These herb parmesan scones make for a perfect savory scone recipe. You will be amazed by this simple recipe that comes together in one bowl within 30 minutes!
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“These are the best savory scones I ever had. Perfect texture, perfect balance between the cheese and the herbs, just perfect.” These are my husband’s words when he tried these scones. And believe me, he’s really picky when it comes to my recipes and even more when it’s about scones, as he always remembers the best scones he had in his life when he lived in London (this was way before I met him by the way). Anyway, I think his words say it all about these scones!
If you’ve never made scones before, this recipe will blow your mind. With super simple instructions and no baking skills whatsoever, this scone recipe comes together in no time and turns out perfect every single time. Without further ado, let me guide you through the recipe!
Ingredients for savory scones
- Flour + salt + baking powder. Use all-purpose flour, do not try with any other type of flour to ensure best results.
- Grated parmesan cheese. I use parmesan cheese in these scones, but you can replace with grated cheddar, Emmental, Gruyère, or even Asiago.
- Butter. In a scone recipe it is very important to use butter very cold and diced.
- Whipping cream. It is also called heavy liquid cream and I use a 33% fat whipping cream. Do not substitute with milk or buttermilk in this recipe.
- 1 egg. It is used as a binder of the ingredients, don’t skip it.
- Herbs. This recipe calls for chives, but you could also imagine other herbs, like rosemary for instance.
One bowl, 30 minutes preparation
Now that you have all your ingredients ready, let’s make the recipe together. The key to success is to be quick enough when assembling the ingredients so the scones do not warm up. This will also ensure they get the perfect flaky texture.
In a few words, here’s how to make these savory scones:
- Start with mixing all the ingredients together.
- Add VERY COLD cubed butter and press with your fingers until the mixture is pebbly with tiny chunks of butter.
- Pour in the egg and cream mixture, and use a fork to stir with the other ingredients. Do not overmix.
- Transfer to a clean surface and shape into a thick disk (again, do not overwork the dough), then slice into 8 parts.
- Brush with cream and freeze for 15 minutes before baking. And voilà!
Pro tip for a perfect flaky texture
Tip: have your butter ready, i.e. cold and cubed. If the butter warms up during the process, place it back in the fridge before using. You want to have it very cold.
Variations around herb parmesan scones
It’s easy to customize these savory scones! You can for instance play with the type of grated cheese you’re using, with the herbs, and also use add-ins of your choice. A few suggestions:
- Cheese. Replace parmesan cheese with grated cheddar, Emmental, Gruyère, or Asiago.
- Herbs. Use rosemary, thyme, dill, etxc.
- Add-ins. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, jalapeños or caramelized red onions.
What to serve with herb parmesan scones?
I usually recommend to serve these herb parmesan scones as a side dish along with this roasted red pepper tomato soup, a gazpacho in summer, or any soup recipe really. You can also enjoy them as an appetizer, a savory breakfast or snack whenever you have a little craving during the day. Trust me, there’s never a bad time to enjoy savory scone!
More savory treats you’ll love:
- Caprese Croissant Breakfast Sandwich
- Tarte Soleil Appetizer
- Rosemary Sweet Potato Bread Wreath with Baked Camembert
- Caprese Pizza Star Ring
What about sweet scones?
If you’ve loved these parmesan scones, chances are that you will love these sweet scones too. Not too dry, not too moist, with just the right balance of sweetness. They’re always a crowd-pleaser for breakfast or any time of the day really.
Herb Parmesan Scones
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Savory
- Diet: Vegetarian
These herb parmesan scones make for a perfect savory scone recipe. You will be amazed by this simple recipe that comes together in one bowl within 30 minutes!
Email me this recipe
We’ll send it straight to your inbox, along with weekly food inspiration!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- A pinch of black pepper
- ⅓ cup (30g) Parmesan cheese, grated + extra for topping
- 1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into cubes
- ½ cup (120ml) whipping cream, cold
- 1 large egg, lightly whisked
- 3 Tablespoons chives, chopped
- Milk or heavy cream, for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, grated parmesan, salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Add the pieces of cold butter to the dry ingredients and lightly toss until all of the pieces are coated. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, quickly cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is pebbly with still little chunks of butter, about pea size. Don’t overmix.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with the whipping cream. Pour the cream mixture over the dry ingredients and use a fork to gently stir together. Don’t over stir, the mixture will be wet and sticky. Stir in the chives. Still in the bowl, knead the dough a few times until the dough comes together.
- Place the scone dough on a lightly floured surface. Gently pat and shape the dough into a ¾-1-inch thick circle. Use a sharp knife to cut the scones into 8 even triangles.
- Place the scones on a baking sheet, brush with milk or heavy cream, sprinkle lightly with additional grated Parmesan cheese. Freeze for 15 minutes (important step).
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tops and edges are golden brown and the scones are set but still slightly soft in the center. Remove from the oven and let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Herb Parmesan Scones, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
Rachel
I am planning to make these tomorrow. What do you think of the idea of grating frozen butter instead of using cubes? I read this suggestion in another recipe and it seems like it might make the process of mixing with the flour mixture a bit faster and less work.
Del’s Cooking Twist
It is faster but I find it makes the butter melt faster than you would want to. I prefer the dicing method but if you choose to grate frozen butter, maybe put it back in the freezer for a little bit of time before using it (I haven’t tried it with putting it back in the freezer, I just had the idea when I read your comment).
Nicole
These are absolutely bomb omg. I used fresh basil my boyfriend gave me from his garden instead of chives and holy omg best scones I’ve ever made literally. I’m going to follow this recipe and try cheddar next, thank u so much!
Delphine Fortin
Awesome. Thanks, Nicole, for your feedback!
Joan Parker
These were some of the best scones I have made (with my British background, I have made a lot!) Tender, moist, flaky—the most wonderful texture that did not fall apart or crumble. And yes, the cheese/herb combination was perfect. My husband raved.
Will be my go-to recipe.
Del’s Cooking Twist
I feel honored to have such a good review on this scones recipe from someone who has a British background! Thank you so much for your kind words.
Thorndyke Law
I’m no baker, and scones are (usually) hard for me to make as they have previously come out hard- like golden rocks. This recipe was easy to follow and had easily accessible ingredients. I used grated parmesan and mixed herbs and this turned out absolutely velvety fluffy, light and creamy (in a great way). It was pretty to gaze upon too before I took slices from it (I did 16 portions as well) as I couldn’t wait for it to cool so the slices crumbled a bit. Warm scones were delish! Just so surprisingly easy, excellent and tasty!
Del’s Cooking Twist
Thank you so much for leaving a comment here! I am glad you liked these scones 🙂
Cristin Luea
Excellent recipe! Nice crunch on the exterior, pillowy soft on the inside.
I did smoked Gouda and chives. The bake time was perfect (another similar scone recipe said to cook for 20-25 minutes and they burned).
I cut them into 16 smaller scones, cooked for 15 minutes – PERFECT. I topped them with a little more cheese when I took them out.
I also liked the 15 minute freezer tip (vs. 30 min in fridge).
Thank you!!
Danielle
These are the first scones I’ve had true success with! My husband absolutely adored them and we are printing this recipe to go into regular rotation. Thank you!
Delphine Fortin
Yay! So happy this recipe became a winner in your family. My husband is obsessed with these too! Del