Description

These light and tender sourdough scones can be made with bubbly, active sourdough starer or sourdough discard. Make them now, or ferment overnight to maximize flavor and digestibility. I’ve also included 3 different variations to choose from: lemon blueberry, cranberry orange and pumpkin spice.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour
10 g (1 tbsp) baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
170 g (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

Wet Ingredients:

1 large egg
50 g (about 1/4 cup) sourdough starter (active sourdough starter or sourdough discard)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon, about 1 tbsp
1 cup fresh blueberries

Sparkling sugar, for decoration

Variations:

Cranberry-Orange: Substitute 1 cup fresh/frozen cranberries + 1 tbsp. orange zest. For a less tart taste, substitute 3/4 cup dried, sweetened cranberries instead. Yield: 8 scones.
Pumpkin Spice: Add 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg to the dry ingredients. Add 100 g (appx. 1/2 cup) canned pumpkin purée to the wet ingredients. Decrease the heavy cream to 1 tablespoon, plus a drizzle more as needed. Yield: 6 scones.

Notes & Tips:

If you don’t have a food processor, a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachments can be used instead.
Use cold butter for light, tender and flaky scones.
The cranberry-orange variation uses fresh cranberries, so the taste is tart. Garnish the tops with coarse sparkling sugar (or something similar) to elevate the sweetness.
Expect to add more cream if the dough is dry. This all depends on the hydration level of your sourdough starter (flour to water ratio). I use a 100% hydration sourdough starter, which is made from equal parts flour and water by weight. It has a thick, batter-like consistency.

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 F/ 204 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor: add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Pulse just a few times to combine.
Add the butter. In short bursts, pulse 3-5 times. The mixture should look sandy and crumbly, with some large chunks of butter throughout.
In a large bowl: whisk the egg, sourdough starter, vanilla extract, heavy cream and citrus zest together.
Fold in the fresh blueberries. If the mixture seems dry, add a drizzle of heavy cream. The dough should easily stick when pinched together with your fingertips. Bring the dough together in a large mound.
Using a 1/2 cup measure, portion the dough onto your lined baking sheet, keeping them rounded for added height when baked.
Sprinkle the tops with coarse sparkling sugar.
Bake on the center rack for 20-24+ minutes or until golden and set in the center when poked.
Cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature for best texture.

Storage Options

Room temperature: Scones are best enjoyed fresh, on the same day that they are baked. Once completely cool, transfer to a plate and cover with foil or wrap; the texture will start to become more moist as they sit. Gently reheat in a low oven, if you prefer.

To freeze: wrap cooled scones in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze up to 1-3 months. To bake, place frozen scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake @ 400 F/ 204 C on the center rack for 28-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Keywords: sourdough, discard, recipe, easy, overnight, fermentation, no roll, blueberries, fresh, cranberries, pumpkin, spice, butter