In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter (or your fingers) cut the butter into pea-sized crumbs. Make sure and do this while the butter is cold, so it doesn’t melt.

Add in the grated cheese and chopped chives and stir well.

Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold it back and forth, switching to your hands to form the dough into a shaggy soft dough ball.

Add in a little milk if the dough is too dry, but don’t let it get too wet or sticky.

Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface, forming it into a ball. Use a rolling pin to roll out into a rectangle of about 7×10 inches.

Lift the top third of the dough and bring it into the middle. Bring up the bottom third of the dough and fold this over like you're folding a piece of paper.

Turn the dough 90°, then push or use a rolling pin to push it into another 7×10 inches rectangle. Fold it up once more.

Repeat the process one last time into a 7×10 inches rectangle.

Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 10 pieces for smaller scones.

Place the scones in the refrigerator while preheating the oven to 425 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cold scones on the prepared baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the scones with milk and top them with a bit of cheese. Bake for around 15 minutes until golden brown.