There’s nothing like pulling a warm tray of ham and cheese scones out of the oven! The best part? They’re SO easy! Perfect for Easter brunch or to use up leftover Easter ham!
Ham and Cheese Scone Recipe
Goooooood morning! How’s your week so far? Anything exciting going on? I’m typing this up, bolting to an early morning yoga class, then heading to the airport! SO excited. I’ll be in gone for 5 weeks (!!!), but don’t worry, I have plenty of new recipes to keep you busy in the kitchen. And who knows… maybe I’ll even cook a little abroad! Maybe.
But first, breakfast! I made these savory scones for you earlier in the week and it was love at first bite. Gooey cheese, plenty of black forest ham, and fresh scallions all baked up in a flaky, buttery scone… I mean, does it get any better?!
These scones are:
- savory
- flaky
- buttery
- melt-in-your-mouth tender
- slightly crunchy at the edges
- loaded with ham and cheese
- sprinkled with fresh scallions
- perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner
- and incredibly hard to resist… especially warm from the oven.
As mentioned earlier, these scones are really easy! To make them you’re going to need flour, salt, black pepper, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, butter, an egg, plain full-fat yogurt, whole Milk, cheddar cheese, ham, and fresh scallions. I know, it’s quite a list! But all of these ingredients combined is what makes these scones SO incredible.
Now. I know I’m like a broken record with this tip, but it’s worth saying again: the key to flaky, bakery-style scones is very, very, very COLD BUTTER.
Why cold butter? Please read on! Cold butter is what creates scones that are flaky, just slightly crumbly, and tender. If your butter is warm and melts before baking, you’re going to loose those buttery layers that are essential to a scone. When it comes time to add the butter into the dough, you should resist using your hands, if possible, since body heat will quickly melt the butter. Instead, use a pastry cutter or two forks. My favorite method is grating the butter then quickly working it into the dough with two forks.
To cut the scones, simply use a large, sharp knife to slice the circle into 8 even triangles. And remember, scones are very forgiving, so don’t beat yourself up if they look a little… rustic. The trick is to work very quickly and try not to handle the dough too much. If your dough feels warm or very sticky, simply pop it back into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes and let it chill, then get back to work.
I chose to top these scones with extra ham, cheese, and scallions. This part is totally optional, but I just couldn’t resist taking it to the next level. If you’re not going to eat these right away, I’d suggest skipping the extra toppings. Trust me, they have plenty of yummy hiding inside.
… anyone else getting hungry?! ↓
For more Savory Scone Recipes, Check Out:
- Rosemary, Parmesan, and Ham Scones
- Zucchini Cheddar Scones
- Sour Cream and Chive Scones
- Bacon, Pepper Jack, and Jalapeno Scones
- Sun-dried Tomato Scones
These flaky and flavorful ham and cheese scones are perfect for pretty much any meal, but would be especially lovely for Easter brunch or Mother’s day.
If you try this recipe for ham and cheese scones, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on Instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day. ♥
Ham and Cheese Scones
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY cold and cut into tiny pieces
- 1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons whole Milk
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces ham, diced
- 1/3 cup scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°(F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl add the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar; mix well to combine. Cut the butter into small cubes then quickly work it into the mixture (using your fingers) until it resembles a coarse meal. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, yogurt, and milk, beating well to combine. Add the liquid mixture to dry and use a fork to stir everything together until just moistened.
- Add in the cheese, ham, and scallions and gently fold them into dough with a spatula.
- Pour the shaggy dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and shape the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut the dough into 8 wedges and carefully transfer to the prepared sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.
- Cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then serve warm.
Julia says
Am I reading that correctly? One TABLESPOON of baking powder, or should it be one teaspoon? That seems like a ton of baking powder. Thanks!
bakerbynature says
One tablespoon is correct 😉
Sandy says
Doubled the recipe and the dough was so dry I could hardly get them to the pan without them falling apart.
After baking they held together better but were still kind of dry. Will definitely try again.
bakerbynature says
Hi Sandy. I don’t recommend doubling this recipe, but instead making two separate batches. If the batter is still dry, you can always add an extra tablespoon or so of milk.
Gail says
What a brilliant idea to grate the butter, that alone should win you a trip to Hawaii! Scones amazing. .
bakerbynature says
Haha thank you, Gail! A trip to Hawaii sounds dreamy 😉
Meredith says
Can you recommend a substitution for the yogurt? Would sour cream work?
bakerbynature says
Hi Meredith. Yes, I think that would work just fine 🙂
Stephanie says
Can I make the dough and refrigerate it then bake the next day?
bakerbynature says
Hi Stephanie. While I’ve never tried that, I think it should work just fine! You can also freeze the dough, after it’s cut, then bake them the next day, just add an extra 2 minutes or so.
Theresa says
Can you give directions for after frozen please?
bakerbynature says
Hi Theresa! You just bake them as directed, adding an extra minute or two on the bake time.
Laura says
The recipe calls for 1 stick (4 ounces) of butter. However my butter comes in 8 ounce sticks. Is 4 ounces correct, or a full stick which is 8 ounces?
Thank you!
bakerbynature says
Hi Laura. You’ll want 4 ounces of cold butter 🙂
Linda Roehrig says
LOL,I used the whole stick and they were DELICIOUS!! Making them again today. Great for breakfast, I heat a piece up in the oven at 350 for 10 min or so. I like them crunchy on the edges.
Rebecca says
We tried these this morning and they are definitely going to my keeper recipes! I omitted the sugar and substituted swiss cheese for the cheddar. Very good!! Next time I want to add some jalapeño and go with sharp cheddar.
bakerbynature says
So happy you enjoyed them, Rebecca! Adding jalapeno and sharp cheddar sounds like a delicious idea 😉
Matilda Mancer says
I made these last night and omggggg so good! I added the extra cheese and stuff like in your photos… amazing. My boyfriend ate 4 in one sitting!!! Thank you for this recipe, and looking forward to trying more of yours out.
bakerbynature says
Yay! So happy to hear it, Matilda. You’re very welcome 🙂
thehautecookie says
omg this looks ABS divine!!!! xO!
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bakerbynature says
Thank you, my friend! xoxo
Arlette says
Can you freeze the dough?
bakerbynature says
Absolutely! Just not with the cheese or egg wash on top 🙂
KAREN TEELING says
sorry . . it doesn’t say anything about egg washing the top before baking? Did I miss something? And while I have your ear . . . do you have a tip for reheating?
CHRIS says
I didn’t wash with anything and they were perfect
Nancy Garrison says
Made these yesterday morning while my daughter was visiting….turned out great and will making them again