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These Butternut Squash and Cheddar Savoury Scones are a fabulous and mega easy savoury baking recipe. I love a good, flaky scone and I also love any bake involving cheese. The butternut squash is really understated, and pairs so well with the rosemary and spices. I love this recipe for using up frozen butternut squash (which can easily be swapped for pumpkin). Of course, fresh is fine too, just make sure it’s totally cooked!
Make sure to really mash up the veg, so that it goes into the recipe as a puree. The resulting scone is flaky and warm, making a nice change from a classic. Top with lots of butter whilst still warm for a truly delicious thing. Also great dipped into soup, paired with a cosy stew, or as part of an afternoon tea with your friends!
This recipe makes about 6/7 scones, but feel free to use any size cookie cutter you like. The trick for top tier scones is to keep your ingredients cold and handle the dough as little as possible. I tend to make these in a small food processor, just adding the milk. Stir with a knife before tipping straight onto the baking tray and cutting the individual scones.
For the cheese, I recommend a strong Cheddar – but any hard, strong cheeses will work. This is a great way to use up any odds and ends that you may have in the fridge. I also definitely recommend a good amount of herbs and spices to really bring out the flavours.
Tips for Top Tier Butternut Squash and Cheddar Savoury Scones
- Butter: Keep this as cold as possible until you are ready to use it. This helps for really flaky scones.
- Cheese: A good, strong cheddar is needed in order to really be able to notice the cheese. Alternative hard cheeses will work too.
- Butternut Squash: Can easily be subbed for pumpkin. Just make sure it is totally cooked and mashed as much as possible.
- Fresh vs Frozen: I like this recipe as a way to use frozen veg. Fresh will work too, it will just need longer cook time.
- Baking: Brush a little milk on the top of the scones for that shiny top, just make sure it doesn’t drip down the sides.
- For the best Rise: Don’t over-handle or over mix, and try to keep everything cold.
- To make Vegan: These can be veganised with vegan block butter alternative and a cheese alternative (a pre-shredded one is a good choice).
I bake these Butternut Squash and Cheddar Savoury Scones on classic sheet pans (like these) and always opt for silicone baking mats (these are the ones I use) as they’re better for the planet! For more savoury baking recipes, check out these Moroccan Spiced Red Pepper & Lentil Sausage Rolls or these Ploughman’s Pinwheels. For more baking inspiration, head on over to my Instagram.
Butternut Squash and Cheddar Savoury Scones
Ingredients
- 300 g Frozen Butternut Squash (or Pumpkin)
- 50 g Butter Cold, Cubed
- 235 g Self Raising Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 60 g Grated Cheddar
- 70 ml Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a large baking tray.
- Cook your butternut squash/pumpkin. I do this by boiling for about 10 minutes, until totally soft. Mash completely, to make a puree. (If using fresh veg, roast until totally cooked, remove skin, then mash).
- In a large bowl/in a food processor, combine the butter, flour and baking powder by rubbing with your fingertips until breadcrumb texture.
- At this point, add in the butternut squash puree, cheese, paprika, rosemary and some salt and pepper. Use a knife to combine before adding the milk and repeating. The texture should be that of a shaggy dough.
- Tip this mixture onto a lightly floured surface, roll/pat into a small rectangle of about 1 – 1.5 inches thick. Use a 6cm cutter to cut out rounds, placing on the baking tray.
- Optional: brush over some milk onto each, taking care not to let drip down the sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until totally golden and crisping at the edges. Let cool a little on a wire rack before serving with butter!
