These sourdough scones are soft, flaky and best served warm right out of the oven. This is a great way to use that leftover discard. They are easy to make and are best when served warm with some butter and raspberry jam.
A sourdough starter is such a great ingredient. There is nothing better than fresh, homemade sourdough bread.
That's not all a starter can make either! I love using my sourdough starter in fun and different ways. This sourdough discard scone recipe is one of my favorites and I'm certain you will enjoy it as well.
Take your scones up a notch with these sourdough blueberry scones.
Scones are very easy to make and call for basic ingredients. This is a classic scone recipe with the addition of a sourdough starter.
The discard paired with some baking soda and cold butter gives the best flaky textured scones. A perfect pairing with your morning coffee.
Need other sourdough discard recipes? Some of my favorites are sourdough discard banana bread, sourdough breakfast bites and sourdough oatmeal cookies.
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🧈Ingredients
The key to a good scone is very cold butter and heavy cream.
Butter and Milk: Make sure the dairy ingredients are keep chilled until right before they are used. They should be as cold as possible.
💡Top Tips: I always like to first chop the butter into really small pieces and place it in the freezer until ready to use.
Sourdough Discard: Use an inactive, unfed sourdough starter. Because scones rely on butter to give them the flakiness and this recipe also calls for baking powder, an active starter isn't necessary.
See full information on ingredients and quantities in the recipe card.
💡Tips to Make Them Better
- Cold Butter and Heavy Cream: Make sure your butter and cream are as cold as possible. That is what will give the scones a soft and flaky texture.
- Cut Butter First: Cut the butter into small pieces first and then put back in the refrigerator or freezer while prepping everything else.
- Work Fast: Try to handle and work the dough as fast as possible. Warm hand will cause the butter to become soft.
- Avoid Overworking the Dough: Scone dough cannot be overworked or handled.
- Chill the Dough Before Baking: If the dough has been handled too much and the butter is soft chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
🥣How to Make
Step 1: Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside
Step 2: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Step 3: Start off by cutting the butter into really small cubes. Then, place in the fridge or freezer to keep very cold.
💡Pro Tip: You can also use a cheese grater and grate the butter into really small pieces.
Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside. (Image 1).
Step 5: In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Start off with a cup of starter and whisk in the heavy cream. Whisk to fully incorporate. (Image 2).
Step 6: Add in the egg and vanilla extract then whisk until full combined. (Image 3).
Step 7: Using a pastry cutter, combine the butter into the flour mix. Continue cutting the butter until it's mixed into the flour and in small pieces. (Image 4).
Step 8: Pour the liquid mix into the dry mix and with a spatula or wooden spoon, stir to bring it into a wet dough. (Image 5).
💡Pro Tip: Try to work quickly with the dough and not handle it too much. The heat from your hands will warm up the cream and butter which will effect how it bakes.
Step 9: Turn the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Step 10: Knead the dough a couple of times, just to make sure everything is completely mixed tighter. The dough will be a bit sticky. Avoid overhandling.
Step 11: Then, press the dough into an 8-inch round circle. Make it as even as possible. (Image 6).
Step 12: Then, taking a bench scraper, or sharp knife, cut into 8 equal triangles. (Image 7).
💡Pro Tip: If you feel the dough has been handled too much and the butter is soft chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.
Step 13: Still using the bench scraper, move the scones to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until nice and golden brown. (Image 8).
Step 14: Once baked, transfer to a wire rack and allow to slightly cool before serving.
Serve warm with some soft butter and your favorite raspberry jam.
❓Recipe FAQs
A couple of tips to keep in mind when making scones is to not handle the dough too much. The warmth from your hands will soften the butter which will make them dense. Also try to avoid over working the dough. Mix just until everything comes together.
Chilling the dough before baking helps the butter stiffen up again. Soft butter will result in dense scones.
Use very cold butter and heavy whipping cream. Work fast and try to avoid overhanding the dough so they don't warm up.
🍪Other Sourdough Discard Recipes
📋Recipe
Sourdough Scones
Ingredients
- 2.5 Cups All Purpose Flour
- ⅓ Cup Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter - Cold
- 1 Cup Sourdough Discard
- ¾ Cup Heavy Cream - Cold
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the butter into really small cubes. About ¼". Then, place in the fridge or freezer to keep very cold until ready to use. A cheese grater can also be used.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sourdough discard and heavy cream. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract and continue to whisk it all together.
- Using a pastry cutter, combine the butter into the flour mix.
- Continue cutting the butter until it's mixed into the flour and in small pieces.
- Pour the liquid mix into the dry mix and with a spatula or wooden spoon, stir to bring it into a wet dough.
- TIP: Try to work quickly with the dough and not handle it too much. The heat from your hands will warm up the cream and butter which will effect how it bakes.
- Turn the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead the dough a couple of times, just to make sure everything is completley mixed tighter.It should be a slightly sticky dough.
- With a floured rolling pin roll out the dough then fold it over and roll it out again. Do this a couple of times. This will give it those flaky layers.
- Then, press the dough into an 8-inch round circle. Make it as even as possible.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut into 8 equal triangles.
- Optional: If the dough has been over handled and the butter is warm and soft, chill the scones in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.
- Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until nice and golden brown.
- Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.
- Serve warm with some soft butter and your favorite raspberry jam.
Notes
- Thee key to a good scone is very cold butter and heavy cream.
- I always like to first chop the butter into really small pieces and place it in the freezer until ready to use.
- Make sure the cream is cold as well. Room temperature ingredients will result in flat and dense scones.
- Work quickly with the dough and limit how much it's being handled.
- Warm hands will quickly melt the butter and warm the dough up, which will result in a more flat scone.
- Chill the dough before baking
I have a question, what does the egg do to the recipe? I haven’t seen a scone recipe with egg befor.
Hi Sofia, thank you for your question. I've made scones with and without and for this particular recipe I really felt like it needed it. The egg added to the overall texture and rise to the scone. Without the egg, it just felt a little too dense. I think that has to do with using sourdough discard. If an active starter is used the egg might not be necessary. I hope that is helpful.