Warm, savory, and full of comfort, these tomato and parmesan scones are a rustic treat that pairs perfectly with a cozy brunch or a bowl of soup. Baked with olive oil and rosemary, they bring big flavor without the fuss.
This post was originally published June 29, 2015. It has been updated with new photos and more content.
Scones are one of my favorite treats to make and eat. They are easy to prepare, quick to bake and even easier to enjoy. I have made all types of scones in the past, from whole wheat to white, fruity as well as savory.
My latest obsession is making extra virgin olive oil scones. I make them a little more moist in the center than the traditional, dry English scone. And they seriously do not last long in my house because they get eaten quickly!
Not all scones have to be sugary sweet. I personally prefer my scones less sugary than most people, so you will rarely see my scone recipes slathered with icing. Give me fruit studded scone and a big glass of hot Persian tea and I am a happy camper.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]Recipe highlights
- Savory Twist: A fun spin on my usual fruit scones, this version is loaded with cherry tomatoes, parmesan, and rosemary for a fresh, Mediterranean-inspired flavor.
- Super Simple: No butter, no fancy tools, and no dough-chilling required. Just one bowl, a fork, and your hands — that’s it!
- Perfect Texture: Thanks to olive oil and yogurt, these scones are soft, tender, and perfectly moist without being heavy.
- Deliciously Balanced: Fluffy like a biscuit but not too cakey, these savory scones bring the perfect mix of salty parmesan, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic rosemary.
- Great for Any Meal: Serve them warm with brunch, alongside soup or salad, or as a savory snack anytime.
Ingredients you need
- Cherry tomatoes: You use any tomatoes. If they are large, cut them into smaller bite size pieces. You can also use sun dried tomatoes. Because they have more intense flavor, use about ¼ to ½ cup of chopped tomatoes. If they were packed in oil, pat dry with paper towels first.
- Rosemary: I use fresh rosemary. It is a hardy herb that bakes beautifully. You can also use thyme instead.
- Parmesan cheese: You can use parmesan, romano, asiago or a combination of these cheeeses.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Taste your oil before you taste it. The flavor you taste is the flavor enhanced in these scones. Choose a mild or peppery oil, even a rosemary or lemon infused oil. Learn how to bake with olive oil here.
- Egg: The egg adds moisture, color and binds your scone dough together.
- Yogurt and milk: I always have both yogurt and milk in my refrigerator so I like to use this instead of buttermilk. You can substitute this for buttermilk.
- Pantry staples: All purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
Step-by-step directions
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together flour, Parmesan cheese, baking powder, rosemary and salt.
- Add oil. Using a fork add olive oil and stir in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. It is important to add the olive oil before any other liquid.
- Add wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, yogurt and milk. Pour yogurt mixture into flour mixture and mix with a spoon or a fork until a rough dough is formed. Do not over mix the dough.
- Form dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a circle or rectangle, about ½-inch thick. Press half the tomatoes into half of the dough.
- Fold dough. Fold the empty half of the dough over the tomatoes, pressing the two layers together. Press remaining tomatoes over the top of the dough.
- Bake scones. Cut dough into 8 even pieces. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over the tops of the scones. Place scones onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400ºF until golden, about 12-15 minutes.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
These savory scones have tremendous flavor from the rosemary and cherry tomatoes. It makes a great snack, or a side to a salad, a slice of my cottage cheese quiche or even an omelette. Perfect for lunch, brunch or breakfast!
This savory scone recipe uses the same olive oil scone I use with fruit – minus the sugar. You should also try some of my other unique scone recipes, like my blueberry sour cream scones or my blackberry scones that also includes balsamic vinegar.
Want more unique cherry tomato recipes? Try my roasted tomato zucchini noodles, cherry tomato bloody mary, bruschetta mozzarella or my grilled flank steak with cherry tomatoes.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store cooled scones lightly covered in foil on the counter for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. If you live in a humid environment, I suggest refrigeration.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze scones. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Absolutely! Greek yogurt makes your scone dough light and tender, just like buttermilk. I bake with it all the time in my scones, cakes and muffin recipes.
Yes, you really can. Scones made with olive are are slightly softer than their butter varieties. The trick is to mix the oil with the flour mixture first then add just enough wet ingredients without turning the dough to mush.
Nope! That’s the beauty of using olive oil to bake with scones — no chilling required. Just mix, shape, and bake.
Cherry Tomato and Olive Oil Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon rosemary chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg large
- ¼ cup yogurt plain Greek
- ¼ cup milk low-fat
- 5 oz cherry tomatoes quartered
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together flour, 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, baking powder, rosemary and salt.
- Using a fork add olive oil and stir in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, yogurt and milk.
- Pour yogurt mixture into flour mixture and mix with a spoon or a fork until a rough dough is formed. Do not over mix the dough.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a circle or rectangle, about ½-inch thick.
- Press half the tomatoes into half of the dough.
- Fold the empty half of the dough over the tomatoes, pressing the two layers together.
- Press remaining tomatoes over the top of the dough.
- Cut dough into 8 even pieces.Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese over the tops of the scones.
- Place scones onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes.
- Transfer scones to a cooling rack to cool to desired temperature. Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
