Sweet and jammy caramelized onions team up with nutty Gruyere cheese and tuck into buttery, crumbly scones with a tip of thyme and a nip of pickle brine. Flagged with cornichons, these French Onion Scones are a tribute to the classic soup flavor combo with a zesty pickle topper.

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French Onion flavor is modest elegance
Inspired by classic French Onion soup recipe
Scones are one of the easiest bakes
Tips for baking scones
Flavor highlights of French Onion Scones
How to caramelize onions
Ingredients for French Onion Scones
Making French Onion Scone dough
Shaping French Onion Scones
Baking & Serving French Onion Scones
What's with the little pickle?
Recipe
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Inspired by the classic soup flavors, these tender French Onion Scones are streaked with jammy sweet, caramelized onions and a tickle of thyme baked under a layer of bubbling Gruyere cheese. To cut through all of those comforting rich flavors, the scones are adorned with the tangy zip of a single cornichon tooth-picked to the top of each scone! A charming touch, if you ask me.

A few hours into a rainstorm that deluged us with 7" in 2 days, I got restless. The darkness of the weather was shifting my mood into a similar tone. I wanted comfort. I'd recently bought a bag of yellow onions and immediately French Onion came to mind. Since I'd already purchased the fixins to make a Lemon Orzo Soup situation for dinner, I needed to get those French Onion flavors from source besides soup.

One of my personal comforts is a warm and crumbly scone. I remembered I had some leftover Gruyere from a recent Fondue night and then it hit me, French Onion Scones! From the moment I started cooking those onions down, I knew I was onto something with this savory onion scone recipe.

French Onion flavor is modest elegance

Onion soups have been around for centuries. A modest means to a meal that began by simply boiling onions in water. The bubbly crocks of silky onions in a beefy broth, topped in a hunk of crusty bread baked beneath a layer of bubbling cheese is now what we all know and love. Known as Soupe à l'oignon aka French Onion Soup, this was originally a peasant style meal that came about in the 1800s in Paris, France. Lucky for all of us, the undeniability of those flavors crept into menus of all kinds of dining establishments. Eventually, that flavor influence found its way into this French Onion Scones recipe!

French onion flavor is a beloved combo. It's one of those compelling cravings that once the idea has wriggled its way into your brain, it's impossible to ignore. The deep concentrated flavor of caramelized onion is unparalleled. Combined with a bubbly cheese layer, it becomes an unmatched match. I've personally loved French Onion Soup for as long as I can remember. This humble soup is almost a contradiction in its complexity of flavor and simplicity of ingredients. Following in those footsteps, these French Onion Scones tiptoe into that same flavor depth.

Inspired by classic French Onion soup recipe

Over the years I have found many ways to incorporate the spirit of French Onion Soup into other types of recipes. Since onions are always in season, here in California, they are always on my mind! My French Onion Sheet Pan Chicken became an instant hit the moment it hit my blog! The recipe is basic at its core, coming together on a single sheet pan in the oven. But the blend of flavors and textures it captures almost feels too good to be true!

Additionally, my French Onion Gruyere Pear Galette sinks into those deep flavors while flirting with the natural sweetness of pears. It's just the right mix of sweet on savory. And now, these French Onion Scones settle into the space in-between. With a savory lead trailed by a tendril of sweetness from the jammy onions and a hint of sugar.

More savory onion recipes from Baking The Goods

Scones are one of the easiest bakes

Baking scones doesn't require a mixer or any other specialty equipment. I personally like to use my handheld pastry blender tool to mix scone dough. However, scones can be mixed with as little as a standard fork or even just your own two hands.

Tips for baking scones

Cold, cubed or grated butter is key to texture. Just like pie dough, the cold butter is cut into the dough. Creating that desired craggy, crumbly texture that forms layers as it bakes.
Don't over mix scone dough. It should be rough and shaggy. That texture will translate to crumbly scones with crunchy bits and nubbins when baked.
Gather and pat the dough disks together. Never knead the dough. The texture on top should be rough and crumbly, not smooth. Again resulting in a more interesting and textural scone.
Chill the scone dough before baking. Just 15-20 minutes in the fridge or freezer to firm back up while the oven preheats will do your scones good. Chilling will help scones hold their shape while baking.
Freeze the dough and save for later. Once the scones are shaped and firmed up in the fridge, transfer them to a freezer proof container or bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, a few additional minutes in the oven may be required, and enjoy fresh baked scones anytime the craving calls!

Flavor highlights of French Onion Scones

This trifecta of flavors adds a French accent to these otherwise humble scones. Starting with a standard scone base, these French Onion Scones come alive with flavor and texture when the caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese and a bit of cornichon brine ripple through the dough with flavor depth.

Caramelizing onions takes time but it's an easy, passive project

There is no getting around it, caramelizing onions takes time. But it's a pretty passive project that can be happening in the background of the rest of the action. For me, caramelizing onions is always worth the effort. Since it's mostly hands off, this is an easy step. It will take an hour+ to fully accomplish but really only a handful of minutes of hands-on work.

How to caramelize onions

First melt a knob of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and toss with tongs to coat in the melted butter. Cook down the onions until they begin to sizzle, about 5 minutes.
Next, add salt and toss to combine. The salt will help draw moisture out of the onions. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the onions have softened and begin to turn translucent, about 10 minutes.
Then turn down to low heat, continue to cook uncovered, stirring the onions and scraping the bottom of pan about every 5-10 minutes so they don’t stick or scorch. Keep cooking those little strands low and slow. Continue until the liquid has evaporated and the onions become silky and jammy and deepen in color to a rich golden color.
After about 60 minutes the onions should be caramelized to a rich blonde depth. They may start drying out and sticking to the bottom of the pan by now. Deglaze the pan by stirring in the cornichon brine. The onions will soak up the brine, replump and remove any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan.

caramelizing onions with butter — First, melt a knob of butter in a large pan, then add the thinly sliced onions.

cooking down onions — First, melt a knob of butter in a large pan, then add the thinly sliced onions.

Deglaze the onions with cornichon brine

I know it sounds weird, but trust me.

Yes, the recipe says to deglaze the pan by stirring in ¼ cup of the cornichon brine. I know, this may sound strange, but trust me. The acid of the vinegar in the brine cuts through the richness and gives the onions a whole new zip of flavor energy! The zingy tartness balances the richness and breathes a little brightness and life back to the onions! The onions will soak up the brine and rehydrate the caramelized onions, plumping them up into a silky, full flavored mix-in that exudes pure elegance.

Caramelized onions — Once the onions are deep golden blonde color with a silky and jammy texture, they are ready!

Ingredients for French Onion Scones

Caramelized Onions

Yellow onion
Butter
Salt
Cornichon brine

Scones

All purpose flour
Baking powder
Granulated sugar
Fine sea salt
Black pepper, preferably freshly ground
Fresh thyme
Unsalted butter
Buttermilk, heavy cream or whole milk
Egg
Gruyere cheese or alternatively use Emmental, Comté, Fontina or a blend
Caramelized onions, you know from the list above
Cornichons for topping

ingredients for French Onion Scone recipe

Making French Onion Scone dough

Once those zippy cornichon drenched onions hit the simple scone dough, the flavor story of the scones starts. Scones are made with a handful of modest ingredients. Heck, even onions are pretty dang humble. But by caramelizing the onions, they transform into the upper echelon of flavor territory. Paired with nutty Gruyere and tangy cornichons, these French Onion Scones feel downright regal!

Whisk the dry ingredients together.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients and mix just until the butter hunks are the size of small peas.
Add ½ cup of the grated gruyere cheese and the chopped thyme, blend just until evenly distributed.
Whisk the eggs and buttermilk together then add to the dry ingredients.
Use a fork to gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry, until the savory scone dough just comes together.
Gently mix in the chopped, caramelized onions until just blended.

cutting butter into flour — First, cut the butter into dry ingredients.

Mixing scone dough — First, cut the butter into dry ingredients.

adding cheese to scone dough — Add half of the Gruyere cheese to scone dough, saving the rest to top the scones.

blending savory onion scone dough — Add half of the Gruyere cheese to scone dough, saving the rest to top the scones.

Shaping French Onion Scones

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gather and pat the dough two 3"-5" disks for smaller scones, or one 7"-8" disk for larger French Onion Scones.
Cut the disk(s) into 6 wedges and spread out evenly on a lined baking sheet.
Top the French Onion Scones with remaining shredded Gruyere cheese.
Chill in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats. *This will help the scones hold their structure and prevent them from falling and spreading too much in the oven.

gathering Caramelized Onion Scone dough — Gather the dough together on a lightly floured surface.

forming savory scone dough — Gather the dough together on a lightly floured surface.

Baking & Serving French Onion Scones

By skewering a cornichon with a toothpick and pinning it to the top of a French Onion Scone, you're creating a mood. This little addition plants a flag in these savory scones, declaring them worthy of a special moment. That small gesture gives the scones major personality points and will certainly grab the attention of anybody lucky enough to be on the receiving end of your generosity.

Pre-baked French Onion Scones — French Onion Scones ready to hit that heat!

Fresh baked French Onion Scones — French Onion Scones ready to hit that heat!

What's with the little pickle?

Don't let the pomp and circumstance fool you into thinking that itty bitty pickle is all for show. The bracingly tart zip of the cornichons slices through the richness of the jammy sweet onions, butter and the nutty Gruyere. It's a palette cleanser of sorts. A quick nibble on a cornichon provides a momentary reset between relishing in the richness. The contrast in flavors enhances one another, sandwiching the French Onion Scones in flavor balance and intrigue.

Cornichons and scones, it has a certain ring to it.

Adding cornichon to French Onion Scone — Cornichons and scones, it has a certain ring to it.

My hope is these French Onion Scones will bring you the same comfort they originally brought me on that dark and rainy day, and continue to offer every time I make them. The simple yet complex flavor combo transcends beyond soup. These French Onion Scones gather all of those flavors into a single, crumbly scone recipe that rivals French Onion Soup itself!