15 minutes and 5 basic ingredients (that you probably already have at home!) is all you need to make these classic Savory Scones. Soft, moist, easy to make - and a perfect vehicle for butter, marmelade or cream cheese.
Just a few of the reasons why this is the best quick weekend breakfast!
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There are some recipes that can do no wrong. Recipes we go back to, again and again, and again and again. This recipe for Savory Scones is one of those all-time favorites for me.
I think I made Savory Scones the first time when I was about 10 (yes, I was an early cook!), and since then it has just stuck with me.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick - or how about fresh baked bread in just 15 minutes?!
- It's easy - no kneading, no chilling, just mix and bake
- They're deliciously soft and perfect to top with your favorites - like butter, orange marmalade or cream cheese
- Great vehicle for serving with both salty and sweet flavors
- All basic ingredients - I bet you have all of them at home, right now
What's the difference between American scones, Britsh scones, and biscuits?
Let's start with the similiarities:
All three have a base made from the same ingredients: flour, baking powder, butter, and some type of milk, buttermilk or cream.
Now, for the differences:
- American scones are often sweet - British scones, and biscuits, are generally not, although British scones sometimes contain a small amount of sugar
- American scones usually have egg in the dough - British scones and biscuits generally do not
- Biscuits are often a bit higher, fluffier and flakier than both types of scones
If you're wondering where this recipe falls, these Savory Scones are definitely of the British variety.
What you need to make them
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour
- Salted butter can be substituted for unsalted butter or vegetable oil with neutral taste. If using unsalted butter, add an extra pinch of salt.
- Milk can be substituted for cream (heavy cream or any other kind) or a dairy-free milk or cream alternative. In a pinch, you can use water as well - but they are much better with some type of milk or similar product.
How to make them
- Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl
- Add the butter cut in pieces
- Mix and try to crumble the butter as much as possible - but it should not merge entirely with the flour
- Add milk
- Mix and use your hands to combine everything to a cohesive dough
- Don't overmix - when you can form the scone dough into a ball you are done. It's fine if there are some parts with "too much" flour and some with "too much" butter.
- Bring out a lined baking sheet and divide the ball of dough into two evenly sized balls
- Use your hands to flatten the balls into cakes about 10 cm/4 inches across
- Using a regular dinner knife, cut each of the cakes into four wedges
- Prick them with a fork
- Then bake in the middle of the oven for 8-10 minutes
- They're done when they're golden brown and sound hollow when gently tapped
Tips & tricks
- Make them just before serving - they are best hot straight from the oven
- Make them vegan by switching butter for a neutral vegetable oil and milk for a dairy-free alternative
- Don't overmix or knead the dough
- Cut the scones before baking to make them easy to serve - the pieces will remain just slightly stuck together after baking
- Wrap in a kitchen towel when serving to keep the heat and moisture inside
- Store leftover Savory Scones in a plastic bag in room temperature - they are best eaten straight away, but OK for 1-2 days
- Heat leftover Savory Scones in the oven (150°C/300°F for 5 minutes) before eating - or cut in half and roast them in the oven, a toaster or a pan
- Freeze unbaked Savory Scones for up to 3 months. Freeze on trays, then transfer to freezer bags once frozen. You can bake them straight from frozen but you will need to add a few minutes to the bake time.
What do you eat with savory scones?
Savory scones are traditionally served with clotted cream and jam for afternoon tea, but there are so many delicious ways to eat them.
I love serving them with several options so that you can make every scone slightly different - some sweet, some savory, and sometimes both at the same time.
Here are a few of my favorite toppings:
- Butter, just loads of butter - either just salted, or Whipped Lemon Butter
- Marmelade - orange is great
- Jam - raspberry jam is delicious, and especially if you add some...
- Whipped cream
- Whipped Feta Cheese - a serious game changer for scones!
- Cheese - a slice of sharp cheddar cheese or any kind you enjoy
- Nutella
- Tapenade
- Any good sauce or spread you have in your fridge - even that spicy Sriracha sauce. Yep, I tried it...
Recipe FAQ
There are 3 keys to baking really good Savory Scones:
1. Use cold ingredients. No room temperature butter or milk, bring them out from the fridge just when you need them.
2. Don't overmix. Mix until combined, but not more. It's fine if there are patches with more flour or butter, the dough just needs to be somewhat cohesive.
3. Keep the heat high. Make sure you're oven is preheated and bake at 435°F (225°C).
Use cold ingredients, preheat the oven, don't overwork the dough, don't forget to add the baking powder - and make sure the baking powder is fresh!
If your Savory Scones come out hard you likely overworked the dough, used too little baking powder, or used old baking powder. It could also be due to the dough being too warm when you placed it in the oven.
More quick & easy brunch recipes
Looking for more quick & easy recipes for breakfast & brunch?
- Overnight Turkish Bread
- Greek Breakfast Egg Muffins
- Chocolate Oatmeal with Peanut Butter & Blueberries
- Vegetarian Tapenade Sandwich with Feta Cheese & Jalapeños
- Breakfast Frittata with Feta Cheese, Mushrooms & Sun-dried Tomatoes
Did you love this recipe for classic savoury scones? Rate it 5 stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Savory Scones
Print RateIngredients
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup plain flour
- 3 tablespoon butter cold
- â…“ cup milk cold
To serve
- Orange marmelade or your choice of topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven for 435°F (225°C) and place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Mix together all dry ingredients in a bowl.½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 cup plain flour
- Add in the butter in small pieces and mix until combined, using your hands to crumble the butter if necessary.3 tablespoon butter
- Add in the milk. Mix using a spoon and your hands, but take care not to mix more than necessary. When you can create one cohesive ball from the dough, it's done.â…“ cup milk
- Divide the ball into two equal sized balls, and place them on the baking sheet. Using your hand, flatten them to 10 cm/4'' across. Cut each in four pieces with a dinner knife and prick with a fork to create small holes on the surface.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden.Orange marmelade
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Video
Notes
Ingredient substitutions
- Salted butter can be substituted for unsalted butter and an extra pinch of salt, or a vegetable oil with neutral taste
- Fine table salt can be substituted for another type of salt in the same amount
- Milk can be substituted for cream or a dairy-free milk or cream alternative. In a pinch, you can use water as well - but they are much better with some type of milk or similar product.
Tips & tricks
- Make them just before serving - they are best hot straight from the oven
- Make them vegan by switching butter for a neutral vegetable oil and milk for a dairy-free alternative
- Don't overmix or knead the dough
- Cut the scones before baking to make them easy to serve - the pieces will remain just slightly stuck together after baking
- Wrap in a kitchen towel when serving to keep the heat and moisture inside
- Store leftovers in a plastic bag in room temperature - they are best eaten straight away, but OK for 1-2 days
- Heat leftovers in the oven (150°C/300°F for 5 minutes) before eating - or cut in half and roast them in the oven, a toaster or a pan
- Freeze unbaked scones for up to 3 months. Freeze on trays, then transfer to freezer bags once frozen. You can bake them straight from frozen but you will need to add a few minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Laura
Hi, this recipe looks absolutely lovely, but as a Brit I must say that we would not eat scones for breakfast! I'm not sure why, but we would eat them either for lunch or in the afternoon. We enjoy a cheese scone at lunch with some soup, or a plain or fruit scone with jam and a cup of tea as an afternoon snack. 🙂
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Laura! Yeah I guess it's become a bit of a different thing here in Sweden, we do have them for a British style afternoon tea - but also often for brunch or a weekend breakfast. Or just as a snack in the afternoon! I think they're great any time 🙂 /Emmeline