Sourdough Discard Scones are a simple, versatile scone recipe that’s perfect for customizing with your favorite add-ins. They’re lightly sweet, tender, and delicious plain, drizzled with a quick glaze, or studded with chocolate chips or berries. With no rise time required, they make a fast snack or an excellent companion to coffee or tea.
DELICIOUS!! Let’s just say they were gone within 30 minutes. The family loved them… making another batch tomorrow with added blueberries.
– Stephanie
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No rise time required — you’ll have scones in under an hour.
- Adaptable to active sourdough starter if you prefer (use 200g active starter in place of discard).
- Highly customizable — add chocolate chips, blueberries, citrus zest, or other mix-ins.
- Freezes well, baked or unbaked, so you can save extras for later.
Ingredients
Keep ingredients cold for the best texture. Key items include cold sourdough discard, frozen butter grated on a box grater, and your choice of optional add-ins.
- Sourdough discard: 200g (about ¾ cup), cold and unfed from the refrigerator. This recipe assumes a 1:1 starter feeding ratio; adjust if your starter differs.
- Unsalted butter: ½ cup, frozen and grated on a box grater for best texture.
- Dry ingredients: 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Wet ingredients: 1 egg, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon milk (dairy or non-dairy).
- Add-ins (optional): ½ cup chocolate chips, berries, or zest, added after the butter is incorporated.
- Topping: 1 egg whisked with 1 Tablespoon water for egg wash and 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar.
- Glaze (optional): 1 cup confectioner’s sugar mixed with 2 Tablespoons milk.
Full, step-by-step instructions follow below.
Substitutions & Variations
This base scone recipe is easy to adapt:
- Active starter: Swap the discard for 200g active starter with no other changes.
- Chocolate chips: Fold in ½ cup after incorporating the butter.
- Blueberries: Add ½ cup fresh or frozen berries gently after the butter is mixed in.
- Citrus: Stir in 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon or orange zest with the butter for bright flavor.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Scones
Work quickly and keep everything cold for flaky, tender scones. The outline below summarizes the method; see the full recipe block for exact amounts and bake times.
- Step 1: Whisk the cold sourdough discard, egg, vanilla, and milk until smooth; chill while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- Step 2: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Step 3: Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater, then add it to the dry mixture.
- Step 4: Cut or rub the butter into the flour until you have pea-sized bits. Stir in any add-ins, then add the chilled liquid and mix to a rough dough.
- Step 5: Gather and lightly knead the dough, then press it into an 8-inch disk.
- Step 6: Cut into 8 even wedges, transfer to a baking sheet, and freeze for 20 minutes to prevent spreading.
- Step 7: Brush wedges with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Step 8: Bake at 400°F (200°C) until golden and browned at the edges, about 18–22 minutes. Cool slightly, then drizzle glaze if desired.
Expert Baking Tips
- Keep the wet ingredients as cold as possible—use cold discard, cold egg, and cold milk.
- Freeze the butter and grate it on the large holes of a box grater for even distribution and flaky texture.
- Work the butter into the flour until pieces are about pea-sized for a tender crumb.
- Make straight cuts when dividing the dough; avoid twisting the knife so scones stay upright while baking.
- Freeze the cut scones for 20 minutes before baking to reduce spreading in the oven.
Common Scone Challenges
Quick solutions to common problems:
- Scones falling over: Ensure cuts are straight and even—twisting the knife can make uneven pieces that tip while baking.
- Scones spreading too much: Make sure ingredients are cold, use frozen butter, and don’t skip the 20-minute freeze before baking.
Storage
Room temperature: Store cooled scones in an airtight container for 2–3 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave for 20–30 seconds to warm.
Freezer: Freeze baked scones up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag; reheat from frozen in the microwave for about 60 seconds. To freeze before baking, freeze cut wedges on a parchment-lined sheet until firm, then transfer to a bag and bake from frozen—add 5–10 minutes to the bake time.
Recipe FAQs
Sourdough discard is the portion of your starter removed when you feed it. Rather than throwing it away, use discard in recipes like these scones to add flavor and reduce waste.
Yes—this recipe is designed as a base. Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips, berries, or zest after incorporating the butter and before adding the liquids.
More Sourdough Discard Breakfast Recipes
-
Sourdough Discard Waffles
-
Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Scones
-
Sourdough Discard Bagels
-
Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins
If you try these Sourdough Discard Scones, please leave a star rating and a comment to share how they turned out. Happy baking!
Sourdough Discard Scones (Base Recipe)
Jessica Vogl
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Box grater
- Pastry cutter or forks
- Parchment paper and baking sheet
- Silicone basting brush
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard, cold
- 1 egg
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, frozen and grated
- ½ cup add-ins such as chocolate chips or berries (optional)
For Topping
- 1 egg whisked with 1 Tablespoon water (egg wash)
- 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cold sourdough discard, egg, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and work it in with a pastry cutter, forks, or your fingers until pea-sized pieces remain. Stir in add-ins if using.
- Pour the chilled liquid into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until a rough dough forms. Transfer to a work surface, gather and press until it comes together. If needed, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Flatten the dough into an 8-inch disk. Cut into 8 wedges and place on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes while preheating the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). After freezing, brush with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar. Bake 18–22 minutes until set and edges are browned. Internal temperature should reach about 200°F.
- While scones cool, whisk confectioner’s sugar and milk to make the glaze. Drizzle over cooled scones and serve.
Notes
1 serving = 1 scone.
To use active sourdough starter, replace the discard with 200g active starter; no other changes are necessary.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 61 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 13 g