Baked thyme scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

These savory Gruyère and thyme scones are beautifully golden on the outside with a tender, flaky inside. Each bite is infused with the nutty flavor of Gruyère cheese and fragrant herbal thyme. The sharp, nutty flavor of Gruyère complements the earthy flavor of thyme creating a satisfying, savory update on the classic scone. These savory scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as an accompaniment to holiday meals.

Baked thyme scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a savory treat!

I thrive when Fall arrives. The cool, crisp air always breathes new life into me. Plus, I can justify turning the oven on and baking up a storm in the cool weather.

A wooden spatula with a savory scone on it.

In case you needed a reminder, Fall isn’t just for all things pumpkin; it’s also for savory recipes that scream Fall with every bite. These savory scones with Gruyère and thyme make the perfect accompaniment for Fall brunches!

A stack of gruyere scones.

Let’s talk a little bit about these flaky scones. I usually make scones that are on the sweeter side, like Chocolate Strawberry Scones, Lemon Scones, and Pomegranate Orange Scones.

A plate with savory scones.

Since I already made Pumpkin Scones and Sweet Potato Scones it was time to try a savory scone with cheese and some herbs.

A plate with a scone sliced in half.

I decided to go with Gruyère because of its sweet, nutty flavor. I like that the cheese flavor isn’t overwhelming.

Once I picked Gruyère as the base for these cheese scones, I knew I needed to use thyme to give it a Fall feel.

A plate with a scone cut in half with butter smeared on one piece.

I hope you make these scones for a Fall brunch. I have plenty of savory breakfast recipes that would go perfectly with these scones.

These scones can be served as a side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner. They’re flaky and screaming to be smothered with butter, and they’ll go great with turkey.

Ingredients

The ingredients for Gruyere and Thyme scones.
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • granulated sugar
  • salt
  • unsalted butter
  • fresh thyme leaves
  • Gruyère cheese
  • heavy cream
  • a large egg
  • flaky sea salt, optional

How to Make Gruyère and Thyme Scones

First, clear out space in either your fridge or freezer that is big enough for a large baking sheet. Later, you’ll need to keep the scones cool for a little while.

A glass bowl with flour and a whisk.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

A glass bowl with cubed butter and flour.

Use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the cold butter into the flour until crumbly.

A glass bowl with butter and flour mixed together.

Make sure the pieces of butter are no larger than a pea.

A glass bowl with the dough for the gruyere scones.

Stir in the thyme leaves and Gruyère until evenly distributed.

A glass bowl with heavy cream and an egg mixed together.

Mix the heavy cream and egg in a separate bowl.

A glass bowl with the wet and dry ingredients mixed together with a wooden spoon.

Then add to the flour and butter mixture.

The scone dough in a disk shape on parchment paper.

Mix until the dough just begins to come together then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Bring the dough together with your hands and form it into a circle that is about 1-inch thick.

The scone dough in a disk shape, cut into scones on parchment paper.

Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges.

The unbaked scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Place the scones at least 1 ½ inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes until completely firm.

The unbaked scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

While the scones chill, preheat the oven. Remove the chilled scones and brush the tops with some cream.

The unbaked scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

If desired, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the top of each scone.

Baked scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake the scones in the preheated oven on the middle rack until firm to the touch and the edges/tops turn golden brown.

The scones cooling on a cooling rack.

Cool the scones on a rack for a few minutes before serving.

How to Store

Homemade scones will last 3 days stored in an airtight container or 5 days stored in the fridge. To reheat, wrap the leftover baked scones in foil and warm them in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Gruyère and Thyme Scones tossed together.

More Savory Brunch Recipes

Gruyère and Thyme Scones on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

What do you think of this amazing savory scone recipe? What would you serve with these scones? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy Fall baking, friends!

A Gruyère and Thyme Scone on a plate.

Savory Gruyère and Thyme Scone Recipe

Gruyère and Thyme Scones tossed together.
Yield: 8 scones

Gruyère and Thyme Scones

These savory Gruyère and thyme scones are beautifully golden on the outside with a tender, flaky inside. These savory scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as an accompaniment to holiday meals.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for handling the dough
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, diced
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 heaped cup grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
  • ½ cup heavy cream, plus 1-2 tablespoons extra for brushing the tops
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional

Instructions

  1. Clear out space in either your fridge or freezer that is big enough for a large baking sheet.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the cold butter into the flour until crumbly. Make sure the pieces of butter are no larger than a pea. Stir in the thyme leaves and Gruyère until evenly distributed.
  3. Mix the heavy cream and egg in a separate bowl then add to the flour and butter mixture. Mix until the dough just begins to come together then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Bring the dough together with your hands and form it into a circle that is about 1-inch thick.
  4. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges. Place the scones at least 1 ½ inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes until completely firm.
  5. While scones chill, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chilled scones and brush the tops with some cream. If desired, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the top of each scone. Bake the scones in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 17-20 minutes until firm to the touch and the edges/tops are turning golden brown. Cool the scones on a rack at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • If you don’t have enough space in your fridge or freezer for a large baking sheet, divide the dough between two large plates instead. To ensure that the scones don’t stick, line each plate with a piece of parchment. When the scones have chilled and are firm to the touch, transfer them to the lined baking sheet.
  • If you can’t find Gruyère, you can substitute an equal amount of fontina, manchego, emmental, or Jarlsberg in its place.
  • How much Gruyère do I need in order to yield a cup once it’s grated? A 4-ounce block of Gruyère will yield at least once cup once it has been grated.
  • Baked scones can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • To reheat the scones, wrap baked scones in foil and warm them in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Recipe Tips

  • Don’t skip the chilling step! This ensures that the butter is very cold which will cause it to release steam once it hits the heat of the oven and yield beautiful, flaky layers.
  • For extra flaky scones, fold the dough over a few times when you’re bringing it together with your hands before you pat it into a circle.
  • For freshly baked scones in the morning, you can make and chill the scones overnight. Make sure to cover the scones so they don’t dry out. If you freeze them, you’ll most likely need to add an additional 2-3 minutes to the overall baking time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 393Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 702mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g

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