Sourdough Ham and Cheese Scones
My sourdough ham and cheese scone recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover ham! They’re savory, with pieces of sharp cheddar and savory ham in each bite. I love serving them for breakfast or lunch, but they’d make a great snack, too. Like all scone recipes on PBH, it’s simple and easy. I hope you love this recipe as much as my husband and I do!
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If you want to make this recipe but don’t have a sourdough starter, no worries! Grab my free guide so you can make your own starter at home.
If you’re new to sourdough baking and feel hesitant, or you have questions, I’ve got something for you! I broke down the basics of what you need to know about sourdough baking in my free sourdough baking guide for beginners. I highly recommend grabbing a copy!
Inspiration Behind My Sourdough Ham and Cheese Scone recipe
With it being the Easter season, I wanted to create another recipe that could use up leftover ham. Rather than sticking the uneaten slices in the freezer for months to come, this recipe allows us to enjoy the leftovers in a new way.
So I wanted to get it on the blog to share with you! We love how savory these scones are. They take ham and turn it into something new. I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
Why We Love These Scones and Think You Will Too!
- Easy Scone Recipe: The steps are simple to follow, and they’re beginner-friendly.
- Made From Scratch: No box mix needed for this scone recipe. It’s made completely from scratch.
- Uses Up Leftover Ham: You can use up leftover ham in a new way so it feels like a fresh meal!
- Perfect for Easter Sunday: You can make these scones for a festive Easter Sunday breakfast or brunch!
Why Make Scones with Sourdough Discard?
When you make scones with sourdough discard, you get fermentation benefits from the sourdough starter’s cultures. If you long ferment the dough in the fridge for 12-24 hours before baking, those cultures ferment the other ingredients. This long fermentation is optional but adds even more fermentation benefits!
My Tips for Making Cheese Ham Scones
- Read the entire recipe before you get started so you know what to expect.
- Use a thick sourdough starter rather than one that’s really runny.
- Use cold-stick butter, never margarine. It will melt in your dough while you’re shaping.
- Use a box grater to incorporate the butter instead of a fork.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes and substitutions)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements
- all-purpose flour: I use organic, unbleached but you can use any
- sea salt: this is a more wholesome salt option
- baking powder: I use aluminum-free
- salted cold stick butter: must be cold stick butter not margarine
- uncured ham, diced into pieces: I like to use uncured ham off the bone but you can use any
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese: mild or medium cheddar work great also
- sourdough discard: fed starter also works just fine
- milk: I use whole milk but you can use any
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to Make Sourdough Ham and Cheese Scones
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for the full written recipe.
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make Dough
Add flour, sea salt, and baking powder to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Add butter by using a large holed grater or cutting it into the mixture with a fork until pea-sized pieces form. Stir to evenly distribute.
Add diced ham and shredded cheese. Stir to evenly distribute.
Add sourdough discard and milk. Mix until most of the flour mixture is combined (it’s okay if a little is leftover) then use your hands to completely incorporate everything. Your dough will be a little sticky, this is normal. (If it’s very wet & sticky your starter is more hydrated just add a little extra flour. If it’s not coming together your starter is less hydrated just add a little extra milk.)
OPTIONAL: If you’d like to long ferment the dough for more fermentation benefits (the cultures will ferment all other ingredients) chill, covered, in the fridge for 12-24 hours before baking. You don’t have to do this, it’s completely optional!
Shape Scones
Lightly dust counter and turn out dough. Knead for 10-15 seconds. Use your hands to shape it into a 2-3-inch thick disk.
Make sure there is a dusting of flour under the dough then take a knife or bench scraper and cut disk into 8 pieces, like a pie.
Bake Scones
Place scones on the prepared baking sheet one by one, about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 20-24 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown (you can stick a toothpick into the center of one, if it comes out clean they’re done). Place on a cooling rack and enjoy!
My Favorite Way to Serve Sourdough Cheese and Ham Scones
I love serving these scones for lunch alongside some fresh fruit! But they are also wonderful for breakfast or even as a snack. Here are a few other serving ideas to try:
- serve alongside a bowl of cucumber onion salad
- serve as a side with your favorite soup
- make a batch to keep in the fridge for snacking throughout the week
- whip up a batch for guests coming to visit
- serve for lunch with an Italian chopped salad
How to Store Sourdough Scones
Store completely cooled scones in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. They are best enjoyed within 3 days for freshness. Because of the ham, I don’t recommend storing them at room temperature.
How to Freeze (Baked and Unbaked)
Unbaked: If freezing them unbaked, wrap each scone in parchment paper and place into a freezer-safe container or baggie. These scones will last 2-3 months in the freezer, unbaked.
When you’re ready to bake, pop them straight into the oven without thawing. Add 2-4 minutes to the baking time.
Baked: If freezing them already baked, store in a freezer-safe container or baggie. They’ll last up to 6 months in the freezer.
You can warm them straight from the freezer in a 400-degree Fahrenheit preheated oven for 5-10 minutes or until crispy and warm.
Best Way to Reheat Sourdough Scones
I like to warm sourdough scones into the oven or toaster oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until warm and crisp. This reheats them while keeping the texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Either will work great for this recipe.
Yes, you can stick them in the fridge before baking. This is a great idea if you’re making them ahead. Just be sure to bake them within 24 hours.
Nope, use whatever ham you’ve got on hand. I personally like to use any type of uncured ham to keep nitrates and nitrites out of our food, but you can use regular.
Dry scones are usually from over-baking them.
I recommend sharp cheddar but medium or mild cheddar works great too.
More Savory Sourdough Scones to Try
If you’re looking for more savory sourdough scone recipes, try a few of these:
- Sourdough Apple Cheddar Scones
- Sourdough Jalapeno Popper Scones
- Sourdough Cheddar Cheese Scone Recipe
- Sourdough Jalapeno Cheddar Scones
If you made this recipe, give it a 5-star rating below and share a photo on your social media stories! Be sure to tag me @plumbranchhome. You can find our community on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest (all @plumbranchhome)
Recipe
Sourdough Ham and Cheese Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use organic, unbleached)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp baking powder (I use aluminum-free)
- 6 Tbsp cold stick butter (unsalted or salted)
- 1 cup uncured ham, diced into pieces
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (mild or medium cheddar work great also)
- 1 cup fed sourdough or discard
- 3/4 cup milk (I use whole milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make Dough
- Add flour, sea salt, and baking powder to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add butter by using a large holed grater or cutting it into the mixture with a fork until pea-sized pieces form. Stir to evenly distribute.
- Add diced ham and shredded cheese. Stir to evenly distribute.
- Add sourdough discard and milk. Mix until most of the flour mixture is combined (it’s okay if a little is leftover) then use your hands to completely incorporate everything. Your dough will be a little sticky, this is normal. (If it’s very wet & sticky your starter is more hydrated just add a little extra flour. If it’s not coming together your starter is less hydrated just add a little extra milk.)
- OPTIONAL: If you’d like to long ferment the dough for more fermentation benefits (the cultures will ferment all other ingredients) chill, covered, in the fridge for 12-24 hours before baking. You don’t have to do this, it’s completely optional!
Shape Scones
- Lightly dust counter and turn out dough. Knead for 10-15 seconds. Use your hands to shape it into a 2-3-inch thick disk.
- Make sure there is a dusting of flour under the dough then take a knife or bench scraper and cut disk into 8 pieces, like a pie.
Bake Scones
- Place scones on the prepared baking sheet one by one, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown (you can stick a toothpick into the center of one, if it comes out clean they’re done). Place on a cooling rack and enjoy!
These are great! I have one to a friend and she requested that I make her a pound of them!
I used beef bacon, a block of sharp cheddar cheese (the second time) and chives! The combination is deliciously addicting. I used my food processor to mix everything up. I’m considering making a second batch right now and freezing for emergency cravings. Thank you so much for this delightful recipe!!
Aww that is so awesome she requested a pound of them! What a wonderful combination you added in there. That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing and giving it a 5 star rating!
These were delicious! Everyone in my family loved them. As soon as they came out of the oven my husband said I needed to make more. I used chopped ham, Parmesan, and the ends of two cheeses in the back of the fridge (pleasant ridge alpine cheese from Wisconsin and a goats milk Gouda). Also threw in a little bit of chopped tomatoes and basil.
Next, I will be doing a double batch of these and the jalapeno popper scones! Thank you.
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear everyone loved them! That all sounds so delicious, thank you for sharing!