Who says that scones need to be sweet?

Most of the time when I make scones they are of a sweet nature. Whether they be filled with some sort of chocolate or fruit or topped with a maple or cinnamon glaze, they are a sugary breakfast  or brunch item. Sometimes, though, you want something of a savory nature. About eight years ago I decided to try my hand at a non-sweet scone. This recipe was my first successful attempt. What I like about these scones is that they also can be used as a pastry served with lunch or dinner. Making a pot of soup? These are a fabulous accompaniment. Having a salad for dinner? These pair well. To learn more about this recipe, first published in July 2010, keep reading. 

I have been baking scones for over a decade.  They’re an often requested breakfast dish and a favorite among family and friends.  Depending on which person you ask, the best scone filling varies: blueberry/white chocolate chip, cinnamon chip, chocolate chip.  As you can see from this list, I have stayed with the sweet style of scones.

For a while now, I’ve considered making a scone that ventured into the savory side.  My husband, especially, has shown an interest in trying a scone of this fashion.  With a delayed Father’s Day celebration occurring just the other week, it seemed the perfect time to give a savory scone a try.

Since it was his celebration, I wanted to make something that he would enjoy, which meant including some fresh herbs from his garden.  As a way of convincing the kids that they’d want to try these scones, I chose parmesan for the cheese, as that is a favorite for all of them.  Ham was the easy choice as the third flavor: not too bold and enjoyed by all.  However, I think these scones could be made with a variety of different cheeses, meats, and herbs. I would suggest sticking with hard cheeses (as they have less moisture) and would drain meat well (again to avoid extra moisture in the dough).

The savory scones were a hit with my husband.  The kids’ votes were mixed; no one thoroughly disliked them, but no one was ecstatic about them.  Of course, they all have a penchant for sweets, so when they heard scones, they immediately assumed they would have chocolate.  As for me, I found that the scones were tasty and will be a new recipe with which I can experiment and try new flavor combinations.

Savory Scones

2014-09-25 04:24:27

Yields 8

Who says that scones need to be sweet?

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Cook Time

20 min

Cook Time

20 min

Ingredients

1. 2 cups flour
2. 1 tsp. baking powder
3. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4. 1/2 tsp. salt
5. 5 Tb. unsalted butter, diced
6. 3/4 cup smoked ham, diced
7. 3/4 cup parmesan, grated
8. 1 Tb. fresh rosemary, chopped
9. 3/4 cup buttermilk*
10. 1 egg yolk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400◦F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add butter.
4. Combine ingredients using a pastry blender (or two forks) until butter is reduced to the size of grains of rice.
5. Stir in ham, cheese, and rosemary.
6. Whisk buttermilk and egg yolk in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl.
7. Add liquids to dry ingredients; mix until dough forms a ball.
8. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and press into an 8-inch round.
9. Cut into 8 wedges.
10. Transfer wedges to rimmed cookie sheet.
11. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the scones are crusty on top and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
12. Serve warm.

Notes

1. *Instead of using buttermilk, I often combine 1 tablespoon vinegar and enough milk to equal 3/4 cup.

By Michele Pesula Kuegler

Think Tasty https://www.thinktasty.com/