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Instead of sugary add ins, these savory scones are full of fresh herbs and cheese. They are flaky, light and full of amazing flavor. Enjoy them by themselves or they make a great scone sandwich.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe.
I love a good, light, tender and flaky scone. I have lots of different sweet scone recipes here on the blog but sometimes you need a savory scone and today’s recipe is it!
The first time I served these was at my daughter’s bridal shower and they were definitely the hit of the show, I had so many requests for the recipe I had to post it here on the blog.
They are perfect to serve anytime, breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea or as a side dish to any meal.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour. I prefer unbleached all purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking Powder. Make sure it is fresh for best results.
- Baking Soda
- Buttermilk
- Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
- Butter, cold and salted
- Parmesan Cheese
- Assorted Fresh Herbs. I used rosemary, oregano, thyme and marjoram, fresh chives.
How to Make Cheese Scones
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk together.
- Add in grated cheeses (reserving 1/4 cup of the cheese to use on top of the scones) and minced fresh herbs. Mix to combine.
- Add in cold butter, cut into small cubes. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. You can also use your fingers.
- Pour in buttermilk and mix together with a spoon or fork until dough forms.
- Place dough onto counter and knead until there are no dry pieces and it is incorporated into one large piece of dough.
- Laminate dough 3-4 times by flattening dough and folding the dough over itself, into thirds. Repeat by flattening and folding agin.
- Roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut laminated dough into the desired shape and size scone you like. I made mine small as I was going to use them as little scone sandwiches, they are a slider size. Otherwise I cut them into 8 wedges.
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Brush the top of scones with some whipping cream or whatever milk you have on hand and sprinkle with remaining cheese. You could also use a beaten egg to brush on the top of the scone before adding the cheese.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Tips from leigh Anne
- You can enjoy these savory scones right out of the oven. Split them open and add a little butter.
- For my daughter’s bridal shower, we used them for little ham and cheese sandwiches. We added a layer of peach jam on the scone along with a small slice of ham and sharp white cheddar cheese. They were the hit of the party! (see photos below)
- Don’t skip the laminating process. This is what gives you a flaky, light scone. It only takes a few minutes and is so worth the effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
What else can I add into these savory scones?
They would be delicious with some finely diced ham or crumbled bacon.
Why does the butter need to be cold?
Cold butter gives the savory scone it’s flakiness, a crisp edge, and good rise to the scone.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
If you don’t have access to fresh herbs you can use dry but the flavor won’t be as good. I recommend using half the amount of herbs if using dried herbs.
I don’t have buttermilk, what else can I use?
You can make your own buttermilk by adding lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk. You need 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk.
What other kind of cheese can I use?
You can use a mild or medium cheddar or really any cheese you like! Monterey Jack, Swiss or even Pepper jack Cheese for a bit of a kick! A hard cheese works better than a soft cheese as you need to grate the cheese.
Can I freeze savory scones?
Yes! I recommend making the dough, cutting it into the size/shape scones you want and then freezing the unbaked dough. Place the cut scones on a baking sheet and then freeze. Remove from the pan and place in a freezer zippered plastic bag. Will keep in your freezer for up to 3 months. This is a great make a head tip and what I did for my daughter’s bridal shower. I made them a few days ahead, froze the dough and baked them fresh the morning of the party.
Be sure and try some of my other scone recipes:
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Savory Scone Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus 2 Tbsp
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Sharp White Cheddar Cheese grated
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1/4 cup assorted fresh herbs, minced I used thyme, oregano, rosemary, chives
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup butter salted and cold
- heavy cream for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add in grated cheeses and minced herbs. Set aside 1/4 cup of cheese to top scones with.
- With a pastry blender, a fork or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form.
- Pour in buttermilk and mix together until a sold piece of dough forms. Place on a lightly floured counter and knead until all the flour is incorporated.
- Laminate the dough 3-4 times by flatten the dough into a circle or rectangle, fold into thirds like a letter, then roll out into a rectangle/circle again and repeat 2-3 more times.
- With final laminate, roll dough out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into the desired number of scones. I usually do 8 triangles but if I'm making sandwiches I cut it into small squares.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush top of scones with whipping cream or milk.
- Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Tips & Notes:
- You can enjoy these savory cheese scones right out of the oven. Split them open and add a little butter.
- For my daughter’s bridal shower, we used them for little ham and cheese sandwiches. We added a layer of peach jam on the scone along with a small slice of ham and sharp white cheddar cheese. They were the hit of the party! (see photos below)
- Don’t skip the laminating process. This is what gives you a flaky, light scone. It only takes a few minutes and is so worth the effort.
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Beth says
These look delicious! I am going to have to try them as a ham and cheese sandwich.