Cheddar and Marmite Scones – Rich, Savory Flavor in Every Bite

These Cheese & Marmite Scones are a savory twist on a classic British bake, combining mature cheddar with a touch of Marmite for rich, deep flavor. Made with a blend of self‑raising and whole meal flour, these scones rise beautifully and have a tender, hearty texture that pairs perfectly with soups, salads, or cold meats. 

They come together quickly with simple ingredients and bake into golden, cheesy rounds that are delicious warm with butter. Whether you’re a Marmite lover or simply enjoy savory baking, this easy recipe makes a flavorful, wholesome scone ideal for lunchboxes, picnics, or cozy afternoon snacks.

 

Marmite is one of Great Britain's most Iconic condiments/spreads. It is renowned for dividing the nation between lovers and haters. It does have rather a strong flavor on it's own, so I can totally see people not liking it in it's natural state. Its a by-product of beer-brewing and has a very distinct and salty savory flavor that can be quite over-powering unless you are rather judicious in your use of it.  

It really is a love it or loathe it type of thing.  Many people enjoy it just spread on buttered bread.  Myself, I have never quite warmed up to the idea of simply spreading it on bread, although I do quite enjoy it cooked into things.  I like to add it to stews and things where it adds a lovely depth of flavor.

The way that I enjoy marmite most is in cooked and baked things.  To me that is where it's unique flavor really shines. 

 

 

Spaghetti with Marmite is one of my favorite things to eat, and at Christmas I enjoy Twiglets, which are like marmite flavored wheat sticks.  They are also a love it or loath it thing.

This recipe I am sharing today is for a savory scone as opposed to a sweet scone. Flaky and rich these are perfectly at home served as is spread with butter, or served along side a delicious soup or salad.  I also really enjoy them with a bit of cheese and pickle.

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE 

CHEESE & MARMITE SCONES

Other than the Marmite, everything for these delicious scones is pretty standard.

• 140g self raising flour (1  cup)
• 140g wholemeal flour (1 cup)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g cold butter, cut into small cubes (3 1/2 TBS)
• 85g mature cheddar cheese (1 cup)
• 1 large free range egg
• 1 TBS Marmite
• 2 TBS Greek yogurt
• 3 TBS milk, plus more to glaze

 

You can easily make your own self-rising flour. For every cup of flour needed, whisk in 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. I usually make mine up four cups at a time. You can store it in the freezer and it will keep for quite a while.

Whole meal flour is whole wheat flour.

I use salted butter as that is all I keep in my home. It usually works out quite well for me and if I have a recipe where I am concerned about salt content, I simply cut back on the salt required as per the recipe.

Use a nice, quality, well flavored sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe. I used Coastal Cheddar which I can buy at my local Sobey's store. It is also available in Costco. Its a lovely British cheddar.

I tell you all about marmite in the Questions Answered section below along with any substitutions that you could use. It is readily available online through Amazon in most areas however.

If you don't have any Greek yogurt you could also use sour cream in it's place.

  

HOW TO MAKE

CHEESE & MARMITE SCONES

These are not exceptionally difficult to make. Follow the directions and you will be okay! When in doubt follow my hints and tips for making scones as outlined below.

1. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the self raising flour, whole meal flour, and baking powder in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and quickly rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in half of the cheese. Make a well in the center. (You can also rub the butter into the flour in a food processor. Dump in the flour mixture, along with the butter and blitz several times until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.)
3. Whisk together the egg, marmite, yogurt and milk. Pour this all at once into the well in the center of the flour mixture. Stir together with a fork to make a soft dough. If you think the dough is too dry, you may add a bit more milk. You want a soft, but not sticky dough. (Do not overhandle the dough.)
4. Turn out onto a floured surface, Pat out to about 1 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, stamping it straight down and lifting it straight up, re-rolling the scraps as necessary, until you have 8 rounds.. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with some more milk and then sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese. (Don't twist your cutters or your scones will be lopsided. Straight up and down will give you the best rise.)
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

 

HINTS AND TIPS 

FOR MAKING GREAT SCONES

If you follow my hints and tips you cannot go wrong!  I promise you scone success every time!  The perfect scone is crisp and almost caramelized on the outsides, and tender and buttery, slightly sweet inside.

1.  Always use cold butter, or even frozen butter. This will give your scone a much better rise.  As the scones bake the cold butter, melts and creates lovely buttery air pockets.

2.  Never overwork the dough.  Use as light a touch as possible. Overworking the dough toughens the scone.  This is the same for biscuits as well. If using a cutter do not twist the cutter when you cut or you will end up with lopsided scones.

3.  If you have enough time, it is helpful to chill the scones for about 10 minutes prior to baking them.  Although not specifically necessary this will help to relax the gluten in the flour somewhat and give a nice tender texture, and also ensures that your butter stays nice and cold.

4.  For crisp sides leave at least two inches of space between each scone.  For softer sides, crowd them closer together. Personally I like crisp sides.

5. If using fresh fruit in scones, try not to use fruit that it too juicy.  This will mess with the integrity of your bake if the fruit is too wet.  Rinse and dry it really well prior to using it.  I like to use paper towels. Also if using loose frozen fruit, use it frozen.  Do not thaw it out first. 

6.  Don't overbake the scones.  Overbaking will make them really dry. Scones are done with they are a light golden brown on the bottom. If you are in doubt, break one open. They should not appear doughy or wet inside.  They should be slightly moist and tender.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS MARMITE?

Marmite is a savory spread that is a by-product of beer-brewing. It is a British product and yeast based with a very savory and unique flavor. It's sticky and dark brown in color and is one of those things you either love or loathe. While I do not typically enjoy it spread on things like bread, I do enjoy it in things like these scones of my favorite Marmite Spaghetti recipe, which I adapted from a recipe by Nigella Lawson. The Australians have their own version called Vegemite. Here in Canada you can find it in the condiments section or International section of the grocery shops. You can also buy it on Amazon.  It adds a lovely depth of flavor to some soups and stews.

IS THERE A SUBSTITUTE FOR MARMITE?

I did some research and found a few substitutes that are supposed to work like Marmite.  One is Bovril which is a thick dark brown paste made from Beef extract. Another is Miso Paste, which is fermented soybean paste. Miso paste is quite a bit saltier, so I would cut back on any salt in the recipe. I haven't tried using any of these substitutes, so I cannot say with any accuracy if they work well.

HOW LONG WILL THESE SCONES KEEP?

Most scones will keep for several days when stored in an airtight container. They are usually best eaten on the day however. Fort longer storage I recommend freezing.  Store in an airtight freezer container, label and date. Use within 3 months. Thaw on the counter at room temperature. You can also gently reheat in a microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.. Sweet scones are usually served cold, however savory scones such as these are lovely served warm with butter for spreading.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SERVE THESE SCONES?

These scones would be lovely with any hot soup or stew, with salads or as part of a cold plate. They are also exceptionally lovely served with some cheese and pickle, or as part of a Ploughman's lunch. Branston Pickle is especially nice. 

 

A FEW OTHER

SCONE RECIPES FOR YOU TO ENJOY

If you are a fan of the scone, you might also enjoy the following options!

CLASSIC ENGLISH SCONES - Lets begin with the best. These are the classic scone that you will see on offer in most tea rooms all across the UK.  Tall, light and studded with raisins, these are beautiful served with clotted cream, jam and steaming hot cups of tea.  These are scone perfection and I have included a complete tutorial on scone making. You cannot go wrong!

MAPLE GLAZED  BLACK PEPPER SCONES - This is a small batch recipe which makes two very large scones. They have that sweet and savory thing going on.  Short and buttery, studded with the heat of black pepper and sweetly glazed. Who know that maple and pepper got along so well!  Simply fabulous. 

  

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Yield: 8Author: Marie Rayner

Cheese & Marmite Scones

prep time: 15 minscook time: 12 minstotal time: 27 mins

The perfect savoury scone to have with a hot bowl of soup, or with some cold sliced meats and cheese.  Perfect for in the lunch box too!  Healthy and whole meal.

ingredients:

• 140g self raising flour (1  cup)
• 140g whole meal flour (1 cup)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g cold butter, cut into small cubes (3 1/2 TBS)
• 85g mature cheddar cheese (1 cup)
• 1 large free range egg
• 1 TBS Marmite
• 2 TBS Greek yogurt
• 3 TBS milk, plus more to glaze

instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the self raising flour, wholemeal flour, and baking powder in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and quickly rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in half of the cheese. Make a well in the centre.
3. Whisk together the egg, marmite, yogurt and milk. Pour this all at once into the well in the centre of the flour mixture. Stir together with a fork to make a soft dough. If you think the dough is too dry, you may add a bit more milk. You want a soft, but not sticky dough.
4. Turn out onto a floured surface, Pat out to about 1 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, stamping it straight down and lifting it straight up, re-rolling the scraps as necessary, until you have 8 rounds.. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with some more milk and then sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool..

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