Cheesy savory vegan scones packed with fresh herbs are a perfect make-ahead breakfast or snack. They're light, fluffy, and versatile!
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I love making vegan scones, and these savory vegan scones are my latest baking adventure! They're loaded up with vegan cheddar and fresh herbs, perfect for spring!
These use a modified version of my vegan scones base but include fresh mix-ins to make them savory and perfect. Serve them for breakfast or a snack or at Easter or Mother's Day brunch!
You can make them just like mine, or mix things up! Use a different vegan cheese, like mozzarella, or substitute some of the cheddar with vegan parmesan shreds. Or, add some crispy vegan bacon to the mix.
If you love cheesy, herby quickbreads, also check out my recipe for cheddar herb drop biscuits! And if you prefer sweet scones, check out my blackberry scones, strawberry matcha scones, and pistachio scones!
💖 Why You'll Love Savory Scones
- crisp, fluffy scones in less than half an hour
- cheesy and herb-packed, perfect for spring!
- versatile! Use different vegan cheese, add cooked vegan bacon, and use fresh herbs of choice.
- naturally soy-free and nut-free
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- vegan buttermilk - Choose a thick vegan milk, like soy or oat, and mix it with some apple cider vinegar. This will curdle, making vegan buttermilk!
- flour - Use all-purpose or white wheat flour. You can also use a 1:1 gluten-free flour, if needed.
- sugar - Sugar in savory vegan scones might seem weird, but a little sweet brings out all of the flavors! I wouldn't decrease the sugar, but you can up to to 2 tablespoons, for slightly sweeter.
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt - To condition the dough.
- dried spices - Garlic powder, onion powder, and nutritional yeast give the dough an even cheesier flavor!
- vegetable shortening or vegan butter - This needs to be COLD! Scones use a lot of fat, and it has to be solid fat. Please don't substitute, because the texture will not be the same.
- mix-ins - I am using vegan cheddar and fresh herbs. You can use other vegan cheese shreds of choice, if you like. You can also cook up some vegan bacon and crumble it into the dough, if you want! For the herbs, use what you have! Parsley, basil, cilantro, thyme, etc. all work well in these vegan savory scones.
🔪 How to Make Vegan Savory Scones
In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Don't mix them together yet!
Cut the shortening/vegan butter into the flour mixture, then use your hands to knead it together until it reaches the consistency of beach sand.
Now, add the wet ingredient mixture to the bowl, and mix that together until you have a cohesive ball of slightly sticky dough. If the dough is sticking all over your hands, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it's still sticky, but not messy.
Then, fold in the vegan cheddar and the herbs. Form the dough into a ball.
Place the ball of dough into the center of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to flatten it into a disc, then use a pizza cutter or butter knife to slice it into 8 triangles. Place the baking sheet into the freezer.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425° F (400° F, if you are using a black/very dark gray baking pan).
When the chilling time is up, remove the pan from the freezer, and separate the dough triangles, so they are evenly spaced on the baking sheet. If you like, you can sprinkle some extra cheese on top, and gently pat it down, so it sticks to the scones. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the scones are golden on the outside.
💡 Helpful Tips
- You want to mix the non-dairy milk and vinegar together first, so it has time to curdle and thicken. Curdling isn't just OK, it's what we are going for!
- You really do want that vegan shortening or vegan butter to be COLD! Adding the fat cold is one of the keys to making good scones that are light and fluffy.
- The dough should be a little bit tacky but not stick all over your hands. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it's a bit firmer.
- Dark pans get hotter than lighter colored pans. To avoid scorching the bottoms of your scones, we are baking at a a slightly lower temperature.
🫙 Storage Directions
Store leftover scones in an airtight container on the kitchen counter. They will keep for two to three days.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
I love these for a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack! They are also wonderful alongside soup or stew, like carrot ginger lentil soup, black bean sweet potato soup, or creamy vegan broccoli soup.
These vegan savory scones are naturally nut-free and soy-free, as long as your vegan butter and any mix-ins you add are nut-free and soy-free. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the flour.
📖 Recipe
Savory Vegan Scones
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup soy or oat milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups white wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional, for a cheesier flavor
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional, or dried herbs/spices of choice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder optional, or dried herbs/spices of choice
To Add Later
- ½ cup vegetable shortening or vegan butter. This should be COLD!
- 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds
- ½ cup fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, basil, cilantro, rosemary, etc. Use all one kind or a mix! It's fine to use more, to taste.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Don't mix them together yet!
- Cut the shortening/vegan butter into the flour mixture, then use your hands to knead it together until it reaches the consistency of beach sand.
- Now, add the wet ingredient mixture to the bowl, and mix that together until you have a cohesive ball of slightly sticky dough. If the dough is sticking all over your hands, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it's still sticky, but not messy. Then, fold in the vegan cheddar and the herbs. Form the dough into a ball.
- Place the ball of dough into the center of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to flatten it into a disc, then use a pizza cutter or butter knife to slice it into 8 triangles. Place the baking sheet into the freezer.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425° F (400° F, if you are using a black/very dark gray baking pan).
- When the chilling time is up, remove the pan from the freezer, and separate the dough triangles, so they are evenly spaced on the baking sheet. If you like, you can sprinkle some extra cheese on top, and gently pat it down, so it sticks to the scones. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the scones are golden on the outside.
VeggieT8r
They look and sound awesome Becky but I have to avoid added fats for health issues. Any idea what I can sub for the butter? I know it won't be the same without the fat, but I'm willing to try!