As a child I was convinced fruit and cheese didn’t belong together—cheese with crackers was the perfect snack, while apples with cheese felt wrong. My tastes have changed. Now I often reach for a crisp apple wedge with a slice of sharp cheese as a healthy snack, and I love combining apples and cheese in baked goods.
These apple, sage, and Gruyère scones began as a fridge-cleaning experiment. The first version was a savory take on the lemon cream scones I’ve posted before, made with whipped heavy cream. While that batch was delicious, the combination of butter, heavy cream, and shredded cheese felt a bit too rich, so I reworked the idea into a buttermilk scone with autumnal flavors.
The buttermilk version delivered exactly what I wanted: layers of flakiness, a subtle tang from the buttermilk that balances the butter and cheese, and a pleasing sweet-and-salty contrast from apple and Gruyère.
As with all good scones, the key points are avoiding too much liquid, not overworking the dough, and keeping ingredients and formed scones cold until they go into the oven. Follow those guidelines and you’ll get tall, flaky scones with a tender crumb.
Apple, Sage, and Gruyère Scones
These buttermilk scones are flaky and balanced—savory Gruyère and aromatic sage play off sweet baked apples. The recipe is inspired by a classic buttermilk scone and can be adjusted if you prefer more cheese for extra richness.
apple scones, buttermilk scones, cheese scones, scones
Ingredients
-
380
g
all-purpose flour -
2
tbsp
sugar -
1
tbsp
baking powder -
1/2
tsp
baking soda -
1/2
tsp
table salt or fine sea salt -
1/4
tsp
freshly ground black pepper
optional, to taste -
140
g (10 tbsp)
cold unsalted butter
cut into chunks -
70
g
Gruyère cheese
coarsely grated -
1
tbsp
chopped fresh sage -
1
cup
cold buttermilk -
2
smallish crisp apples
peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
To finish:
- buttermilk, heavy cream, or lightly beaten egg for brushing
- thin apple slices and/or small sage leaves
-
1/2
tsp
sugar
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
-
Spread the diced apple on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast 10–15 minutes, until the pieces feel dry to the touch. Let cool completely.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional black pepper. Chill the bowl in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
-
Remove the chilled flour mixture and add the butter. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender until the largest pieces are pea-sized. Stir in the chopped sage and half the grated cheese.
-
Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula, switching to your hands as the dough comes together. The dough should be mostly cohesive with a few dry bits—turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until uniform.
-
Roll the dough into a 9 × 12-inch rectangle with a lightly floured rolling pin. Scatter the roasted apple pieces evenly, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Press lightly so the apples and cheese adhere.
-
Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter to encase the filling. Turn the dough 90 degrees, then roll it to a 6 × 12-inch rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. If the dough sticks, use a bench scraper to lift it.
-
Transfer the dough on parchment to a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
-
Increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C).
-
Remove the dough from the freezer and cut eight scones with a 2.5- or 3-inch round cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Re-form scraps and cut two more scones. Place them on the baking sheet and brush tops with buttermilk, cream, or beaten egg. Add a thin apple slice or a couple of sage leaves to each and freeze for 5 minutes.
-
Move the chilled scones to a fresh parchment-lined sheet and sprinkle the tops with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
-
Place the scones in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 425°F (220°C).
-
Bake 22–25 minutes, until the edges are golden and the scones are cooked through.
-
These scones are best enjoyed fresh from the oven.
