Potato Cheese Scones

Last updated on March 17th, 2024 at 12:00 am

If you like savory scones, you’ll love this recipe combining mashed potatoes and cheese.  It is soft, moist and tender on the inside, with a flavorful, slightly crumbly texture, topped by crispy outside notes of baked cheese and biscuit crust.

Pair this scone with Irish Stew for St. Patrick’s Day or use it to replace the mashed potatoes on top of Shepherd’s Pie.  Serve throughout the year, whenever you have leftover mashed potatoes, as a filling accompaniment for soups, stews, chili or casseroles.  For variety, when you add the cheese, also stir in a 1/4 cup of crumbled, cooked bacon or diced ham.

Omit the cheese, and you have an economical plain biscuit scone, with similar baking characteristics, that is scrumptious with marmalade, jam, strawberry preserves or honey.  Just add a couple tablespoons of extra butter to replace the fat in the cheese.

I’ve even included step-by-step photos to help scone baking beginners!  I love this recipe so much and I hope you will too. You may also adore traditional Whole Wheat No-Knead Yeast Bread; ready in 90 minutes.

Mashed Potato and Cheese Scones

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached)
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup hard butter, margarine or shortening
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (to be divided)
3/4 cup mashed potatoes
about 1/3 cup milk

Recipe Instructions:

Stir flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut in butter (or margarine or shortening) with the tines of a fork, until lumps are gone and the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

Add half the grated cheese. Stir.  If you’re also adding ham or bacon, stir it in now.

Combine potatoes and milk in small bowl. Add to scone mix and stir together until dough begins to form.  If mixture appears too dry, add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until dough combines properly. Turn over with your fingers until all crumbs are incorporated into a soft dough.

Lightly flour a flat surface and turn out the dough.  Knead lightly (about half a dozen turns), then pat and shape into a circle about 1/2 inch thick.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese (or brush with milk or beaten egg yolk).

Place on parchment lined or greased baking sheet.

Score dough circle into 6 or 8 wedges. Bake in 425 degree F oven for about 20 minutes until risen and golden.

Cut or break apart at score marks.  Serve as is, or slice scone in half horizontally and spread both sides with butter.