Ham, Cheese, And Scallion Scones Recipe

Scones may seem like a dish you should leave to credentialed bakers, but if you've never tried baking a batch on your own, you may be surprised at just how easy it can be. "This is a classic savory scone recipe: buttery, tender, and riding the line between salty and sweet, particularly with the addition of sharp cheddar cheese and cubed ham," says recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse. "Overall, this is a scone recipe that's meant to be quick, fuss-free, and incredibly delicious."

And when you have a recipe like this sweet and savory option that combines a little bit of sweetness with the rich flavors of cheese, ham, and scallions, you end up with a scone that can be served and eaten at just about any time of day. "These scones are perfect for breakfast. Served with a side of scrambled eggs, there's nothing more satisfying," says Rosenhouse, adding, "Leftovers make a great afternoon pick-me-up or a light lunch with a side salad." In other words, just make a batch and eat them whenever the urge hits you — they truly could be the perfect meal prep item to help carry you through the week.

Making scones from scratch requires quite a few ingredients common to baking. You'll need to gather up all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, garlic, ground black pepper, kosher salt, paprika, salted butter (cold and cubed), sharp cheddar cheese, maple ham steak (cut into small cubes), scallions, half-and-half, an egg, and of course, course salt for sprinkling. 

You can be flexible on the type of ham you use, but Rosenhouse has a preference. "I love using maple ham for the subtle additional sweetness it provides," she says.

Get started with a little bit of prep work. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. You want it to already be ready for you when you'll need it. 

Then, in a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Add the butter in as well, then mix everything with your hands, breaking the butter down into pieces as you mix it in. You'll ultimately only want pea-sized pieces of butter mixed well with the other dry ingredients.  When the dough is all starting to come together, add the cheese, ham, and scallions, and mix again. 

The dough is almost ready. Simply add ⅔ cup of half-and-half and the egg to a small bowl. Whisk them until they're well-combined and pour them into the dry mixture. "If you don't have half-and-half on hand, using half milk and half cream will have the same effect," says Rosenhouse. "You're looking to add richness and fat to the dough, but straight cream would be overwhelming. The combination of milk and cream gives the scones a flaky, rich, texture, without weighing it down."

The dough should be "shaggy" in its appearance. Pour it out onto the baking sheet you prepped earlier, then form a 4-inch by 14-inch rectangle that's roughly 1 ½ inches thick. Place it in the fridge to keep the dough nice and cool before you're ready to use it — about 30 minutes. "Chilling the dough helps keep the fat (butter) cold, making for flaky layers within the scones. It also helps control the spread when the scones hit the heat of the oven, and makes them easier to cut," explains Rosenhouse. As the dough chills, preheat your oven to 400 F. 

When the dough has chilled, but before you've thrown it in the oven, you want to cut it into perfect, scone triangles. Rosenhouse suggests doing this by cutting the rectangle of dough into squares before cutting each square diagonally to make the triangles. "When I owned a bakery, we made large batches of scones on sheet pans — and I've never gotten over the consistency of cutting triangles from rectangles. Starting with a rectangle, then portioning into squares, then triangles, gives you perfectly even scones every time," Rosenhouse says. 

When you've cut your triangles, space the pieces out across the prepped baking sheet and brush them with the remaining half-and-half. "Brushing the half-and-half on before baking helps with browning — an egg wash can also be used (or straight cream or milk)," Rosenhouse says. 

Now it's time for the rubber to hit the road. Pop the pan of uncooked scones into the oven and bake them for 24-26 minutes, shooting for a golden brown crust. When they're ready, pull them from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool before serving while warm. 

"I would server these scones for brunch with all of the traditional brunch favorites, for breakfast with eggs, or on their own with a cup of coffee," Rosenhouse suggests. "These scones have those crisp edges and tender centers that make them impossible to eat slowly."