Cheese Scones

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven
   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, mustard powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper if using. Make sure all ingredients are well combined.
3. Cut in the butter
   Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
4. Add cheese and herbs
   Gently fold in the grated cheddar cheese and chopped chives, ensuring they're evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
5. Form the dough
   In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Pour this liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix, as this will result in tough scones.
6. Shape and cut
   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat or roll the dough to about 1-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out scones and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps, re-roll gently, and cut out more scones.
7. Prepare for baking
   Brush the tops of the scones with the extra tablespoon of buttermilk and sprinkle with additional grated cheese if desired.
8. Bake to golden perfection
   Bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the scones are risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.