Name: Cheese scones in the air fryer
Prep time: 4 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 115 g self raising flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 55 g butter; Pinch of salt; 35 g grated mature cheddar cheese; 75 ml semi-skimmed milk

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I'm a big fan of a budget friendly, fun and easy bake - which is what these air fryer cheese scones are! They take just a few minutes to prepare, not much time to cook, and they're the ideal tasty treat if you're on a bit of a budget but want to serve something a little special.

These cheese scones are simple, delicious, and perfect spread with butter when still warm from the air fryer.

This recipe is adapted from my own air fryer cheese biscuits recipe. These Ninja Foodi fruit scones are always a hit in my home too, if you want to try something a little different.

I've made these cheese scones in my Ninja air fryer, one of the dual zone ones, as well as my Ninja multi-cooker.

If you've got a different model then you may need to tweak the timings slightly, so I'd recommend just paying close attention to the scones for the final few minutes of cook time.

These can be ready in under 15 minutes, which makes them perfect for a tasty snack, or if you have guests dropping by at short notice.

I've tried out lots of different flavours for these scones in the past. I try to keep these cheese scones pretty simple, but then I like to load them up with some slightly special toppings, such as caramelised onions, pickle or chutney.

I've also tried to add ingredients to the scone mix, such as jalapeños, red onions, or more. They all work really well.

When cooked I love to serve warm with lashings of butter, or even my homemade garlic butter for a fancy twist.

While you're here be sure to check out some of my other air fryer content including my favourite Ninja Foodi accessories and Ninja air fryer recipes. I've also got a ton of air fryer tips for beginners too that you may find useful, especially if you're only recently beginning to use an air fryer.

Scroll down towards the end of this post for my air fryer cheese scones recipe card so you can get started with making this tasty recipe right away!

Crispy cheese scones cooked in the air fryer served on baking paper in a red Le Creuset pie dish

Ingredients for air fryer cheese scones:

115g self raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
55g butter
Pinch of salt
35g grated mature cheddar cheese
75ml semi-skimmed milk

A plate of air fryer french toast sticks with raspberries, strawberries and a bowl with golden syrup in.

Method for making air fryer cheese scones:

Rub together the flour and butter, until you get a breadcrumb style consistency. This should only take a minute or two.

Add the salt and baking powder.

Then add your cheese and mix it well.

Now add the semi-skimmed milk and stir the mix until it is just about combined. Be sure not to overwork the dough when you mix everything together, or the scones may not rise as well.

This mixture is fairly wet, but if it feels a bit too moist then you can add a little more self-raising flour, I'd go for 5-10 grams at first. Likewise if it feels a little too dry then add 10-15ml of extra milk and re-mix the dough, to check it doesn't go too far the other way.

Divide the mixture into 6 equal sized portions. I like to make it into a round shape first, and then I cut it in to 6 triangle shaped pieces. You can use a cutter if you prefer.

Line the air fryer basket with baking or parchment paper, making sure it is heatproof. I only cut a piece big enough to line the bottom of the basket, as if the paper overhangs the air fryer basket it can set on fire! And we don't want that...

Add your scones into the air fryer basket. If it's a small air fryer, or a dual zone one like mine, then you may need to use both sides at the same time.

Air fry for 8-10 minutes at 200C (390F approx).

I like to check them at 7-8 minutes, to make sure they're cooking well. 9 minutes is the optimum time for my current air fryer, but I've noticed a difference of 1-2 minutes, depending on the model I'm using.

A cooked air fryer chicken pot pie on a white serving tray.

How long to reheat these cheese scones in an air fryer?

I have reheated these at 160C (320F approx) for 3-4 minutes, with great results. They taste just as good as they do hot from the air fryer, and once again I like to serve with salted butter. Yum!

Can you make cheese scones without egg?

Absolutely! I don't use egg in the mixture for my scones, but I have experimented with using an egg wash to brush the tops of the scones before I air fry them.

Three air fryer bacon and cheese turnovers on a chopping board. In the background is a pot of tomato ketchup and a salted caramel latte.

How to make the best scones?

Whether you're making cheese scones, fruit scones, or something else, I recommend that you don't overwork the dough. You want to mix it as little as possible, to get the fluffiest and biggest results.

If you want to make the scones taste a little richer then I'd swap the butter and milk within this recipe for buttermilk, though that can increase the cost of making these scones quite significantly!

Should you let scone dough rest?

I'm impatient, so I skip this step, and still get good results. The dough can be chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours, or even overnight, but make sure it is well covered while in the fridge.

Pizza dough made in the Panasonic bread maker turned into an air fryer pizza served with rocket and balsamic vinegar dressing

How do you know when scones are cooked through?

I've been cooking these scones for a few years now, so I'm pretty comfortable with the recipe, but I like to use a cake tester or a toothpick. If it comes out clean then the scones should be cooked all the way through.

What to serve with cheese scones?

Personally I think these are tasty on their own, with a little butter. If you want to use them for breakfast then I'd serve with air fryer bacon or air fryer sausages.

You could make a sausage or bacon sandwich with a real twice by using these cheese scones too.

You could slice these and turn into mini pizzas if you want something more fun. I love to make my own roasted tomato pizza sauce, using air fryer roasted tomatoes, and then top with mini pepperoni and grated mozzarella.

Something to note about air fryer recipes is that all air fryers have different sizes, depths and as such the cooking times can vary. All air fryer recipes on this website are intended as a guide, and not a guarantee that the timings will be perfect. Enjoy!