Easy Air Fryer Cheese Scones
These easy air fryer cheese scones are golden on the outside, light and fluffy in the middle, and packed with mature Cheddar flavour. Ready in just 16 minutes from start to finish, they're perfect served warm with butter, alongside a bowl of soup, or as part of a ploughman's lunch.
Servings 5
Calories 329kcal
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Equipment
- 5cm Cookie Cutter
Ingredients
- 175 g Self Raising Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 55 g Unsalted Butter chilled and cubed
- 120 g Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese grated
- 85 ml Whole Milk
- ¼ teaspoon Lemon Juice fresh
Other ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Plain Flour for dusting
- 2 tablespoon Milk for glazing
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F).
- Place the self-raising flour, baking powder, salt, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper in a large mixing bowl.175 g Self Raising Flour, ¼ tsp Salt, ⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper, ¼ tsp Mustard Powder, ½ tsp Baking Powder
- Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.55 g Unsalted Butter
- Stir most of the grated Cheddar into the flour mixture, reserving a small handful for the tops.120 g Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese
- Heat the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds, squeeze in a little lemon juice (about ¼ teaspoon) and leave it to stand for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the milk to the flour mixture, stirring with a table knife until the dough begins to clump together. You may not need every drop. Bring the dough together gently with your hands. It should feel soft but not wet or sticky. Avoid kneading or overworking it.85 ml Whole Milk, ¼ tsp Lemon Juice
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat it out to a thickness of approximately 3cm. Do not use a rolling pin. Cut out five scones using a 5cm round cutter. Press the cutter straight down rather than twisting it, as twisting can prevent an even rise.2 tbsp Plain Flour
- Using a pastry brush, glaze the tops of the scones with milk then sprinkle over the reserved grated cheese.2 tbsp Milk, 120 g Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese
- Place the scones in your air fryer basket and air fry for 8 minutes until well risen and golden on top.
Notes
- Use fridge-cold butter for the lightest, fluffiest cheese scones.
- Don't overwork the dough—mix only until it just comes together to keep the scones tender.
- Pat the dough to 3cm (1¼ inches) thick for a good rise.
- Press the cutter straight down without twisting, as twisting can stop the scones rising evenly.
- Finely grate the Cheddar so it mixes evenly through the dough and melts beautifully on top.
- Different air fryer models vary in power, so start checking from 7 minutes. The scones are ready when they're well risen, golden brown, and cooked through in the centre.
- Leave a little space between each scone in the basket so the hot air can circulate properly.
- If the tops are browned but the centres need a little longer, cook for an extra 1–2 minutes.
- These cheese scones are best enjoyed warm on the day they're made, but leftovers reheat well in the air fryer at 160°C (320°F) for 2–3 minutes.
- Freeze cooled scones for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before reheating.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 1mg
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