Pesto Parmesan Scones.
Wellllll. Have a seat.
A handful of days ago as I was stirring my chicken meatball soup and pondering life’s great wonders such as why this jar of gummy vitamins has so many more yellow than red ones (ew, whatevs) and can anybody (no, I mean ANYBODY) truly beat out the terrificness that was Boyz II Men in the mid 90s?, I decide plain old soup would just not suffice. I needed dippers.
But not boring dippings, like plain biscuits or scones or anything. Something with some sass. Some flavor. Some knock-your-socks-off zing. !!!! Bring on the exclamation points.
I like to make things difficult. I mean, I sound like such a mentally complicated person, as demonstrated above. I know, right?
So I scanned the pantry and the fridge and all the junk on my counter that I’d been too lazy to put away, and came up with nothing. Should I look in the freezer? Why would I look in the freezer? What could possibly be in the freezer that is going to aide my bread-like dipper making process? Nothing, that’s what. Does this mean I need to clean the freezer? Does this mean I should empty the ice cube trays since we have a stone-age fridge that doesn’t make it’s own ice? Does this mean I have to suffer through frost bitten fingers in yoga?
Oh! But I’m craving something chocolate-like. And I think I stuck a chunk of chocolate in there because I wanted it good and cold for shaving purposes. Nooo… not like leg shaving purposes. Chocolate shaving purposes. Like, chocolate shaving purposes on top of a boozy cake. Don’t be silly!
I open the freezer to appease my sweet teeth and lo and behold, I spy a bag of almost freezer-burnt pesto staring back at me. This is huge, since I rarely can find the time to freeze things (too busy pondering life’s great wonders, see above) and if I actually do, discover them 14 months later encased in a beautiful sculpture of ice. But not this time… I win.
Pesto couldn’t work the magic on it’s own though. Eh, well maybe it could have, but not for me who has cheese running through her veins. And yeah, I know cheese doesn’t really run… it moreso like, clogs things… up. So who knows how much longer I’ll be here.
But whatever! I’m going to eat some scones and soup while I am. Live it up baby.
Pesto Parmesan Scones
[adapted from my go-to scone recipe]
makes about 12-16 scones, depending on how you cut them!
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cups cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup prepared pesto
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
melted butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, pepper, baking soda and powder. Using your fingers, a fork or a pastry blender, cut in butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk, parmesan and pesto. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently.
Divide in half and pat into 7 inch round circles, cutting into 6-8 triangles each. You can also cut out round scones or form the dough into a rectangle and cut squares. Brush each scone with melted butter.
Bake for 12-14 minutes (wedges) or 9-11 minutes (rounds/squares). Top with butter pats.
I later accidentally realized that these would be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day… they’ll make an excellent sponge for soaking up all that green beer.
101 Comments on “Pesto Parmesan Scones.”
Funny – I looked at the first picture and immediately thought ‘these look ideal for St Patrick’s Day’. Ha Ha
What an interesting combo though. I never think of some of these combinations. Time to get more creative!
pretty sure the only thing better than the look of these scones is the story of how they came to be! i love pesto…and cheese…and butter. can’t wait to try these for st. patty’s!
I am such a sucker for anything pesto OR parmesan. Yum!
I feel like those should be considered healthy since they are green, thoughts? I already know they would be delicious!
This looks fantastic! Wow you have been on a creative roll! I love this recipe and I know this would be a huge hit with the family! I have to make these scones!
The only thing better than pesto is pesto with more parmesan.
i need to stop reading this first thing in the morning..
I know I’ve said this 2384902 times already, but you seriously are a genious. I will be the first person in line to buy your cookbook.. if you ever write a cookbook (and you totally x 2308 should).
My heart will always and forever belong to Boyz-II-Men (A-B-C BB D!) – oh, OK and my husband and dog too… of course. Oh yeah – AND cheese! It certainly runs through my veins as well.
This only proves you to be more of a genious by a bazillion fold!!
I LOVE BOYZ II MEN! If I ever saw them perform, I’m convinced that I would instantly regress and cry like a little girl.
…and I can’t believe I spelt GENIUS wrong!? WTH!
These are so interesting! I’m a fan!
I feel the same way about the gummi vitamins! That’s so funny!! :)
And oh yeah, the scones look delicious, too! ;)
Love pesto, love scones, love you.
I saw this post title in my reader and – moth to flame! I’m going to make these this week. I am in love with scones already, but the relationship is too long-distance right now. Time to move closer together. Thanks!
Good thing you found that pesto! These look awesome.
Those look AMAZING! I have a jar of pesto languishing in my freezer right now. I should make a date with these scones.
Yes please! I want to split that baby in half and slap a chicken parm cutlet in between. Is that wrong?
These must be heaven on earth while still warm and slathered with butter. Or, better yet, allowed to stale and turned into croutons. Heaven help me.
LOL I love when you give us insight into the workings of your genius mind, Jess! I’m totally with you on the more yellows than reds too. I had Flinstone-like vitamins when I was a kid, and it always annoyed me when I’d dump a handful into my hand and only 3 out of around 15 would be the pink ones. I swear, the manufacturers put in excess orange vitamins just to grind my gears. Anyways, back to the scones! They sound awesome, and you’re right, very festive considering that St Patty’s is soon approaching!
Oh. my. This is genius.
My daughter was just saying last night that I need to make pesto- we love pesto in our house! I told her I would get on that right away, and now I know one of the recipes that I will be making with that pesto! YUM!
YUM! What a save from the narly hands of the freezer. I would like one of these this morning. ;-)
these look like little green monsters but they look SO good at the same time. good job improvising on the fly! i bet they are savory and delicious.
I love the color of these, and they sound so yummy too!
These would definitely be a great St Patty’s Day appetizer. You’re already in the holiday spirit and you didn’t even know it!
gah- goodness. Pesto is amazing is so many recipes.
i have buttermilk left over from making your pork chops. and i was just wondering what i was going to do with it. i think i found out. i hope there’s a cup left.
also made your thai beef tacos last night with chicken (no beef on hand, too lazy to go to the store) and they were really yummy. the fiance didn’t think so though. apparently he doesn’t like mango or sesame? i had no idea. i brought the leftover chicken and salsa to work on top of a salad. can’t wait.
what’s not to love? pesto, cheese, carbs. plus green’s my favorite color soooo yeah, i consider these perfect.
Fact: Boyz II Men are one of the best things to ever come out of the 90’s. Saw them in concert like 2 years ago. Still got it.
And these? Yes. Immediately.
I love the way your mind works.
Can’t wait to try these. I love your cinnamon chip scones and make them, I don’t know, like once a week. I may have an addiction. Either way, these would be super I just know it.
These look so good….I love anything pesto! :)
oeifalsnviraeoifslkfi. I am speechless. These look so amazing.
I know how you feel about the gummy vitamins. Red is always the best flavor for any candy. Why do they bother with the other flavors? I mean grape? Eew.
Oh my heavens! You have done it again with the pesto…lord have mercy on us all! I must make these asap! Maybe I will blast some Boyz to Men in the background on Itunes. Nothing like a good Boyz to Men song…reminds me of my grade school dances! BTW i am a huge dipping fan…its actually gotten pretty serious…even when I got out to restaurants, I ask for 3 sides of dressing, just so I can play around and dip my food to my hearts content!
MANGIA!!!
An Italian spin on St. Patrick’s Day…love it!
see, this is why i love you. i wonder all of those things too but yet frozen pesto doesn’t hang out in my freezer.
maybe i need to make some :)
Pesto anything is fantastic! Sure winner here I bet.
Boyz II men rock my socks. Kinda like these scones.
The pesto totally makes them healthy.
Most brilliant. Definitely a must-bake for St. Pattys day.
Love Boys 2 Men, by the way.
I’ve been looking for a new savory scone to dry and this is it!!
Oh, my. These look perfect for any day to me. I cannot wait to try them. Yummy!!
This is the first savory scone recipe I’ve seen that I’m actually excited about
mm these look great! would definitely go well with some cheesy soup right about now!
“…cheese running through her veins. And yeah, I know cheese doesn’t really run… it moreso like, clogs things… up. So who knows how much longer I’ll be here.” THAT is hilarious. omg ! hahahah!
These are so green! I love it! I’ll have to get some basil or some storebought pesto, but these look totally worth the effort!
I love that first pic with that big drippy oozzing sauce blob coming out…yum!
Just came across your blog and I love your musings, recipes, everything!
Keep doing what you do, I am now an avid follower :-)
Anita x
Cheese! Pesto! SCONES! Yummmmmmmy!
I was JUST saying yesterday how much I wanted to make pesto pizza…and then thinking this morning how much I wanted to eat cheddar biscuits! These look amazing!