Ham and Cheese Scones
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Ham and cheese scones are perfect for everyday breakfast, Sunday brunch, or even as an afternoon snack. They’re tender, flakey, and made with just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. Cheddar cheese, ham, and green onion come together to create a simple yet delicious indulgence!
I’ve always loved grabbing a scone or two from my local coffee shop, so I finally decided to bite the bullet and make them myself at home. And while I love blueberry, chocolate chip, and pumpkin (the last one especially in the fall!), I’m a savory guy at heart.
When I had some leftover ham after a recent party I figured, why not whip up some ham and cheese scones with it? I threw in some chopped green onions for good measure and voila, this easy scone recipe was born.
Table of Contents
Scones are incredibly easy to make, which I always tend to forget if I haven’t made them in a while. These cheese scones came out so good that they just may make an appearance on my table after every holiday party going forward!
(Be sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities)
- Ham – You can certainly head out to the store or your local butcher to purchase the ham for your cheese scones, though it’s really the perfect recipe for leftover ham!
- Cheddar Cheese – Cheddar is my go-to for this recipe. Both are on the saltier side, while the creamy richness of the cheese complements the texture of the ham well.
- Butter – I’m using cold, unsalted butter for these ham and cheese scones. Make sure to cut it into pieces before you get started.
- All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose is perfectly fine for this recipe. If you’re gluten-free, make sure to use a GF flour with a 1:1 ratio.
- Heavy Cream – I like heavy cream best for scones because of its higher fat content. It helps to create a rich flavor, plus it adds a softness to the texture once baked. You could replace it with half-and-half or even whole milk, but keep in mind that it will taste (and feel) a bit different.
- Green Onions – The perfect sharp complement to the ham and cheese. You need both white and green parts, FYI.
- Sugar – Yes, you do need a touch of sugar in this otherwise very savory ham and cheese scones recipe. It helps balance out the other ingredients.
- Baking Powder – To help the scones rise as they bake.
- Salt – Just to taste.
- Recipe Prep. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dice the ham into uniform pieces and set aside.
- Start the Batter. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar together. Work the butter into the flour mixture using your hands or a pastry blender until it turns crumbly.
- Add the Other Ingredients. Incorporate the cheddar, green onions, and ham into the batter and mix until evenly distributed. Pour ¾ cup of cream into the bowl and use your fingers to combine. Press and squeeze the mixture together and add more cream until the dough forms. Be sure to leave at least 2 tablespoons to brush on top before baking!
- Form the Ham & Cheese Scones. Place the dough on a well-floured surface and pat it into a smooth 7-inch disk about ¾-inch thick. Transfer the dough disk to the baking sheet and use a knife or pizza cutter to cut it into 8 wedges. Spread them apart a bit as you go.
- Bake. Brush with the remaining cream and bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before serving warm or at room temperature.
Recommended Tools
- Pastry Blender – While certainly optional — you can just use your hands instead — a pastry blender helps ensure the ingredients are properly mixed and the fat (aka, the butter) is evenly distributed in your cheese scones batter.
- Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter – Both make cutting the dough into wedges a lot easier. Remember, evenly cut wedges will give you the most eye-pleasing results.
Storing and Reheating
Allow your ham and cheese scones to cool completely before placing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When properly stored they will keep for up to 3-4 days.
These also freeze beautifully — and are so convenient to pull out of the freezer on busy weekdays. Wrap each scone individually in several layers of plastic wrap and foil and they will last for up to 2-3 months.
To reheat, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and heat for 5-10 minutes (slightly longer if working from frozen) or until warmed through.
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Some cheese scone recipes will call for you to chill the dough before baking, though you don’t have to for mine. That said, chilling can help the dough maintain its shape and can improve its texture and flavor. As I tend to work with cold butter, I don’t find this step necessary.
While I’m a huge fan of ham and cheddar, you can certainly try different types of cheese. Gouda, Swiss, or even blue cheese would taste great. Ultimately, you want to choose a cheese that complements the salty ham.
Yes, you can make the dough for the ham and cheese scones up to 1 day in advance. Assemble the dough (but don’t roll it out) and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Alternatively, you could shape the scones, freeze them, and bake directly from frozen. Just be sure to add a few extra minutes of baking time.
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Savory Ham and Cheese Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 green onions both white and green parts, chopped
- 1/2 lb ham about 1 cup, diced small
- 1 cup heavy cream separated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Dice enough ham into uniform pieces to make 1 cup total. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar together. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly.
- Mix in the cheese, green onions, and ham until evenly distributed.
- Add 3/4 cup of the cream, mixing with your fingers to combine. Press and squeeze the dough together, add some more cream until the dough comes together. Leave at least 2 tablespoons to brush on before baking. On a well-floured work surface pat the dough into a smooth 7″ disk about 3/4″ thick. Move the dough disk to the baking sheet. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the disk into 8 wedges, spreading the wedges apart a bit on the baking sheet.
- Brush the scones with a bit of cream. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool. Serve warm, or at room temperature with or without butter (optional).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Kevin, these are scrump-didly-umptios!
I do think that next time I make them–and there WILL be a next time–I will use unsalted butter to decrease the saltiness.
yumyumyum!
Great idea Eva. The ham does have that extra salt so good call. I’ll update the recipe to reflect. Cheers and thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know!
How do you separate the cream for this? Which portion of the cream do you use for this recipe? Thanks! Looking forward to making these!
Hi Hilary, thanks for stopping by and giving this a try. In Step 4 from the Directions (using the 1 cup from the Ingredients list) it reads:
4. Add 3/4 cup of the cream, mixing with your fingers to combine. Press and squeeze the dough together, add some more cream until the dough comes together. Leave at least 2 tablespoons to brush on before baking.
Hope this helps and enjoy!
I am OBSESSED with scones, and I don’t have enough savory versions in my recipe books! I love a good buttery scone at brunch, and although I don’t have any leftover ham from today, this one is worth buying ham just to make. Yum!
These could be yours in no time after a quick trip to the deli! 😉 Thanks Elizabeth.
Could use whatever one has in the fridge I would expect. Bacon, or cooked up shrimp chopped up, for example. I have made a number of versions of savory scones over the years. So good.
Last year I realized I do prefer savory ideas for breakfast/brunch over the sweet ones. So these savory scones packed with cheese, ham, and onions (I would have added some herbs too) are the perfect way to start a weekend off right!:)
Thanks so much Ben. The smoked ham really adds a wonderful flavor in these.
I’ll take a savory scone over a sweet scone any day of the week. (Keith too.) So these are perfect for us! I love the idea of having these alongside a sweet version for an Easter brunch. And what a great lineup of dishes!
Yes! There needs to be more savory scones in the world! Thanks for the recipe Kevin.
I’m with you Kevin, the sweet varieties get all the attention! 😉
Ham, cheese, and green onion… I am so hungry I want to reach in and grab this delectable scone! Any chance I can order a few dozen. HA! The best part is my kids will eat this in a jiffy. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Cindy, if we only had a Star Trek transporter right? 🙂
Kevin, I so love a savory scone and, while I don’t currently have any leftover ham to make these with, I am thinking I’m gonna have to raid the grocery store deli just for this cause! Thanks so much for sharing this one!
Now you’re talking! Deli is my next go to when I have a hankering for ham with out the entire thing! Thanks for stopping by Shashi. 🙂
We’ve stopped having ham for Easter (or even celebrating Easter) but now I want to cook an Easter ham so that I can have these. That’s how good they look to me right now!
We don’t really celebrate it either, but it’s probably the only time of year I get ham, probably out of childhood memories! Hope you give them a go, or at least you could pick up some ham from your market’s deli? Enjoy!
Savory scones would totally hit the spot right now. These look amazing!
Thanks Alisa, these are so good!