Sourdough discard, that leftover bit of bubbly starter you might be tempted to toss, holds a treasure trove of flavor waiting to be unleashed! These easy sourdough scones are the perfect way to transform your discard into a delightful treat.
Flaky, tender, and bursting with pops of chocolate chips, these scones are a fantastic way to elevate your brunch game or satisfy your afternoon cravings.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Sourdough scones are a delightful way to transform your leftover sourdough starter discard into a warm, buttery treat. These tender and flaky scones come together together in just minutes, making them perfect for a weekend brunch or afternoon snack.
- Waste Not, Want Not: This recipe utilizes your sourdough discard, reducing food waste and transforming it into a delicious baked good.
- Simple & Quick: With minimal ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, these scones come together in a flash, perfect for busy mornings or spontaneous baking sessions.
- Bursting with Flavor: Tangy sourdough starter pairs beautifully with sweet chocolate chips, creating a flavor combination that's simply irresistible.
Ingredients That Make These Scones Special
The star of the show is, of course, your sourdough discard! This fermented starter adds a touch of tang and depth of flavor to the scones.
The cold butter incorporated into the dough creates those flaky layers we all love in a good scone.
And of course, the chocolate chips add pops of sweetness and melty goodness in every bite. This recipe uses them, but feel free to explore other mix-ins based on your preferences!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Sourdough Discard Scones
Transforming your sourdough discard into delightful scones is a breeze! This recipe walks you through a simple 4-step process.
First, we'll prep the dry ingredients and cut in the cold butter to create a crumbly base. Then, we'll incorporate the wet ingredients, including your discard, and gently fold in chocolate chips (or your mix-in of choice). Shape the dough into discs, and cut into wedges.
After a brief chill, the shaped scones get baked until golden brown and flaky. In no time, you'll be enjoying warm, homemade scones bursting with sourdough tang and chocolatey goodness!
Make The Dough
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or your hand, until the texture is crumbly.
- Stir in the chocolate chips or otehr mix ins, if adding them to your scones.
- In a separate bowl, combine the sourdough discard with the buttermilk or kefir. Whisk until well combined. Pour the sourdough discard mixture into the flour mixture. Gently fold the mixture until it just starts to come together. It will be dry and crumbly but it will come together in the next step.
Mix And Fold
- Tip the dough out onto the counter and push it together to form a round disk. Use a bench scraper or your hands to fold the dough in half three or four times until it comes together and the crumbs get mixed in.
Folding the dough will create layers and make the scones flakier. It will also prevent you from over mixing the dough which can make the scones tough.
Cut Into Wedges
- Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a 6 or 7 inch round disk. Slice each disk into 8 triangular wedges and transfer to a baking sheet spacing them 1 to 2 inches apart. Place in the fridge and chill the scones for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bake Until Golden Brown On Top
- Brush the tops with cream or butter and sprinkle them with Turbinado sugar. Bake for 15 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Optional Glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into a silky, flowing consistency. Gradually incorporate more milk until you achieve a silky, flowing consistency. Drizzle over the scones and let it dry for 1 to 2 hours.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this recipe.
- Heavy cream shortage? Use whole milk instead, but the scones may be slightly less rich.
- No chocolate chips? Explore other mix-ins like dried fruit, nuts, or cheese.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making these sourdough scones with discard:
- Use cold butter: This creates those delightful pockets of flakiness in the finished scones.
- Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing can lead to tough scones. A shaggy dough is ideal.
- Let the dough rest: Briefly chilling the dough for 15-30 minutes before shaping helps prevent spreading and promotes flakiness.
- Brush with cream or butter (optional): Brushing the tops with cream or butter before baking creates a beautiful golden brown finish.
Serving Suggestions
These sourdough discard scones are perfect for a weekend brunch alongside scrambled eggs and fruit salad. They're also wonderful for afternoon tea parties or a delightful on-the-go snack.
Related Recipes
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.
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Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To reheat scones, wrap in foil and warm them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Use the same amount as instructed for the discard.
Even slightly bubbly discard will work well in this recipe. If your discard seems sluggish, you can revive it by feeding it equal parts flour and water and letting it sit at room temperature for a few hours before using it in the scones.
Yes, you can shape the dough and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking, or freeze the scone wedges to bake another day.
More Five Star Desserts
Easy Sourdough Scones
Equipment
- Bench Scraper
- Large Rimmed Baking Sheet Set
- Parchment Paper Sheets, large
Ingredients
- 2½ cup All-purpose flour 300 grams
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar 67 grams
- 2½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- Lemon zest one lemon zested
- 10 tablespoon Cold butter cubed (142 grams)
- 1 cup Chocolate chips mix-in's such as dried blueberries or nuts
- ¾ cup sourdough starter 180 grams
- ⅔ cup buttermilk or kefir 160 grams
Topping
- 2 tablespoon Cream or melted butter, 30 grams
- 2 tablespoon Turbinado sugar 30 grams
Optional Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon Milk
- ½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your hands to crumble the mixture until it looks like damp sand with pea sized lumps.2½ cup All-purpose flour, ⅓ cup Granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoon Baking powder, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, ¾ teaspoon Salt, Lemon zest, 10 tablespoon Cold butter
- Stir in the mix ins, if using.1 cup Chocolate chips
- In a separate bowl, combine the sourdough discard with the buttermilk or kefir. Whisk until well combined.¾ cup sourdough starter, ⅔ cup buttermilk or kefir
- Pour the sourdough discard mixture into the flour mixture. Gently fold the mixture until it just starts to come together. It will be dry and crumbly but it will come together in the next step.
- Tip the dough out onto the counter and push it together to form a round disk. Use a bench scraper or your hands to fold the dough in half three or four times until it comes together and the crumbs get mixed in. Folding the dough will create layers and make the scones flakier. It will also prevent you from over mixing the dough which can make the scones tough.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a 6 or 7 inch round disk. Slice each disk into 8 triangular wedges and transfer to a baking sheet spacing them 1 to 2 inches apart. Place in the fridge and chill the scones for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Brush the tops with cream or butter and sprinkle them with Turbinado sugar.2 tablespoon Cream, 2 tablespoon Turbinado sugar
- Bake for 15 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- If you want to drizzle the scones with a glaze, whisk the sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla extract. Gradually incorporate more milk until you achieve a silky, flowing consistency. The glaze should be smooth enough to easily fall off a spoon yet thick enough to leave a ribbon-like trail when drizzled back into the bowl. Drizzle over the scones and let it dry for 1 to 2 hours.1 cup Powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon Milk, ½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
Notes
- Chilling the unbaked scones will help them keep their shape as they bake and be taller and flakier.
- You can use this recipe as a master recipe for just about any flavor of scone. If you add soft fruit like blueberries or raspberries, they tend to get smashed as you fold the dough, so frozen berries work much better with this recipe than fresh berries.
Here are some suggestions for scone flavors:
- 1 cup diced apples with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- ½ cup white chocolate chips with ½ cup dried blueberries.
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips with ½ cup toffee chunks.
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds with 1 teaspoon lemon oil.
- ½ cup raisins or currants with ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
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