A savory twist on the classic scone, these bacon gruyere breakfast scones are excellent. They combine crumbled smoky bacon, sharp Gruyère cheese, and fresh thyme for an earthy, satisfying flavor. Enjoy them at room temperature or warm with butter; a light drizzle of honey is also a wonderful contrast to the savory notes.
Scones are often thought of as a sweet treat, but a savory version makes a delightful breakfast or brunch option. I wanted to highlight classic breakfast flavors—bacon and cheese—while keeping the tender, flaky texture that makes scones so appealing. Gruyère felt like the ideal cheese: it brings a nutty, slightly salty sharpness that pairs beautifully with smoky bacon and fresh thyme.
Introducing Bacon & Gruyère Breakfast Scones.
The Flour
For a tender, delicate crumb I use a mix of pastry flour and all-purpose flour. Pastry flour has a lower protein content, which helps create a finer, flakier texture than straight all-purpose flour. If you don’t have pastry flour, all-purpose will work—just handle the dough gently and avoid overworking it to limit gluten development and keep the scones tender.
Cold Butter Is Essential
Very cold butter is key. I often start with frozen butter pieces to ensure they stay cold while mixing. Cold butter creates flaky layers as its water content turns to steam in the oven, forming little pockets that give scones their lift and flaky texture. If the butter warms and blends into the dough, you’ll lose those pockets and end up with a denser scone.
Shaggy Dough
When the dough is ready to shape, it should be shaggy—pebbly and just coming together, not smooth like a bread dough. Use the minimum liquid needed so the dough holds together; excess liquid activates gluten and creates chewy scones. Avoid kneading or overworking the dough. Pat it into a disk and cut into wedges rather than rolling and reworking it.
30-Minute Resting Period
A 30-minute chill in the refrigerator improves both texture and handling. It firms the butter again so the scones bake up flaky, allows any gluten formed during mixing to relax for a more tender result, and gives the flour time to hydrate so the finished scones have a smooth, non-gritty mouthfeel.
Use a Food Processor for Bacon & Thyme
I like to pulse cooked bacon and fresh thyme briefly in a small food processor or spice grinder so they distribute evenly through the dough. That fine texture ensures every bite has the smoky bacon and herbal notes from the thyme. If you don’t use a processor, mince both ingredients very finely by hand.
Get the Recipe:
Bacon Gruyere Breakfast Scones
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Ingredients
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Pastry Flour
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
- 6 tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 lb (227g) Bacon, cooked, cooled, and chopped finely
- 1 1/2 cups Coarsely Grated Gruyère
- 2 tsp Minced Fresh Thyme
- 1/2 cup Cold Heavy Cream (plus more if needed)
- 1/4 cup Full-Fat Buttermilk
Instructions
Making the Dough
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Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment, a silicone mat, or a light coating of grease. In a large bowl whisk together both flours, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly and butter pieces are about the size of peas.
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Stir in the crumbled bacon, grated Gruyère, and minced thyme until evenly distributed.
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Add the buttermilk and heavy cream and gently combine. Hands work well for this because you can feel when the dough comes together. If there are dry crumbs remaining, add heavy cream in very small increments until the dough just holds together in a shaggy mass. Avoid adding too much liquid.
Shaping, Cutting, and Resting
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Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and pat it into a 6–7″ disk about 1″ thick. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the disk into 6–8 wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Baking the Scones
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Remove the scones from the refrigerator, brush the tops with a little more heavy cream, and bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.