Scones are a flaky English pastry that sits close to an American biscuit on the table, though the texture is a little different. They often carry additions such as fruits or nuts worked right into the dough.
This recipe takes the savory road instead, loading the dough with sweet caramelized onions, nutty gruyere cheese, and fresh sage. The outside bakes up slightly crisp while the inside stays buttery and soft, and the flavor leans into fall.
Plan ahead on the onions. They take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours of slow cooking, so make them first or the night before and let them cool completely before they go into the dough.
This is a short ingredient list, and every item earns its place. The table below lays out the full lineup with amounts, followed by the details that matter most for texture and flavor.
Component
Ingredient
Amount
Caramelized onions
Unsalted butter
2 tablespoons
Caramelized onions
Yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 large, about 4 cups
Caramelized onions
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon
Scones
Unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup
Scones
Heavy cream
1/2 cup
Scones
Egg
1 large
Scones
Pastry flour, or all purpose flour
2 cups
Scones
Baking powder
1 tablespoon
Scones
Granulated sugar
2 teaspoons
Scones
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon
Scones
Gruyere cheese, shredded
8 ounces
Scones
Fresh sage, finely chopped
2 tablespoons
Scones
Caramelized onions
1/2 cup
Top with
Heavy cream
As needed
Top with
Flaky sea salt
As needed
Flour. Pastry flour or cake flour is the first choice because it gives a light, tender crumb. All purpose flour works well too if that is what you keep in the pantry.
Butter. Frozen, grated butter is the trick for the flakiest scones. Keep it in the freezer until the moment you need it.
Egg. The egg is what sets a scone apart from a biscuit, giving it a softer, fluffier texture.
Heavy cream. Heavy cream brings richness to the dough. Buttermilk can stand in if you have it and want a slightly tangier scone.
Sugar. Even a savory scone needs a small amount. Two teaspoons rounds out the flavor without turning the dough sweet.
Gruyere. Creamy and nutty, gruyere pairs beautifully with caramelized onions. Cheddar or gouda can be substituted if you prefer. Shred a block yourself instead of buying preshredded cheese, because cheese you shred at home melts better.
Onions. Sweet onions give the best flavor, though yellow onions work well and are what the recipe calls for. One large onion is about 2 cups sliced, and that cooks down to roughly 1/4 cup of caramelized onions, so two large onions give you the 1/2 cup the scones need.
Sage. Fresh sage is recommended but optional. Leave it out if it is not your favorite herb, and the scones will still taste rich and savory.
Flaky sea salt. A pinch of flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, on the tops adds both flavor and a finished look.
Optional Caramelized Onion Butter
The scones call for about 1/2 cup of caramelized onions, so you may end up with a little extra on hand. Turn it into a quick caramelized onion butter and serve it alongside the warm scones.
Mix 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter with about 2 tablespoons of caramelized onions and 1/2 teaspoon of flaky sea salt, then spread it on a split scone.
How to Caramelize Onions
Caramelized onions are the slowest part of this recipe, and they are worth the wait. The original recipe recommends making them the night before you plan to bake so they have time to cool completely.
Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt.
Cook slowly over low heat until the onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally so they do not burn.
Let the caramelized onions cool completely before adding them to the dough.
Here is how the pan should look along the way. At about 30 minutes the onions will be slightly softened but still mostly colorless. At about an hour they should be soft and just beginning to brown. By about 1 1/2 hours they are jammy, deep golden brown, and richly sweet.
Cooling matters more than it sounds. Warm onions will soften the frozen butter in the dough, and soft butter means a flatter, less flaky scone.
How to Make Tender Gruyere Scones
Once the onions are cool, the dough comes together quickly. The recipe card lists about 90 minutes of prep, most of which is onion time, and roughly 20 minutes in the oven.
Place the butter in the freezer for at least 20 to 30 minutes before grating. Use a box grater to carefully grate it into small pieces, and keep the grated butter in the freezer until you are ready to use it. If you prefer, cut the butter into small chunks and keep them well chilled instead.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and egg, then set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the frozen grated butter, shredded gruyere, cooled caramelized onions, and chopped sage to the dry ingredients. Mix until everything is fully coated in flour. The onions tend to clump, so rub them into the flour with your fingers to separate them.
Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients over the top, combining as you go. Continue mixing until the dough just comes together. It will be slightly sticky. If the dough feels too dry, add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently press it into an 8 inch round disc. Use a sharp knife to cut the disc into 8 triangles.
Place the scones a few inches apart on the lined baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you like.
Place the pan in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to let the scones firm back up.
While the scones chill, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake at 400°F for 18 to 24 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.
Serve the caramelized onion gruyere scones warm with butter.
The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky, not dry and crumbly. If you squeeze a handful and it holds together, you are there.
If you have a metal scone pan, you can press the dough into it instead of cutting triangles on the counter. Either way, the scones need that short rest in the refrigerator before baking so the butter firms up again.
Watch the tops rather than the clock. Every oven runs a little differently, and the scones are ready when the tops are an even golden brown. Serve them warm with butter, or with the optional caramelized onion butter from the ingredient notes.
One batch makes 8 scones. The original recipe lists each serving at 439 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of protein, 30 grams of fat with 18 grams saturated, 4 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, 602 milligrams of sodium, and 109 milligrams of cholesterol.
Tips for Flaky Pastries
Flakiness comes from cold butter and gentle handling. These habits make the biggest difference.
Start cold. Use very cold ingredients instead of room temperature ones. Keep butter, eggs, milk, and cream in the refrigerator until just before you use them.
Chill before baking. Resting the shaped scones in the refrigerator for at least 15 to 20 minutes keeps the butter cold and helps the scones hold their shape in the oven.
Do not overwork the dough. Mix only until everything is just combined so distinct pieces of butter remain. Those pieces create the buttery, flaky pockets you want.
Measure flour accurately. A kitchen scale is the most accurate option. By volume, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it with the back of a knife without packing it down. Too much flour leads to dry, dense baked goods. Cocoa powder is measured the same way.
Check your baking powder. Baking powder has a fairly short shelf life once opened. Test it by adding a small amount to boiling water. If it bubbles, it is still good. If nothing happens, throw it out.
Use an oven thermometer. An oven that is not calibrated can be off by as much as 30 degrees, and some ovens take longer than the standard preheat time to reach the right temperature.
The single most useful habit for flaky scones: keep everything cold until the moment it goes into the oven.
For the most accurate results, especially in baking, weigh your ingredients. Kitchen scales are inexpensive and cut down on the number of dishes to wash. US customary measurements are also given for convenience, along with a conversion chart for common ingredients.
On substitutions, the recipe notes are clear: only the substitutions included with the recipe are known to work. Results cannot be guaranteed when other ingredients are swapped, because ingredients such as granulated sugar and honey behave differently and cannot always be exchanged one for one.
About salt, the original recipe relies on Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt almost exclusively as an all purpose salt for both cooking and baking, and it includes a conversion guide for anyone using a different salt.
If you bake with table salt, reduce the amount by half. The notes also lean toward using less salt rather than more in cooking, since more can always be added later.
If something does end up too salty, a little acid such as lemon juice can help balance it.
How do you make caramelized onion and Gruyere scones?
To make caramelized onion and Gruyere scones, first caramelize two thinly sliced large yellow onions in two tablespoons of butter with salt over low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until deep golden brown. Once the onions are cool, prepare the scone dough by mixing two cups pastry flour, one tablespoon baking powder, two teaspoons sugar, and salt, then work in half a cup of frozen grated butter, eight ounces of shredded Gruyere, the caramelized onions, and two tablespoons fresh sage. Stir in a half cup of heavy cream whisked with one egg just until the dough comes together, press into an eight-inch disc, cut into eight triangles, chill for 15-20 minutes, then brush with cream and bake at 400°F for 18-24 minutes.
How long does it take to caramelize onions for scones?
It takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to properly caramelize onions for savory scones. Cook the thinly sliced onions slowly over low heat with butter and a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until they turn a deep golden brown and become jammy. For the best results, the recipe recommends preparing the caramelized onions the night before so they have time to cool completely before adding to the dough.
Can you freeze caramelized onion Gruyere scone dough?
Yes, the shaped scone dough freezes very well for up to three months. After cutting the dough into triangles, place them on a baking sheet and flash freeze for one hour. Once frozen solid, transfer the scones to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, place the frozen scones on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown, without thawing first.
What is the best cheese to use in savory scones with caramelized onions?
Gruyere is the best cheese for these savory scones because its creamy, nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the sweetness of caramelized onions. For the best melting and texture, always buy a block of Gruyere and shred it at home rather than using pre-shredded cheese, which contains anti-caking agents that hinder melting. If needed, cheddar or gouda make excellent substitutes while still complementing the caramelized onions.
What are Scones? Scones are a flaky English pastry that sits close to an American biscuit on the table, though the texture is a little different.
Total Time:110 min
Yield:8 scones 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Caramelized Onions 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Scones 1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 large egg 2 cups pastry flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 8 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped 1/2 cup caramelized onions
Top With heavy cream flaky sea salt
Instructions
Caramelized Onions 1-Thinly slice the onions: Thinly slice the onions. 2-Melt the butter in a large pan: Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the onions and season with salt. Cook slowly over low heat, until deep golden brown and caramelized, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Be sure to stir occasionally so that the onions don’t burn. 3-Let the caramelized onions cool completely before: Let the caramelized onions cool completely before adding to the dough.
Scones 4-Place the butter in the freezer for: Place the butter in the freezer for at least 20-30 minutes before grating. Use a box grater to carefully grate the butter into small pieces. Keep the grated butter in the freezer until you’re ready to use it. 5-Line a baking sheet with parchment paper: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 6-In a small bowl, whisk together the: In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and egg, then set aside. 7-In a medium bowl, whisk together the: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 8-To the dry ingredients add in the: To the dry ingredients add in the frozen grated butter, shredded gruyere cheese, cooled caramelized onions, and chopped sage and mix in until everything is fully coated in the flour. 9-Then slowly drizzle the wet ingredients over: Then slowly drizzle the wet ingredients over top, combing as you go. Continue mixing until the dough just comes together. The dough will be slightly sticky. If too dry, add in more cream 1 tablespoon at a time. 10-Transfer the dough to a lightly floured: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently press into an 8 inch round disc. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 triangles. 11-Place the scones a few inches apart: Place the scones a few inches apart on the lined baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. 12-Place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes: Place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm back up. 13-While the scones are chilling, preheat the: While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 400°F. 14-Bake at 400°F for 18-24 minutes or: Bake at 400°F for 18-24 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 15-Serve the caramelized onion gruyere scones warm: Serve the caramelized onion gruyere scones warm with butter!
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.
