Savoury scones
These tasty savoury scones are filled with cheese and ham. They’re a delicious treat for brunch served warm from the oven.
Savoury scones are a delicious lunch time treat. Filled with cheese and ham, they’re a simple recipe even kids can follow.
I bake a lot with my kids, and these are a lovely recipe to show them that baking doesn’t always have to involve sugar or other sweets like chocolate. They’re a savoury scone but have earned their place at any afternoon tea as they’re no less delicious than any of our favourite sweet scones.
How can kids help to make savoury scones?
I think scones are great bakes to make with kids. They only use a few ingredients and are quite hands on which is a great way of getting kids involved in the kitchen. There’s also no need for any special equipment. As long as you have a bowl to mix everything together, something to measure everything out with and a baking tray, you have everything you need to make these.
In these savoury scones children will be able to help measure and mix everything together. They also have the chance to get really hands on, rubbing the butter and flour together as well as forming the scone dough, both are fun tactile jobs kids love to do.
If you have slightly older children who can use a grater they can also help grate the cheese and chop the ham into small pieces.
The last job my kids love it cutting out the scones. If you’re kids like playing with play-dough they should be familiar with using cutters and patting out the scone dough.
What can I use instead of self raising flour?
This recipe uses self raising flour, which is easy to find here in the UK. If you don’t have any you can swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add an extra 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
How do I get my scones to rise and be fluffy?
I think the hardest part of making scones is making sure they are light and fluffy (and I don’t think we manage it every time).
There are a few things you can do to help your scones rise better although admittedly when children are involved it’s sometimes easier said than done. The first, and most important thing to do is to be as gentle as you can with the dough particularly when you’re bringing it together into a ball. Try to make sure your children stop kneading the dough as soon as it comes together so you don’t over work it which will stop it rising so well.
The second thing you can do is to pat the scone dough out gently with your hands rather than rolling it out with a rolling pin. And, when you use your cutters try and push them straight down rather than twisting and turning them.
Finally, you also need to make sure you’re using in-date baking powder and/or self raising flour. These both have an expiry date and if you use it after that date, you might find your scones won’t rise as well.
How long do savoury scones keep?
I personally think these scones are best when they’re still a little bit warm from the oven. They’re definitely at their freshest and best eaten on the day you make them, but if you want to keep them for longer put them in an air tight container in the fridge and they should keep for another day or so.
If you’re having them the next day, I’d recommend warming them slightly before you serve them.
What cheese should I use?
To enjoy these at their best use a nice strong cheese. We used a mature cheddar, the sort we have in the fridge anyway. You could use a mixture of cheeses – parmesan is great option, as is Gruyère.
What should I serve with savoury scones?
These are delicious still warm from the oven with a little butter, but you could serve them with some more ham or cheese or even some pickle or chutney.
Other scone recipes
If you liked these savoury scones, you’ll love our other easy scone recipes for kids:
Raspberry and white chocolate scones
Mary Berry plain scones
Cheese scones
Blackberry scones
Buttermilk scones
Cherry scones
Fruit scones
Sultana scones
Apple scones
Or why not try one of these savoury recipes:
Cheese stars
Cheese muffins
Savoury muffins
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these savoury scones
Digital scales
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Measuring jug
Cheese grater
Wooden spoons
Baking tray
Pastry brush
Wire rack
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Ingredients
250g (2 cups) self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
60g (1/4 cups) butter
125g cheese
½ tsp mustard powder
1 egg
125ml milk
2 tablespoons chives
100g cooked ham
How to make savoury scones
Preheat your oven to 220C / 200C Fan / 425F and line a large baking tray with baking or parchment paper.
Rub the flour and butter together
Start by getting your kids to measure out the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and add them to a large mixing bowl.
When you’re measuring out the baking powder, make sure you or your child uses their finger to level the teaspoon before adding it so that you add just the right amount.
Measure the butter, then get your kids to cut it into small pieces, or you can even use a grater and grate it into your bowl. Cutting the butter is a great job for kids to do if they want to practice their chopping skills as you can use a blunt knife to do it. It also doesn’t really matter if everything doesn’t end up exactly the same size. Add the butter to your mixing bowl.
Using your fingertips rub the butter and flour together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. This is a fun, tactile job that even young children can help with and enjoy.
Add the cheese
If your children are old enough, you can get them to grate the cheese then add it to your mixing bowl. Make sure they’re careful with their fingers around the grater.
Add the chives, and the mustard powder and give it a quick mix with a fork, so they are well distributed among the flour mixture.
Add the egg and milk
Measure out the milk. If you have digital scales, the easiest and most accurate way of doing this is to use the ml setting on them. If not, a measuring jug or measuring cup will also do the job.
Get your kids to crack the egg into a small bowl. Don’t add it straight in, just in case any shell goes in. If it does, you can fish it out with a larger piece of shell or a small spoon. Pop the egg into the milk and whisk them both together.
Pour the milk/egg mixture into your mixing bowl, leaving around a tablespoons worth in the jug for later.
Get your kids to gently stir it all in with a fork until it starts to come together.
Add the ham
Finally, chop the ham into small pieces, and add it to your mixing bowl. Mix it in and then start to bring all the dough together into a ball. If it’s easier, you can use your hands at this point to bring it all together.
Make the savoury scones
Once your scone dough has come together nicely, rather than using a rolling pin to roll it out, get your kids to use their hands to pat the dough down until it is all about 2cm thick.
Use a circular cutter to cut out your scones and place them on your prepared baking tray. We used a small 5cm cutter, but you could use any size and just adjust the cooking time up if you make them bigger.
Cut as many as you can out, then gently bring the scraps together, pat them down again then cut out some more scones. Keep doing this until you’ve used up all the dough.
Finally, get your child to brush a little of the remaining milk/egg mixture over the top of each scone.
Bake the savoury scones
Bake the scones in the oven for 15-20 minutes (or slightly longer if you have made bigger ones). They’re ready when they are well risen and have turned a nice golden colour.
Remove them from the oven and leave them on the baking tray to cool for a few minutes before putting them on wire rack to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy!
Savoury scones
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Measuring jug
- Cheese grater
- Wooden spoons
- baking tray
- Pastry brush
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 60 g (¼ cups) butter
- 125 g cheese
- ½ teaspoon½ mustard powder
- 1 egg
- 125 ml (½ cup) milk
- 2 tablespoons chives
- 100 g cooked ham
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220C / 200C Fan / 425F and line a large baking tray with baking or parchment paper.
RUB THE FLOUR AND BUTTER TOGETHER
- Measure out the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and add them to a large mixing bowl.When you're measuring out the baking powder, make sure you use your finger to level the teaspoon before adding it so that you add just the right amount.
- Measure the butter, then either cut or grate it into small pieces, and add it into your bowl.
- Using your fingertips rub the butter and flour together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
ADD THE CHEESE
- Grate the cheese then add it to your mixing bowl. Add the chives, and the mustard powder and give it a quick mix with a fork, so they are well distributed among the flour mixture.
ADD THE EGG AND MILK
- Measure out the milk. Crack the egg into a small bowl then add it to your milk. Whisk them both together.
- Pour the milk/egg mixture into your mixing bowl, leaving around a tablespoons worth in the jug for later.
- Gently stir it all in with a fork until it starts to come together.
ADD THE HAM
- Finally, chop the ham into small pieces, and add it to your mixing bowl. Mix it in and then start to bring all the dough together into a ball. If it's easier, you can use your hands at this point to bring it all together.
MAKE THE SAVOURY SCONES
- Once your scone dough has come together nicely, pat the dough down until it is all about 2cm thick.
- Use a circular cutter to cut out your scones and place them on your prepared baking tray. We used a small 5cm cutter, but you could use any size and just adjust the cooking time up if you make them bigger.Cut as many as you can out, then gently bring the scraps together, pat them down again then cut out some more scones. Keep doing this until you've used up all the dough.
- Finally, brush a little of the remaining milk/egg mixture over the top of each scone.
BAKE THE SAVOURY SCONES
- Bake the scones in the oven for 15-20 minutes (or slightly longer if you have made bigger ones). They’re ready when they are well risen and have turned a nice golden colour.Remove them from the oven and leave them on the baking tray to cool for a few minutes before putting them on wire rack to cool completely.
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If you liked these savoury scones you might like our other lunch recipes as well as our favourite easy baking recipes for kids.
Brilliant, made these with my 2 year old today and they went down a hit!
I’m so glad you and your little one liked these!