Sourdough Discard Scones
So far we’ve incorporated sourdough discard into pancakes, muffins, and brownies, just to name a few. Today I’m adding another option to the mix with these gorgeous and incredibly easy sourdough scones! A fantastic way to use up sourdough discard, this recipe yields tender scones with a subtle sourdough flavor. Like many of my other discard recipes, incorporating discard into classic scones adds tons of depth. They’re similar to my sourdough biscuits, but a bit sweeter (and they’re even easier to make!).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No pastry cutter needed–a food processor makes quick work of these sourdough scones! This is my preferred method for best and easiest results, but I do include instructions for how to make the scones without one below. Customizable: keep them plain or add frozen/dried fruit, chocolate, nuts, etc. Lemon poppy seed would be a great combination, as would white chocolate and raspberries. You really can get creative with these! Can be made in advance, if you want to prep them the night before and bake the next morning. Or put your sourdough scones in the freezer for fresh scones on-demand! Amazing flavor! The sourdough adds depth without making the scones taste sour.
What You Need
Most of these ingredients are pretty standard for scones, except for the sourdough.
Butter. This needs to be very cold! I actually freeze mine for about 15 minutes before I start my scones. Just like when making my homemade biscuits or rice krispie treats, using European-style butter with a higher milkfat percentage (like Kerrygold brand) will yield even more flavorful results. Add-ins. Feel free to add chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) or frozen berries. If you add frozen fruit, note that your sourdough scones will be more likely to topple over (no big deal) and will likely take a minute or 2 (or 3) longer in the oven. Sugar. I like my sourdough scones to be a little sweet, otherwise they’d just taste like biscuits! I add sugar into the dough and a light sprinkling on top before baking, too. Cream. Similar to the sugar, we will add this to the scone dough and then use it to brush the tops of the scones before they go in the oven. Double cream, heavy cream, or whipping cream will work! Sourdough discard. If you don’t have any discard lying around, you can jump on the bandwagon by following my guide on how to make a sourdough starter.
SAM’S TIP: If you have some turbinado sugar, you can sprinkle that on top of the scones after brushing them with cream. This will give them a bakery-style look and adds such a nice texture! Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Sourdough Scones
SAM’S TIP: It’s so important to (fully) preheat your oven! Baking scones in a hot oven will encourage them to rise nice and tall and have a light texture. Make sure your oven has reached 400F (205C) before you place your sourdough scones in there. How do you like to eat your scones? They’re buttery and flavorful enough that we like to enjoy them plain, but a bit of honey butter or strawberry sauce (or a drizzle of vanilla glaze in lieu of the sugar on top) never hurts! Enjoy! Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜
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