Gluten-Free Ham and Cheddar Scones

Name: Gluten-Free Ham and Cheddar Scones
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D2H30M
Total time: PT0D2H30M
Yield: Makes 14 scones
Ingredients: 3 cups (15 oz.) all-purpose gluten-free flour, plus more for dusting; 1 cup sugar; 1 Tbsp. baking powder; 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 12 Tbsp. (6 oz.) cold butter, cut in small cubes; 1 cup (5 oz.) ham, cut in ½-in. cubes; 1 cup (3½ oz.) coarsely grated cheddar cheese; ½ cup finely chopped fresh chives; ¾ cups half & half

We finally found the wheat-free breakfast pastry of our dreams—and it’s so rich, you can skip the clotted cream.

Serves
Makes 14 scones
Time
2 hours 30 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO

By Lea Schleimer

Published on December 19, 2022

At Sonoma County’s Farmhouse Restaurant, this gluten-free scone recipe is the base for a range of impossibly buttery, wheat-free breakfast pastries. We love this sweet-savory version, which is generously studded with smoky ham, cheddar cheese, and fresh chives. Rich and moist enough to serve on their own, we also love them with a smear of grainy mustard. Pastry chef Lea Schleimer recommends using Thomas Keller’s gluten-free all-purpose baking blend, Cup4Cup, which is available nationally in Whole Foods or online. If you like an extra-cheesy scone, brush each triangle with cream and top with a big pinch of shredded cheddar immediately before baking.

Featured in: “The Best Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes.”

Ingredients

3 cups (15 oz.) all-purpose gluten-free flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp. kosher salt
12 Tbsp. (6 oz.) cold butter, cut in small cubes
1 cup (5 oz.) ham, cut in ½-in. cubes
1 cup (3½ oz.) coarsely grated cheddar cheese
½ cup finely chopped fresh chives
¾ cups half & half

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Instructions

Step 1

Line a small, rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Add the butter and, using your hands, squeeze the cubes to incorporate into the dry ingredients until the butter has broken down and the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal. Toss in the ham, cheese, and chives, then, working in two stages, add the half & half, tossing the mixture gently with your hands just until all the dry ingredients are moistened and a loose dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet and press down into an even, 1-inch-thick rectangle. Freeze until solid, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. (If freezing the dough longer than 2 hours, wrap tightly with plastic wrap.)

Step 2

When you are ready to bake the scones, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 3

Lightly flour a clean work surface. Retrieve and unwrap the frozen dough and turn it out onto the work surface. Using a large chef's knife, cut into fourteen 1-inch-thick triangles. Arrange the triangles on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once halfway through cooking, until lightly browned along the bottom, about 16 minutes (the scones will still be soft in the center while hot). Set aside at room temperature to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Line a small, rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Add the butter and, using your hands, squeeze the cubes to incorporate into the dry ingredients until the butter has broken down and the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal. Toss in the ham, cheese, and chives, then, working in two stages, add the half & half, tossing the mixture gently with your hands just until all the dry ingredients are moistened and a loose dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet and press down into an even, 1-inch-thick rectangle. Freeze until solid, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. (If freezing the dough longer than 2 hours, wrap tightly with plastic wrap.)
When you are ready to bake the scones, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly flour a clean work surface. Retrieve and unwrap the frozen dough and turn it out onto the work surface. Using a large chef's knife, cut into fourteen 1-inch-thick triangles. Arrange the triangles on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once halfway through cooking, until lightly browned along the bottom, about 16 minutes (the scones will still be soft in the center while hot). Set aside at room temperature to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.