Ham, Cheddar, and Scallion Savory Scones
Flaky, buttery scones packed with savory leftover baked ham, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh scallions. Perfect for a quick, satisfying breakfast, brunch, or a sturdy addition to a packed lunch.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Pastry blender or two forks
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Bench scraper
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour — Plus extra for dusting
- 1 tablespoon Baking powder
- 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt — Reduce to 1/4 tsp if ham is particularly salty
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper — Freshly ground
- 0.5 teaspoon Garlic powder (optional)
Butter & Mix-ins
- 0.5 cup Unsalted butter — Very cold, cut into small cubes or grated
- 1 cup Leftover baked ham — Diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese — Freshly grated
- 0.5 cup Scallions — Thinly sliced, both white and green parts
Wet Ingredients
- 0.75 cup Heavy cream or buttermilk — Very cold, plus 2 tbsp for brushing
- 1 egg Large egg — Cold
Dry Ingredients
| 2.5 cups | All-purpose flour | Plus extra for dusting |
| 1 tablespoon | Baking powder | |
| 1 tablespoon | Granulated sugar | |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Salt | Reduce to 1/4 tsp if ham is particularly salty |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Black pepper | Freshly ground |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Garlic powder (opt.) |
Butter & Mix-ins
| 0.5 cup | Unsalted butter | Very cold, cut into small cubes or grated |
| 1 cup | Leftover baked ham | Diced into 1/4-inch pieces |
| 1 cup | Sharp cheddar cheese | Freshly grated |
| 0.5 cup | Scallions | Thinly sliced, both white and green parts |
Wet Ingredients
| 0.75 cup | Heavy cream or buttermilk | Very cold, plus 2 tbsp for brushing |
| 1 egg | Large egg | Cold |
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
~5 min -
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
~2 min -
Add the cold cubed or grated butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
~5 minFor maximum flakiness, keep the butter as cold as possible. If the kitchen is warm, pop the bowl in the fridge for 5 minutes after this step. -
Gently fold in the diced ham, grated cheddar cheese, and sliced scallions until they are evenly coated in the flour mixture.
~2 minCoating the mix-ins in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the scones. -
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup heavy cream (or buttermilk) and the egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
~2 min -
Use a fork or spatula to mix until the dough just begins to come together. Do not overmix; the dough should look shaggy.
~2 min -
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it 3 to 4 times just to bring it together, then pat it into an 8-inch circle, about 1-inch thick.
~3 minHandle the dough as little as possible to ensure tender, flaky scones. -
Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the circle into 8 equal wedges. Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between them.
~2 minPress the knife straight down and pull it straight up without sawing to help the scones rise evenly. -
Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill the scones for 15 minutes before baking. While they chill, lightly brush the tops with the remaining heavy cream.
~15 minChilling relaxes the gluten and re-chills the butter, resulting in a higher rise and flakier texture. -
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
~22 min -
Remove from the oven and let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
~5 minThey are fantastic served warm, plain, or with a smear of salted butter.
Tips & Storage
- Always use very cold butter and liquid. If grating the butter, you can place it in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to grating.
- Be careful not to overwork the dough; a shaggy dough yields the best texture.
- Customize these scones by swapping out the cheddar for Gruyère, Swiss, or pepper jack.
- If your leftover ham has a sweet glaze, it will add a lovely sweet-and-savory contrast to the sharp cheddar.
- Storage: Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes. Unbaked scones can be frozen for up to 3 months; bake straight from frozen, adding 3-5 extra minutes to the baking time.