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5.0 from 45 votes

Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Beer Bread Scones

Beer bread scones are the perfect tender and soft scone, ideal for soup dipping or served as a side with dinner. The flavor is incredible with caramelized onions, sharp Irish cheddar and herbs making these melt in your mouth.

Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 12 scones
Course: Side Dish , Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 large sweet onions, diced
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • 3 ¼ all-purpose cups flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon dried chives
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¾ cup cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 8 ounces sharp Irish cheddar cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 ½ cups beer
  • heavy cream, for brushing

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and begin to brown. Turn the heat down to low (or medium-low, if low isn’t cooking them), and cook, stirring often, until the onions are dark brown and caramely, anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, depending on how much you want to babysit them. This will take a while, but the onions are in smaller pieces, so are also more apt to burn. Keep an eye on them and stir often, reducing the heat when needed. Add a splash of water to the pan if it gets dry at any time.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, a few pinches of black pepper, baking powder and soda. Stir in the dried chives and thyme. Using your fingers, a fork or a pastry blender, cut in the ¾ cups cold butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Stir in the sharp cheddar and caramelized onions. Stir in the beer. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently.
  4. Divide the dough in half and pat each into 5-inch round circles. Brush each round of dough with cream.
  5. Cut each round into 4 or 6 slices, or use a biscuit cutter to make rounds. Bake the scones for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden. Serve with salted butter for spreading.