These soft and tender cheese welsh cakes are similar to cheese scones – but they don’t need the oven! They are a fun recipe to make with kids and enjoy as an after school snack.
Welsh cakes are a type of griddle scone, with a dough closer to oven scones rather than a pancake batter used for drop scones. Soft and tender they are a wonderful finger food for toddlers. Unlike their English cousin scones, these welsh cakes don’t need the oven turning on as they are cooked in a pan on the stove top.
Traditionally Welsh cakes are sweet, made with sugar and currants. Here, I have made a savoury version with cheese and spring onions.
They are a great recipe to make with kids, as they can help you mix, roll out the dough, and cut them into circles or fun shapes. We love to cut them into cars, hearts, and flowers. Simple shapes make the most impact.
Welsh cakes are wonderfully quick and easy to whip up, and are made with store cupboard ingredients. In fact this Welsh cake recipe is my go-to bread alternative for lunch. We enjoy eating them freshly baked, on their own; or served with soup (they go particularly well with this Carrot & Red Lentil Soup) for a tasty lunch. I have also served them with a casserole before now!
Can you reheat Welsh cakes?
Yes, you can. Although they are best served warm, they are still tasty reheated. Gently reheat them in a frying pan or under the grill. Try melted a little more cheese on the top, cheese on toast style! Or for a quick mini pizza, spread a little tomato sauce or paste and sprinkle over cheese before placing under the grill.
Can you freeze Welsh Cakes?
Yes. You can freeze both the raw dough (once cut into desired shapes), and cooked Welsh cakes. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for a couple of hours before placing them in a container or bag. They will freeze for up to a month. Cook from frozen, allowing a few more minutes each side and make sure they are warmed all the way through.
Make them your welsh cakes:
No onion: add a spoonful of chopped fresh chives
Other add ins: You could add a small amount of cooked leek, or ½ tsp mustard
Looking for more savoury snack recipes? You might like:
nut free Spinach Pesto Pinwheels with puff pastry,
light and fluffy cheese scones
vegetarian Leek & Ricotta Rolls
Onion Patties – from It’s Not Complicated Recipes
Mini Bacon & Onion Pasties – from It’s Not Complicated Recipes
Cheddar and Spinach Muffins – from A Baking Journey
Tuna & Veggie Mini Quiches – from Kidgredients
Spicy Cheese Shortbread Biscuits – from The Cook’s Pyjamas
Cheese Welsh Cakes
Ingredients
- 225 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100 g butter cubed
- 1* spring onion finely sliced
- 75 g cheddar cheese grated
- 1 egg beaten
- 1-2 tbsp milk you may need more
- olive oil for frying
Method
- Place the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl then lightly rub in the butter with your finger tips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the onion and cheese and lightly stir before adding the egg and 1 tbsp milk.
- You want a soft dough, so if the mixture feels dry add another tbsp of milk.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface or inbetween two sheets of greaseproof paper, to 1 cm thick.
- Using a 5-6cm round cutter (or hearts or cars…)cut out shapes, re-roll any scraps and cutting again, until all the dough has been used. There may be a little scrap left over, but don’t throw it away -this is a chefs perk! 😉
- Pour a little olive oil in a saucepan and wipe it around the pan with some kitchen towel – you want a very lightly greased pan.
- On a medium heat, fry the welsh cakes in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your frying pan.
- Fry for 3 minutes each side, or until light to medium golden brown.
- At their best served warm. Mini Jones and I like them plain, Mr Jones prefers them spread with butter.
These look amazing – I love the look of them!
I have never tried this before, but I am so excited to do so. This is one delicious looking recipe.
Thank you Alex! They are such a fun and easy recipe – and budget friendly too! I hope you enjoy them!
I had never heard of these cakes but they look so delicious, I’m a sucker for a good savoury baked goods so this is right up my alley!
Well in that case you must definitely give them a try Sylvie!
I’ve never heard of these before but they sound so easy and delicious! Will have to give them a try for lunch this week!
They are a great easy lunch. Hope you enjoy them Sally!
They look pretty and delicious! And I love the idea of making these with the kids.
Thank you Sarah, they are so much fun to make with the kids!