These ham and cheese scones are incredibly tender, boasting a buttery flavor, and generously filled with sharp aged cheddar, savory ham, and a refreshing touch of fresh chives. They rise beautifully in the oven, developing light, crispy edges that perfectly contrast the soft, fluffy centers. Ideal for a comforting breakfast, a delightful brunch, or a satisfying accompaniment to a warm bowl of soup!
You don’t need any special equipment or fancy techniques to make these savory scones; they come together in minutes. The secret to their perfectly light and flaky texture lies in using cold butter and cold milk, employing a simple pat-and-cut method, and allowing for some extra chill time before baking.
For a truly impressive spread, consider serving them alongside sweeter options like these earl grey lemon scones or apple cinnamon scones.
Why You’ll Absolutely Adore This Ham and Cheese Scone Recipe
Savory and incredibly satisfying: Every bite is bursting with flavor thanks to the generous amounts of aged cheddar, delectable ham pieces, and aromatic chives. The texture is simply divine, offering a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
Quick and easy to mix: Forget about kneading, lamination, or lengthy chilling processes. This recipe is designed for speed and simplicity!
Perfect for meal prepping: These scones are a fantastic make-ahead option. They freeze beautifully and reheat like a dream, making them ideal for busy mornings or planned brunches.
Essential Ingredients for Irresistible Ham and Cheese Scones
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of the recipe, providing the necessary structure and absorbing moisture. For optimal results, use a digital scale to measure the flour accurately and prevent adding too much. Over-measuring flour can lead to dry, dense scones.
- Baking powder: This crucial ingredient ensures a tall, fluffy rise. Don’t omit it! Baking powder creates air pockets within the dough, resulting in a light and airy texture.
- Unsalted butter: Grating the butter while it’s cold is key to achieving flaky, tender layers. The small pieces of butter create pockets of steam during baking, which contributes to the signature scone texture.
- Cheese: This adds a salty, nutty richness to every bite. For a truly exceptional flavor, I recommend using Old Croc aged cheddar or Dubliner. Experiment with different types of cheese to find your favorite combination.
- Ham: Your favorite ham adds a savory flavor and delightful texture to each scone. Any leftover ham can be used to make these ham and cheese turnovers, ham and cheese quiche, or savory breakfast rolls!
- Chives: These provide a mild, fresh onion flavor that complements the cheese and ham perfectly. They add a touch of freshness and vibrancy to the savory scones.
- Milk: This brings the dough together while keeping it wonderfully tender. Use whole milk for the best results.
For a complete list of ingredients and precise quantities, please refer to the recipe card provided.
Delicious Substitutions and Variations for Your Ham and Cheese Scones
- Cheese: Get creative with your cheese choices! Gruyere, smoked cheddar, or pepper jack are all fantastic alternatives that add unique flavor profiles.
- Meat: Explore other savory options like cooked bacon, prosciutto, or sausage. Each will impart its own distinct taste and texture.
- Chives: If you don’t have chives on hand, you can replace them with green onions or a bit of parsley. Alternatively, you can simply omit them without significantly altering the overall flavor.
- Milk: Buttermilk adds a delightful tang, but any variety of milk will work. Keep in mind that higher-fat milks will contribute to a more tender scone.
- Add-ins: Elevate your scones with a pinch of cracked black pepper, smoked paprika, or everything bagel seasoning. These additions can enhance the savory flavors and create a unique twist.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make These Amazing Ham and Cheese Scones
One: Grate the frozen butter using the wide shred setting on a box grater.
Two: Gently toss the grated butter with the dry ingredients until all the butter shreds are well coated.
Three: Add the chopped ham, shredded cheese, and minced chives to the bowl and toss again to ensure even distribution.
Four: Gradually drizzle in the cold milk and mix until the dough is just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Five: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and gently pat it into a circle that is approximately 8 inches in diameter and at least 1 inch thick.
Six: Use a sharp knife or a bench cutter to slice the circle of dough into 8 equal wedges. Place the cut scones on a baking sheet and freeze them while the oven preheats to 400°F (200°C).
Seven: Once the scones are semi-frozen and the oven is preheated, brush the tops of the scones with milk.
Eight: Sprinkle the milk-brushed scones with a bit of extra shredded cheese and fresh chives (optional) for added flavor and visual appeal, then bake in the preheated oven!
Essential Expert Tips for Perfect Ham and Cheese Scones Every Time
- Use frozen butter: This makes grating the butter much easier and ensures maximum flakiness in the final product.
- Keep ingredients cold: Maintaining a cold dough and baking in a hot oven is crucial for achieving optimal lift and a light, airy texture.
- Don’t overmix! A shaggy dough is perfectly acceptable. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to dense, tough scones.
- Space the wedges apart: Arrange the scones on the baking sheet with approximately 2 inches of space between them. Surprisingly, having them slightly close together can actually help them rise taller.
Important Testing Notes: Achieving the Best Ham and Cheese Scone Recipe
- I particularly enjoyed the delicate, thinly sliced ham dispersed throughout the scones. Larger pieces tended to make the texture feel too chunky. However, this is largely a matter of personal preference, so feel free to experiment with different cuts and flavors of ham.
- The addition of garlic powder provided a subtle “cheddar bay biscuit” flavor that elevated the overall taste. While completely optional, I highly recommend trying it!
- Using a highly flavorful cheddar cheese is absolutely key. A mild or lightly flavored cheese will likely get lost in the overall flavor profile of the scone.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Ham and Cheese Scone Recipe
Yes, absolutely! Simply shape and cut the scones, then freeze them completely. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. You can bake them straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
While freshly shredded cheese will always melt more smoothly and evenly, pre-shredded cheese can certainly be used in a pinch. Keep in mind that it may not melt as seamlessly.
Definitely! Divide the dough into two smaller circles and cut each circle into 6-8 wedges. Reduce the baking time by a few minutes to prevent them from overbaking.
Storage Instructions for Your Delicious Ham and Cheese Scones
Room Temperature: Store cooled scones in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Gently reheat before serving for the best texture.
Freezer: Freeze baked scones for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 325°F (160°C) oven until warmed through.
Freeze Before Baking: For optimal freshness, freeze the raw scone wedges (before brushing with milk) and bake them directly from frozen whenever you’re ready to enjoy them.
Explore More Savory Breakfast Recipes You’ll Absolutely Love
- Bacon Mushroom Quiche with Smoked Gouda
- Corned Beef Fritters
- Smoked Salmon and Spinach Quiche
- Broccoli Bacon Quiche
What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton’s, you’ll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it’s 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the ‘1X’ ‘2X’ ‘3X’ buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
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📖 Ham and Cheese Scones Recipe
Ham and Cheese Scones: A Savory Delight
Callan Wenner
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15 mins
25 mins
15 mins
55 mins
Breakfast, Snack
American
8
345 kcal
Equipment
- Box grater
- Mixing bowls
- Large sheet pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
US CustomaryMetric 1x2x3x
- ½ cup unsalted butter grated & very cold
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp aged cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups chopped ham
- ¼ cup minced fresh chives optional
- ¾ cup whole milk cold
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Instructions
- Note: Grate the ½ cup butter first, then place the grated butter in the freezer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
½ cup unsalted butter - Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then toss with the butter shreds to coat them completely.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt - Mix in the cheese, ham, and chives (if using) to coat in flour, then drizzle the milk all over. Use a wooden spoon to bring the mixture together into a shaggy dough, then finish bringing it together with your hands until combined.
1 ½ cups shredded sharp aged cheddar cheese, 1 ½ cups chopped ham, ¼ cup minced fresh chives, ¾ cup whole milk - Note: if the mixture is still very dry and crumbly, drizzle in a bit more milk until it’s mostly moistened (but not wet) and sticks together.
- Transfer the dough to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, sprinkle with flour, and pat it into an 8” circle, at least 1” thick.
- Cut into 6 or 8 wedges, and pull them apart from each other slightly – at least 1” (use a bench scraper or spatula to do this).
- Pop the pan in the fridge or freezer while the oven preheats to 400℉.
- Once preheated, brush the top of the scones with milk and sprinkle with a bit of extra cheese (if you have some).
- Bake for 20-24 minutes until golden. Cool for a few minutes, then serve.
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Notes
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The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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