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Mary Berry Cheese Scones Without Butter Recipe

Mary Berry Cheese Scones Without Butter Recipe

Mary Berry's cheese scones without butter use oil instead — giving a lighter, softer texture that is a genuinely good alternative to the classic.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 10 Scones
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: British
Calories: 295
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Cheese Scones Without Butter:
  • 450 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 175 g mature Cheddar coarsely grated (150g for dough, 25g for tops)
  • 3 tbsp fresh chives finely snipped (optional)
  • 75 ml mild refined olive oil
  • 200 ml full-fat natural yoghurt
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 2 –3 tbsp whole milk if needed

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 7. Line a large tray with parchment.
  2. Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mustard powder, cayenne, and salt into a large bowl. Add 150g Cheddar and chives — toss to distribute.
  3. Whisk olive oil, yoghurt, and beaten eggs together in a jug.
  4. Make a well in dry ingredients. Pour in wet ingredients — mix quickly with a round-bladed knife until just combined. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time only if dry. Do not overwork.
  5. Pat gently on floured surface to 3cm. Dip 6cm cutter in flour — press straight down, never twist. Gather once — pat and cut again.
  6. Place on tray. Brush tops lightly with beaten egg and milk. Scatter 25g Cheddar over each top. Bake 12–14 minutes until well risen and deeply golden. Serve warm.

Notes

Use full-fat natural yoghurt — low-fat gives too much water and too little richness.
Use mild refined olive oil not extra virgin — extra virgin can give a slightly bitter note.
Bicarbonate of soda reacting with the acidic yoghurt gives a particularly good, light rise.
Work even more quickly than with a butter scone — no fat structure to protect against gluten development.
These scones are lighter and softer than the classic — a different but equally good texture.
Freeze raw cut scones for up to 3 months — bake from frozen at 220°C for 16–18 minutes.
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