Preheat the oven to 400º and line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.

Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse 10 times or so to completely combine the dry ingredients. *see notes if you don't have a food processor.

Add the butter and cream cheese cubes to the processor and pulse another 10 times or so. You want the butter and cream cheese to be in small pieces, about the size of a lentil - pick up a pinch of the mixture and rub lightly between your fingers to see how it looks. If the pieces seem too big, pulse a few more times and check again. How many pulses will vary from machine to machine, so go by how the mixture looks.

Add the chives, distributed fairly evenly over the surface of the flour mixture and then pour the buttermilk over, fairly evenly as well.

Hold down the pulse button for a few seconds at a time, turning on and off 5 to 7 times probably, until a dough forms.

Flour the counter, and dump the contents of the food processor out on top.

Sprinkle the top lightly, and flour your hands as well.

Knead gently a few times until you have a fairly smooth ball.

Pat or roll the dough into a circle, about an inch or so thick.

Cut into whatever shape you like - I used a 2 inch biscuit cutter, but you can just cut them into 2 inch squares, or use a slightly bigger round cutter.

Space the scones evenly on the baking sheet, leaving an inch and half or so around each one. Brush the top of each scone with buttermilk - this will give you a nice shiny top.

Bake for about 18 minutes, until nicely browned across the top. You can check to make sure they are done, by splitting one in half to make sure they are cooked through - if not, return to the oven for another couple minutes.

Cool slightly on a rack, and serve warm with plenty of butter.