Savoury Rosemary Parmesan Scones

Last updated on October 5th, 2024

With a light, tender crumb and hints of honey and lemon, these savoury rosemary Parmesan scones are flaky, deliciously buttery and so, so good. The dough freezes beautifully, too, making them ideal for a quick morning bake!

Scones are a wonderful idea because they can be completely set up the night before and then baked off in the morning or just in time for dinner.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these rosemary Parmesan scones

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh rosemary
• Freshly grated lemon zest
• Kosher or fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Unsalted butter 
• Table cream
• Liquid honey

The robust flavours of the peppery rosemary and nutty Parmesan in this recipe are rounded out with zesty lemon, butter, cream and a touch of honey. Since first posted, I’ve reduced the flour and baking powder amounts slightly for a flakier texture. I’ve also replaced the egg wash with melted butter or more cream for more browning rather than shine.

My best tip for baking scones

I always cut scones into triangles or squares to avoid having to re-roll and cut again. It’s quicker, the dough is only handled once and there are no leftover bits at the end!

These scones have a lofty rise that’s perfect for dipping into gravies and soups and they are my absolute favourite for breakfast sandwiches. Think ham and egg with greens and a little mayo — so good!

Served warm or toasted on a sheet pan in the oven, these rosemary parmesan scones are perfect for a quick, on-the-go breakfast or your next weekend brunch. We love them served alongside my 5-Ingredient Pantry Tomato Soup and Minestrone Soup for lunch or together with Turkey Stuffed Roasted Peppers for dinner.

These rosemary Parmesan scones are herby, so cheesy and a long-time favourite. Enjoy them warm, fresh from the oven, with even more butter!

Looking for a sweeter option? You can find my favourite Blueberry Scones recipe here.

And if you like this recipe, you might also like my No-Knead Rosemary Parmesan Artisan Bread!

If you make these scones, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! 

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

*This recipe has been updated since first published September 25, 2021.

Savoury Rosemary Parmesan Scones

With a light, tender crumb and hints of honey and lemon, these rosemary Parmesan scones are flaky, deliciously buttery and so, so good. The dough freezes beautifully, too, making them ideal for a quick morning bake!

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Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:20 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Side, Snack

Keyword: baking, parmesan, rosemary, scone

Servings: 6

Equipment

• Box grater
• Fine grater/zester
• 4 Qt mixing bowl
• Baking sheet
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, stems removed and chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter + 1 tablespoon (14 grams), melted, for brushing
• 1 cup table cream
• 2 tablespoons liquid honey

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and prepared parchment-lined baking sheet.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, rosemary, salt and pepper.
• Using a box grater (or similar), grate the butter into the flour mixture then toss with your hands until evenly distributed.
• Add cream and honey and mix just until the dough comes together. If you feel you need to, use your hands to knead it just until it comes together, but not too much or you will over-strengthen the gluten and the dough will lose its flaky texture.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface. Using your hands, gently press the crumbs together. Fold the dough over, press and shape again, then rotate 90 degrees and repeat the process. The dough may still be a little crumbly, but it will come together. As soon as it holds into a cohesive piece, work with your hands to gently pat it into a 1½-inch (3 cm) thick circle about 7 inches (18 cm) in width and cut it into 6 wedges. Lift each scone with a spatula and transfer them to the baking sheet, placing them about 1 inch apart. 
• Brush scones with melted butter (or more cream) and bake for 20-22 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

Cold butter is key to creating the light, flaky texture so it’s best to work quickly. This recipe calls for grating then hand mixing the butter into the dough. It’s those larger pieces that result in buttery, fluffy layers.

Cheese: If you don’t have Parmesan, these scones are just as delicious when made with cheddar, gouda or Gruyère cheese.

Herbs: Not a fan of rosemary? Try them with fresh thyme, chives or scallions. I do recommend using fresh herbs in this recipe. I find them to be more vibrant and flavourful and that they truly enhance the overall texture, taste and presentation of the scones.

Storage: If prepping the day before, store cut scones on a baking sheet in the fridge, covered, overnight. Leftover scones will store well on the counter in a well-sealed container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze dough for future bakes, cut and place on sheet pan and freeze until solid then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. When you are ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw them. Bake as directed above.