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    Home » Recipes » Scones » Pesto Scones

    Pesto Scones

    ★★★★★ from 13 reviews
    22 Comments
    By Erin Clarkson on Jul 15, 2021 (updated Feb 28, 2022) This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This Small Batch Pesto Scone recipe is the perfect Savory Scone Recipe. They are flaky and tender, and full of flavour from the sundried tomato pesto and cheese. This easy cheese scone recipe can be put together quickly for whenever you need a scone fix! This small batch scone recipe makes 6 scones.

    Thank you to Filippo Berio for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the businesses who support Cloudy Kitchen!

    Table of contents

    • Pesto Scones - the Perfect Savory Scone Recipe
    • How to make Pesto Scones
    • Pesto Scones made with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
    • Small Batch Savory Scones
    • Why is it important to have cold ingredients when making scones?
    • A Sneaky Trick to Super Flaky Scones - Laminating your Scone Dough.
    • FAQ for Pesto Scones
    • For more recipes using Filippo Berio Products, check out:
    • Recipe For Pesto Scones
    savory scones ready to bake
    side shot savory scones

    Pesto Scones - the Perfect Savory Scone Recipe

    Hi hi! I am just popping in to share the recipe for these pesto and cheese small batch scones! I developed these a few months ago and have had them firmly on repeat ever since. Pesto and cheese is such a delicious addition to a scone recipe for a fun wee twist on the favourite! These savory scones are cheesy, and flaky, and just so, so delicious.

    I scaled down this recipe during testing and then it worked out so well I decided to keep this as a small batch recipe. 6 scones to me is the perfect amount, and the recipe is incredibly easy to double if you're looking for a few more scones.

    A quick note - These are, to me, what I call a savory scone. They are probably closer in texture to what people in the US call a 'biscuit'. We don't have biscuits in NZ (we do but we call them cookies), and our scones are beautiful and flaky like US biscuits are. The more you know!

    scone on wire rack

    How to make Pesto Scones

    This pesto scone recipe took a little more working than I thought - turns out adding pesto and cheese to scones isn't as easy as just making a quick sub. I wanted to jam as much pesto flavouring into the scones as I could, so I substituted some of the butter with pesto, which gets mixed in when the butter goes in.

    Adding in the pesto in with the butter before the milk gives it a chance to properly incorporate through the mixture. Once the milk goes in, you want to keep mixing to a minimum, to avoid over mixing the scones, which can cause them to be a little tough.

    The mixture may seem a wee bit wetter than other scone recipes but don't add more flour unless you really have to - a bench scraper is your friend here. You can add a tiny bit when rolling out if needed.

    Pesto Scones made with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

    I used my favourite sun dried tomato pesto from Filippo Berio to flavour these scones. They have an amazing range and any of their pestos would have worked in these scones. However, I love how the sun dried tomato pesto provides flavour and compliments the cheese in the recipe so, so well. Cheese and pesto is such a winning combination, and it works incredibly in these pesto scones! Adding the cheese and pesto directly to the scone mixture means that it is incorporated within the layers.

    Small Batch Savory Scones

    These Small Batch Savory Scones are Super Easy to make. There are a few steps, but they all happen quickly. The dough needs 15 minutes in the freezer before baking but aside from that there is very little down time for these scones.

    1. Combine your dry ingredients - I use All-purpose flour and baking powder here. It gets mixed with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you wanted to add in other seasonings, here is the place to add them.
    2. Rub in butter and pesto - The Filippo Berio Sun Dried Tomato pesto gets added in with the butter, and rubbed in (similar to how you make pie dough)
    3. Add the cheese - I used parmesan and cheddar here, but add in anything that you like. Just shoot for 120g of cheese all up. You can add some extra on the tops later too if you want. These really are a choose your own adventure situation.
    4. Mix in the milk - Once the butter, pesto and cheese are in, the milk goes in and is mixed to incorporate. You want to make sure that you don't over mix here. A few pockets of dry is fine, and it will sort itself out when you roll out the scones.
    5. Laminate the dough - More on this in a bit, but a wee secret to lovely flaky scones is to laminate the dough.
    6. Cut out the scones - Once you have finished the laminations, shape the dough into a rectangle and cut into squares.
    7. Chill - Pop the scones into the freezer for a wee chill, just to get everything nice and cold before it goes into the oven.
    8. Bake - Brush the tops of the scones with milk, and add extra cheese if you like. Pop the scones into the oven to transform into perfect, flaky small batch pesto scones.

    Why is it important to have cold ingredients when making scones?

    The temperature of the ingredients plays a big role in this recipe. Similar to how you keep pie dough nice and cold, the same applies to scones. Cold ingredients and cold chunks of butter in the recipe gives layers. When the cold butter hits the hot oven, it turns into steam, and you get perfect, flaky layers.

    It is important to start with everything cold - the milk, the butter, the pesto, etc. I like to grate the cheese and put it back in the fridge until ready to use. Same with the butter - cut it up first then pop it in the fridge until you are making the scone mixture.

    If at any time if it feels like things are getting too warm, pop the scone mixture into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it chill up.

    unbaked savory scone
    baked savory scone on wire rack

    A Sneaky Trick to Super Flaky Scones - Laminating your Scone Dough.

    A great way to ensure that you have nice layers in your scones is to do a few laminations. This is a technique is sometimes used in making biscuits and I applied it to my scone recipe a few years ago and it works great.

    Basically you roll the dough out then perform a few letter folds similar to how you would making puff pastry. Here's how it works:

    1. When you are finished mixing the dough, turn it out onto your surface and pat it into a rectangle 12"x6" (30x15cm). Square off the edges with a bench scraper as you go to keep things nice and even.
    2. Fold it in thirds like a letter, then pat out again into a rectangle.
    3. Perform one more fold, then pat out into a rectangle 5"x8" (12x20cm). Proceed with the recipe.

    FAQ for Pesto Scones

    What sort of cheese can I add to these?

    Add whatever you like. I used a sharp cheddar and some parmesan, but you can really throw whatever you have in here, provided it grates well!

    Can these be made ahead of time?

    You may be able to bake these from frozen, but I haven't tried it. I would freeze them until solid on the tray then transfer to a ziploc bag. Make sure you add a few more minutes onto the bake time to ensure they are cooked through.

    Can I add other things to these scones?

    Add whatever you like! Chilli flakes would be super yum in here, or other seasonings.

    Can I make these other shapes?

    Yes, you can make these any shape you like! I prefer round / rectangle / triangle shapes to round scones as it means there is no wastage and they are super easy to shape.

    What happens if I over mix my scone dough?

    They will still taste fine, they might just not reach their full fluffy potential.

    Can I use Self-Raising Flour?

    I haven't tried it, but you are welcome to! The ratios should be right to sub it in.

    Can I put cheese on the tops of the scones?

    Yes! Grate a little additional cheese and add to the tops of the scones before baking them.

    Can this recipe be doubled?

    Yes, super easily. You will need to change the proportions of your rectangle for folding, and then pat the dough out into a larger rectangle.

    For more recipes using Filippo Berio Products, check out:

    • Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
    • No Knead Focaccia
    • Carrot Cake Loaf with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Small Batch Dairy Free Brownies

    Made this recipe and love it?

    If you made this recipe then I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!

    A note on salt and oven temperature

    It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.

    All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan / convection, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.

    Using the double / triple function in the recipe card

    You will notice that there is a '1X' '2X' '3X' button in my recipe card. This can be used for doubling or tripling a recipe. However, please note that this only doubles the ingredient quantities in the ingredients list and NOT in the method. If there are quantities or pan sizes in the method of the recipe (for example weigh out 150g brown butter), you will need to scale this number manually. It will also not change the baking time in the recipe so you will need to adjust this yourself too. It is always a good idea to read through a recipe fully before doubling it just to check this. If you would like to scale this recipe or convert for another pan size, use my calculator!

    Tools and equipment

    For a list of my go-to tools and equipment, I have a post you can refer to here.

    Why is this recipe in grams?

    I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!

    Recipe For Pesto Scones

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    Pesto Scones

    ★★★★★ 5 from 13 reviews
    • Author: Erin Clarkson
    • Prep Time: 45 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    • Yield: 6 scones 1x
    • Category: Scones
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This Small Batch Pesto Scone recipe is the perfect Savory Scone Recipe. They are flaky and tender, and full of flavour from the sundried tomato pesto and cheese. This easy cheese scone recipe can be put together quickly for whenever you need a scone fix! This small batch scone recipe makes 6 scones.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 300g all-purpose flour
    • 14g (3 ½ tsp baking powder)
    • 2g (½) tsp salt
    • A few turns of black pepper
    • 110g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and kept cold until ready to use.
    • 100g Filippo Berio Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, cold from the fridge
    • 80g cheddar, grated
    • 40g parmesan cheese, grated
    • 140g whole milk plus a little additional for the tops.

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 400°f / 205°c
    2. In a large bowl toss together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
    3. Add the butter and pesto to the bowl, and using your fingers, rub the butter and pesto into the flour until the mixture resembles crumbs - it is ok to have a few pieces of larger butter remaining. You want to ‘shingle’ the butter with your fingers.
    4. Add the grated cheeses and mix to combine. Add the milk, and, working quickly, gently bring the dough together in the bowl. Avoid kneading it in order to not overwork the dough. It is ok if there are a few wee dry spots.
    5. Turn the dough out onto a countertop. Try not to add flour if you can, but if you need some bench flour that is ok. Pat it out into a rectangle about 12”x6” (30x15cm), then fold into three like a business letter. Square it off with a bench scraper as you go to keep things as even as possible.
    6. Pat it out again into a 12”x6” rectangle, and perform another fold. Finally, pat the dough out into a rectangle about 5”x8”. (12cmx20cm). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    7. Cut the scones into 6 equal pieces and place onto the baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.
    8. Brush the tops of the scones with milk and top with additional cheese if desired.
    9. Bake the scones for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are browned on top and nicely browned on the bottoms. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
    10. Serve warm with butter. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Re-warm either by toasting or microwaving before serving.

    Keywords: Scones, Savory Scones, Small Batch Scones, Pesto Scones, Cheese Scones

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cloudykitchen on Instagram and use the hashtag #cloudykitchen

    Key Ingredients

    • Cheese
    • Pesto
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    Reader Interactions

      Leave a comment & rating, or ask a question Cancel reply

      If you made this recipe then I would love for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! If you have recipe questions please feel free to leave them below too!

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

      Comments

    1. caribou

      July 15, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      these are delicious!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. stacy

      July 15, 2021 at 5:34 pm

      love these!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sarah

        July 17, 2021 at 8:59 am

        Yes! These are fantastic as all of Erin's recipes are delicious. Scones are so underrated in States, but they are always my first choice at a shop! Thanks for putting the time and love into this one.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Erin

          July 20, 2021 at 8:19 pm

          Ahh I love to hear it thank you so much! So happy you enjoyed them!

          Reply
    3. Tamara

      July 17, 2021 at 1:36 am

      Sydney is in lockdown, and it's important that you know this because then you'll understand that my desire to eat comfort food is high, and my ability to go get groceries is low. These scones popped up on my Instagram feed and I knew that I needed them.

      I only had beetroot leaf pesto that I made from my garden harvest last year, and I wasn't sure it'd work out, but it for sure did. These are perfect for days when you're reliant on pantry staples and things you're likely to have sitting around, and for warming your belly and your heart.

      The small batch is also helpful for days when you don't want to or don't have the ability to share.

      Make these.
      Especially if you're cold.
      Especially if you're in lockdown.

      I'll probably make more tomorrow...

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        July 20, 2021 at 8:19 pm

        Yussss what a review! thank you so, so much! I am so happy that you loved them x

        Reply
    4. Hannah

      July 19, 2021 at 6:49 am

      Amazing recipe! The extra steps of laminating the dough and freezing makes a huge difference and takes the scone to the next level! This produced the best quality scone I’ve ever made, cafe quality I think! I also love that it makes just 6 - perfect! Thanks for the beautiful recipe Erin!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        July 20, 2021 at 8:15 pm

        Yayyyy I am so happy you loved!

        Reply
    5. Sarah

      July 20, 2021 at 8:17 pm

      we loved these so much! Thanks for another amazing Small Batch recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Kayleigh

      July 21, 2021 at 3:40 pm

      Erin, you’ve done it again! These were so delicious, SO delicious! My three year old kept saying “Mmm mummy, these are so delicious” (she ate 1.5 in one sitting!) and my one year old was making yummy noises which is high praise indeed!
      5000 stars!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        July 22, 2021 at 6:13 am

        Yayyyy so happy you love!

        Reply
    7. Ashleigh

      August 08, 2021 at 1:49 am

      First of all, the measurements by weight has changed the way I bake now. I love it so much.

      Secondly, these scones f*cking slap. Perfect for our 3 degree rainy afternoon tea. Although I think I've made a terrible mistake baking only 6.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        August 08, 2021 at 6:54 pm

        hahah aw yussss so happy you love!

        Reply
    8. Monique

      August 20, 2021 at 11:07 pm

      I made these with self-raising flour and I think they worked out great! The folding technique was well worth it as it really helped the flaky but soft texture. I also added Chilli flakes in, but definitely could've added more than I normally would to cut through the pesto flavour.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        August 22, 2021 at 2:01 am

        Ah yayyy so happy to hear it x

        Reply
    9. Hannah

      September 29, 2021 at 1:00 pm

      Great recipe! My sister said they tasted like pizza scones...I thinking using the brand of sundried tomato pesto that Erin uses would have maybe taken care of the "pizza" notes but I had access to a different brand. Also wanting to make these with green pesto to see how they taste! I was able to make 8 decent sized scones from this recipe. So grateful for the metric measurements of ingredients...as always!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Janita

      November 14, 2021 at 10:28 am

      Another great recipe! I sprinkled some extra cheese on the dough before doing the final fold and it turned out perfect!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Caroline Dryden

      February 14, 2022 at 2:47 pm

      Made these scones today using normal pesto, oh my what a treat, who knew you could laminate scones without making them too tough. Will definitely make again with sun dried tomato soon too. Thanks for the recipe

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin Clarkson

        February 14, 2022 at 4:25 pm

        Yay! Such a good trick right! So happy you loved 🙂

        Reply
    12. Chloe

      March 15, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      Can I use Almond milk instead of whole milk?

      Reply
      • Erin Clarkson

        March 16, 2022 at 9:30 pm

        I haven't tried it but it should work!

        Reply
    13. Steph

      May 07, 2022 at 11:51 pm

      These scones are exceptional, as expected given the high standards of all your recipes. I have to limit the quantities I bake, or share with friends so that I don't inhale the whole batch. They are so SO good. Thanks for another winning recipe 🙌

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Erin Clarkson Cloudy Kitchen

    HI, I'M ERIN

    My recipes range from quick & easy all the way to complex & impressive. I love the science and process of recipe development almost as much as baking itself. I specialize in rigorously tested recipes that are fun, reliable, and accurate.

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