Butternut Squash Scones with Spinach and Feta

Tender and flaky, these butternut squash scones with spinach and feta are a delicious savory scone variation. Full of sneaky vegetables and absolutely delicious!

Scones are best known for being lightly sweet and buttery, like these blackberry scones with walnuts. But they are equally delicious in savory form, as these butternut squash scones are proof!

Sneakily full of vegetables, these scones are easy to prep, and quick to disappear. Perfect for brunch or to serve with soup or chili!

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see how simple it is to prep butternut squash scones. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

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Roast your butternut squash

This recipe was inspired by that leftover half of a butternut squash that was sitting in the fridge. This is a great recipe to use it up in!

Start by roasting up the squash in the oven. Roasting the squash is preferable to steaming it as it helps concentrate the flavors while evaporating off extra liquid. If you were to steam the squash, you'd need to drain extremely well before proceeding to the next step.

To roast it

You can cut the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes, or leave it whole.

• whole- roast at 400°F for 30-40, allow to cool until safe to handle, then scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth.
• cubes- cut into 1 inch cubes and toss in olive oil. Arrange on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F for 25 minutes, or until a fork inserts easily. Mash until smooth.

Allow squash to cool

Before moving onto the next step, it's crucial to allow the squash to cool, in fact, it's even better if you chill the squash in the fridge until cold. If you use warm butternut squash purée, your butter will warm and this recipe will not be successful.

You could even consider preparing the butternut squash puree the day before, and refrigerating until you're ready to make your scones.

Step by step directions

Scroll to the recipe card for ingredient quantities.

1. Cut together the butter and dry ingredients- in a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Using a fork or a pastry tool, cut the cold butter into the dry mixture. Keep working it until the butter looks like small pea-shaped pieces.
2. Add wet ingredients- start by folding in the butternut squash purée, spinach, and feta cheese, until evenly dispersed. Next, add in the buttermilk. Work the dough together with a spatula (or your hands!), until just combined- you don't want any pockets of flour, but you also don't want to over-mix.
3. Form the scones- pat the dough into small disks around 1.5-2 inches in diameter. The dough will be sticky, so it's OK if they are not perfect. Brush the tops with a little bit of extra buttermilk.
4. Bake them- bake your scones at 450°F for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and cooked through in the middle.

Recipe tips

Use cold butter

If you are looking for buttery and flaky scones, be sure that you use cold butter. As the scones bake, the cold butter releases steam, making the scones light and flaky. Cut the cold butter into small cubes before working it into the dry ingredients. Some baking experts even suggest using frozen grated butter for the lightest scones.

Use buttermilk

Buttermilk adds a subtly tangy flavor that compliments the spinach and feta cheese in these scones. The thickness of buttermilk also makes for the best textured scones, and I don't advise swapping for any other type of milk.

If you are out of buttermilk, try this trick to make homemade buttermilk.

Brush the tops

Don't forget to brush the scones with a little extra buttermilk before baking them up: this helps brown the tops, making them slightly crisp. It's the perfect contrast to the soft, tender middles of the scones!

Storage

These butternut squash scones are absolute perfection when they are fresh from the oven and slightly warm, but you can make them ahead and rewarm to serve:

1. Cool completely on a wire rack, then portion out into an air tight storage container.
2. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
3. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through, or in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes.
4. Enjoy!

Check out my favorite meal prep containers!

More butternut squash recipes

• Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Curry
• Chickpea, Barley and Butternut Squash Jar Salads
• Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
• Ultra Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Butternut Squash Scones with Spinach and Feta

4.34 from 3 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

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Tender and flaky, these butternut squash scones with spinach and feta are a delicious savory scone variation. Full of sneaky vegetables and absolutely delicious!

10 scones

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour 250 g
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup cold butter 112 g; cut into small pieces
• ▢ 1 cup butternut squash puree see note1
• ▢ 1 cup spinach washed, dried, and cut into small pieces
• ▢ ½ cup feta cheese 75 g; cut into small cubes
• ▢ ¾ cup buttermilk 182 g; plus more for brushing

Instructions 

• Pre-heat oven to 450°F.
• Cut together the butter and dry ingredients- in a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Using a fork or a pastry tool, cut the cold butter into the dry mixture. Keep working it until the butter looks like small pea-shaped pieces.
• Add wet ingredients- start by folding in the butternut squash purée, spinach, and feta cheese, until evenly dispersed. Next, add in the buttermilk. Work the dough together with a spatula (or your hands!), until just combined- you don’t want any pockets of flour, but you also don’t want to over-mix.
• Form the scones- pat the dough into small disks around 1.5-2 inches in diameter. The dough will be sticky, so it’s OK if they are not perfect. Brush the tops with a little bit of extra buttermilk.
• Bake them- bake your scones at 450°F for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and cooked through in the middle.

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Tips:

Making butternut squash purée

I recommend roasting the butternut squash to concentrate the flavors and evaporate off extra liquids:

• whole- roast at 400°F for 30-40, allow to cool until safe to handle, then scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth.
• cubes- cut into 1 inch cubes and toss in olive oil. Arrange on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F for 25 minutes, or until a fork inserts easily. Mash until smooth.

Storage

Cool completely, then store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Rewarm in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1scone, Calories: 228kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 218mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

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Recipe adapted from My Recipes