Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones breakfast These ham and cheese scones are a delicious treat perfect for breakfast, brunch, a snack or even with soups, stews or chilis. They are savory with a subtle hint of sweet and the type of scone you just can't get enough of ham and cheese, ham and cheddar Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones scones, ham

These ham and cheese scones are a delicious treat perfect for breakfast, brunch, a snack or even with soups, stews or chilis. They are savory with a subtle hint of sweet and the type of scone you just can’t get enough of. Filled with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped ham and chives. They are flaky buttery with soft tender interior. They bake up big and beautiful just like the ones you find at your favorite bakery or coffee shop. Make them at home and enjoy now or make ahead and freeze for later.

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones

Ham and Cheddar Scones Recipe Ingredients (detailed measurements in recipe card below)

  • HAM: You can use deli thicker cut ham for your cheese scones, though it’s really the perfect recipe for leftover ham!
  • CHEESE: I always use a sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe for best flavor - whether it is white cheddar or yellow cheddar that is up to you. Feel free to use your favorite cheese - pepper jack, Monterey Jack, Swiss, gouda or marble cheese work great too.
  • FLOUR: All-purpose flour is what I use for this recipe
  • CHIVES: Fresh chives or green onions / scallions sliced add the perfect flavor with to the ham and cheese.
  • SUGAR: I use granulated sugar. All you need is a couple of tablespoons of sugar for a hint of sweetness
  • SALT & BLACK PEPPER: Adds flavor. Just a pinch of salt and pepper is all you need
  • BAKING POWDER & BAKING SODA: You will need both for these scones. Baking powder is essential in scones to provide lift, creating a light, fluffy, and tender texture rather than a dense one. The baking soda helps keep them light and fluffy.
  • BUTTER: Besides flour, butter is the main ingredient in scones. It’s responsible for flakiness, flavor, crisp edges, and rise. I use unsalted butter - and it is critical to keep it chilled or frozen. Either Cubed or grated is fine for this recipe
  • CREAM: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk. Thinner liquids change the flavor and appearance - and can create dry, bland, and flat scones. I use cream instead of eggs (for egg wash) for a light wash on the scones that gets brushed on to give them the most perfect finish. If you prefer to use and egg wash feel free to use a large egg whisked to brush over the scones with instead
  • EGG: Not all recipes for scones have egg but this one does. Adding egg to scones
  • produces a richer, softer texture and helps them stay soft longer.
  • OPTIONAL ADD INS: I like add in some fresh chopped herbs at times for adding more flavor like thyme or rosemary. A little goes a long way. You can also add in a pinch of garlic powder or onion powder for more flavor too.

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones

Ham and Cheddar Scones Recipe Instructions (full details in recipe card below)

  1. WHISK cream and egg together
  2. WHISK flour, salt, pepper, sugar, baking powder, baking soda together then stir in chives and cheese.
  3. POUR in cream mixture and chopped ham and stir to combine dough.
  4. EMPTY onto clean work surface lightly dusted wth flour and knead a few times to bring dough together
  5. PAT dough and shape into flat round disk
  6. SLICE into wedges, transfer to prepared baking sheet
  7. BRUSH with cream in a small bowl with a brush, top with extra shredded cheddar
  8. CHILL scones while preheating the oven
  9. BAKE scones
  10. ENJOY warm - I recommend with a generous schmear of butter

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones

Tips for the Perfect Scones

  • Use Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: Avoid thinner milks which yield a flatter, less flavorful scone. Canned coconut milk works well as a wonderful non dairy option! For these we always use heavy cream.
  • Refrigerate Before Baking: Remember, cold dough is a successful dough. To avoid over-spreading, I recommend chilling the shaped scones for at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
  • Use COLD butter: If you’re making these in a very warm climate, I suggest popping your butter in the freezer. You can also chill the rest of your ingredients too.
  • Do not overwork the dough: Knead it a few times for it to come together but a shaggy messy dough is best for buttery layered flaky scones with a good rise - instead of dense dry over worked scones. And only add a little extra cream if you absolutely need to - you don’t want to be working with wet dough.

How to Freeze Scones

Scones are easy to freeze and make a great make ahead treat because of this. There are several ways to go about freezing scones. You can even shape this scone dough into wedges and refrigerate overnight before baking. Here are two ways I freeze my scones:

  • Freeze Before Baking: Freeze scone dough wedges on a plate or baking sheet for 1 hour. Once relatively frozen, you can layer them in a freezer-friendly bag or airtight container. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time in the recipe below. Or thaw overnight, then bake as directed.
  • Freeze After Baking: Freeze the baked and cooled scones. I usually freeze in a freezer-friendly bag or container. To thaw, leave out on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds or on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones

Ham & Cheese Scones Storage & Reheating

  • STORAGE: Keep the baked scones at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • REHEATING: Best served warm, they can be reheated in the microwave in 20-second increments or in an oven at 300°F until warmed through.

How To Serve These Scones

These scones are super versatile because they are not overly sweet yet their hint of sweetness can be played up a bit. I love them warm with butter - savoring each bite on their own. But they can easily be served for breakfast or brunch with jam or jelly - a great sweet savory combo with coffee or tea. They are not too sweet to serve with a bowl of soup or chili either so go ahead and serve them that way as well. Whatever you decide to serve them with I’m sure you will enjoy!

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones

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Recipe

Servings: 8 scones
Prep Time: 20 mins
Bake Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 1¼ cups heavy cream, plus 2-4 tablespoons more for brushing
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus ¼-½ cup more for topping
  • ⅓ cup sliced chives
  • ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces/cubed
  • ¾-1 cup chopped ham

Directions

  1. Whisk together the egg and cream in a measuring cup or small bowl and set aside
  2. Whisk granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper and 3 cups flour in a large bowl to combine.
  3. Stir in the chives and shredded cheese.
  4. Add butter and toss to coat. Using your fingers, two forks or a pastry blender, work butter into flour until only pea-size pieces remain.
  5. Pour cream and egg mixture, over flour mixture, and add the ham, and then mix with a fork, incorporating dry ingredients a little at a time, until a shaggy dough forms (it’s okay if it looks a little dry; don’t overwork). Lightly knead dough in the bowl until it just comes together gently folding it over a little if needed
  6. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1”-thick round.
  7. Cut into 8 wedges using a sharp knife or dough scraper and transfer to a parchment paper -lined baking sheet. Brush dough with cream and sprinkle with cheese. Transfer sheetpan with scones in the fridge to chill while oven preheats
  8. Preheat oven to 375°F
  9. Once oven reaches temperature, transfer sheetpan from fridge to oven and bake scones until golden brown, 25–30 minutes.
  10. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before serving

Recipe Notes

  • Once you have your scones cut and you are ready to chill - you can place scones onto a plate instead of sheet pan if your sheet pan is too large to go into the fridge or you are running low on space in the fridge. Simply transfer them to sheet pan when you are ready to bake them.
  • For the cheese: I like to use large grate side on the box grater for the cheese in the scones but fine grate for topping, feel free to use large grate for both.

Bakery Style Ham and Cheddar Scones