Sourdough Ham & Cheese Scones Recipe
Yield: 8 scones
These savory Sourdough Ham and Cheese Scones are the kind of cheesy, flaky baked good that makes sourdough discard worth keeping around. Sharp cheddar, salty ham, and fresh chives come together in a buttery scone dough that is simple to mix and even easier to love.
Ingredients
- 250 grams all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups
- 15 grams sugar 1 Tablespoon
- 10 grams baking powder 2 1/2 teaspoons
- 3 grams garlic powder 1 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 1 gram black pepper 1/4 teaspoon
- 113 grams unsalted butter, frozen 1/2 cup
- 100 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded about 1 cup
- 100 grams ham, finely cubed 3/4 cup
- 6 grams chives, chopped 2 Tablespoons
- 45 grams heavy cream, cold 3 Tablespoons, plus more for topping
- 1 egg, cold about 62 grams
- 120 grams sourdough discard, cold 1/2 cup
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Whisk together until incorporated. If not using a kitchen scale, be sure to fluff the flour and spoon it into your measuring cups and level off with a knife. This will give you a more accurate measurement.250 grams all-purpose flour, 15 grams sugar, 10 grams baking powder, 3 grams garlic powder, 3 grams salt, 1 gram black pepper
- Grate the cold/frozen butter and add to the flour mixture. Cut in with a pastry cutter or mix with your fingers until the small pieces of butter are coated with flour and create pea-sized coarse crumbs.113 grams unsalted butter, frozen
- Next, sprinkle in the cheddar cheese, ham and chives and mix until incorporated.100 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, 100 grams ham, finely cubed, 6 grams chives, chopped
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg and sourdough discard until smooth.You can use active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams. Using cold starter works best because it helps keep the butter from melting too early.45 grams heavy cream, cold, 1 egg, cold, 120 grams sourdough discard, cold
- Pour the wet ingredients evenly on top of the butter mixture. Mix the scone dough with a rubber spatula until the cream mixture is combined. The dough will be crumbly with some bites of dry flour. Be careful not to over mix the dough, the flour will be incorporated in the next step.
- Turn out the mixture onto a clean work surface and pat into a rectangle. Then, with a bench scraper, fold the dough in half, then press down to create the large rectangle again. Repeat this 3-4 times. Folding the dough helps to create all of those beautiful flaky layers!
- With your hands, form the dough into an 8″ disc. Cut the soft dough into 8 equal wedges with a bench scraper or a large knife. Be careful not to slide the bench scraper when cutting the scones! This will close off the dough, which prevents the scones from getting the flaky layers. Simply press straight and pull straight up.
- Place the unbaked scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a plastic lid and chill them in the fridge for at least 15 minutes while the oven preheats. This plastic lid fits perfectly over my baking sheets!
- Long Ferment: If you prefer to long ferment your sourdough scones for easier digestibility, prepare the sourdough scone dough and store them in the fridge covered overnight and bake them the following day!
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- With a pastry brush, top the scones with more heavy whipping cream for a golden finish.
- Bake the scones for 17-20 minutes, or until the top of the scones are lightly golden brown. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour - I use all-purpose flour for these tender scones.
- Sugar - Just a touch to help keep the scones extra tender, while also balancing out the savory flavors.
- Baking powder - This will bring a little lift to our scones! Double-check that it hasn’t expired.
- Unsalted butter - To get light and flaky scones, it's best to use really cold or frozen butter. If you’re using salted butter, reduce the salt by ¼ teaspoon (1g).
- Ham - This recipe is great for leftover ham! Chop it up into bite-sized cubes. Ham steak or deli ham works well.
- Cheddar Cheese - For the best flavor you’ll want to use a sharp cheddar cheese. Gruyere also works well!
- Chives - Fresh chives bring the perfect freshness to these scones, but you can also substitute with any of your favorite herbs or chopped scallions.
- Heavy cream - It’s important to use heavy cream instead of milk because the thick liquid brings just the right amount of moisture to these scones. If you add too much liquid or use one that's thinner, your scones will bake up flat and dry. Canned full-fat coconut milk is a fabulous non-dairy alternative.
- Sourdough discard - I prefer using sourdough discard that's no older than 1-2 days for sweet recipes like these scones. However, you can also use the same amount of active sourdough starter. Just make sure to measure in grams instead of volume. Using cold discard is another helpful trick to keep your butter cold!
- Use a kitchen scale: For the most accurate measurement of your ingredients, use a kitchen scale! Add too much flour, your scones will be dry. Add too much liquid, your scones will bake up dense and flat. This is such a cheap investment and it allows you to properly measure your ingredients.
- Use cold/frozen butter: To get the most light and flakey crust, you need cold butter! When the butter starts to melt while it is baking, it releases moisture. This creates those flakey layers. If you use room temperature or the butter melts before baking, the scones will be flat and dry.
- Use cold ingredients: Furthermore, to help keep the butter cool, use as many cold ingredients as possible, like cold eggs, cold heavy cream, cold sourdough discard, etc.
- Work quickly: As stated above, you don’t want your butter to melt into the dough, so you must work quickly.
- Chill the dough before baking: Chilling the scones before popping them into the oven allows the butter to stay cold, which gives you the best chance for flakey scones.
Nutrition
Serving: 1scone | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 624IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 2mg
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