it. I had NO idea he was such a fan! We didn’t find any scones though, so he will be thrilled that the pimento cheese adventure is continuing. 🙂
I’m so glad this post was so timely! It seems like here in the DC area and all around Virginia pimento cheese has popped up on so many menus. I’m glad that his pimento cheese adventure continues… happy eating!
These sound amazing! I love savory scones- can’t wait to try this. Pinned!
Thanks Elizabeth! Let me know how they turn out 🙂
Oh my goodness, these sound incredible! I love pimento cheese, and scones so to marry the two together just sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try these! Beautiful pictures too! 🙂
I love the two together! Savory scones are my favorite 🙂
Ohhhh my goodness. These look AMAZING! Such a fun twist on a southern classic 🙂
Thanks, Liz!!! I wish I could share them with you 🙂
Sonja! I am seriously the same way. If I get a food in my mind and I really want it…I HAVE TO have it.
Btw, is that a Shun cleaver?? If so, I have the exact one. These scones look amazing. I’ve definitely had an obsession with scones lately, but the pimento cheese puts these over the top.
I know, the food obsessions can sometimes get in the way of every day life 😛
It’s not a cleaver but an 8 inch chef’s knife. I love it. <3 Scones are my favorite thing to bake because I find them to be so simple and versatile. And who doesn't love a crumbly, buttery and cheesy scone!?
Such a great idea! I would never have thought to try pimento cheese. YUM!