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    Home » Sourdough Recipes » Sourdough Discard Ideas

    The Best Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones Ever!

    Published: Apr 11, 2023 by The Pantry Mama This post may contain affiliate links.

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    SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES - PINTEREST IMAGE

    These sourdough chocolate chip scones are the best scones you'll ever eat - and the best thing is they are so easy to mix and bake! You'll have warm chocolate chip sourdough discard scones in less than hour. They are perfect to serve with coffee when you're catching up with friends - or as a breakfast treat on a cool autumn morning. However you enjoy these sourdough scones, they are bound to become one of your favorite recipes!

    Adding discard sourdough starter to these chocolate chip sourdough scones gives them a more complex flavor with a more tender crumb. They have a lovely flaky texture and can be served with a sugar glaze, chocolate ganache or just spread with homemade butter and jam. I've added a list of alternative mix-ins down the page (in case your want to try something other than chocolate chips).

    Sourdough chocolate chip scones cut into wedges.

    If you're looking for more sourdough discard recipes to use your chocolate chips in, you might also enjoy these sourdough chocolate chunk muffins, sourdough banana bread, sourdough waffles or pancakes. You could even try this chocolate chip sourdough bread!

    Two sourdough chocolate chip scones drizzled with chocolate ganache. There is a plate of scones in the background, as well as a coffee in a white mug.
    These sourdough chocolate chip scones have been finished with a simple milk chocolate ganache made with melted chocolate and heavy whipping cream.

    How To Make Chocolate Chip Sourdough Scones

    Sourdough scones are really easy to pull together with a few basic ingredients. The most important thing to remember is to use really cold butter.

    Here's how to make sourdough discard scones with chocolate chips.

    1. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside (one with no lip is best).
    2. Add the all purpose flour and very cold butter to a large mixing bowl. Use your finger tips to rub the flour into the butter. You can use a curved dough scraper or pastry cutter if you prefer.
    3. Once the butter is fully coated in flour, add the baking powder, salt, brown sugar, white sugar and chocolate chips to the bowl with the flour mixture. Gently combine all of the dry ingredients so that they are well mixed through and the chocolate chips are well distributed.
    4. In a small mixing jug, combine the egg, sourdough starter, heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Whisk together until well combined. Now pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to bring the mixture together to a very shaggy, dry dough. It's ok if it's lumpy and has spots of flour through it - the main thing here is not to overwork the dough!
    5. Grab your prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper and tip the shaggy dough out onto it. Use your hands to gently press the dough into a round disk.
    6. Use your bench scraper or a sharp knife to cut the scone dough disc into quarters and then each quarter in half, so you end up with 8 equal wedges. Gently move them apart, so they have room to bake.
    7. Place the baking tray in the fridge (it should stay there for around 30 minutes to make sure the butter is super cold).
    8. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
    9. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge and gently brush the tops of the scones with the heavy whipping cream (pastry brush is best for this). Sprinkle the top of the scones with sugar if you want to.
    10. Place the scones into a 400F/200C oven for around 15 to 20 minutes - or until the scones are golden brown.
    11. When they're cooked, remove the tray from oven and allow the scones to cool on the tray for around 10 minutes before you enjoy them!
    Rubbing very cold butter into the flour is key before adding the other dry ingredients.
    The wet ingredients are then added to the dry ingredients and the rough dough is shaped into a circle before being cut into wedges. Remember to pop the wedges in the fridge for 30 minutes before you brush them with cream and bake them.

    Best Tips for Tender Sourdough Scones

    The last thing you want are chewy scones, so here are some helpful hints to ensure that you end up with tender scones every time.

    1. Using cold is absolute key! If your kitchen is warm, pop the butter in the freezer to chill down. If you don't want to cube the butter, you can grate the frozen butter with a cheese grater (just like when you make sourdough pie crust).
    2. Don't overwork the dough! Overworking the dough can cause the gluten to develop too much, resulting in tough and chewy scones. Mix the dough just until it comes together, and avoid kneading it. It will be a bit sticky as you pull it together but they don't have to be perfect.
    3. Handle the dough gently! Handle the dough as little as possible to avoid packing it down, which can also result in tough scones. Use a light touch when shaping the dough. This is the reason we cut the dough into wedges, rather than shaping them with our hands.
    4. Chill the dough. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking will help the butter solidify and prevent it from melting too quickly, resulting in a tender crumb.
    5. Use a lower oven temperature. Baking scones at a lower temperature, around 400F (200°C), will help create a more tender texture by allowing the scones to bake more slowly and evenly. You can increase the temperature in the last five minutes if they aren't browned to your liking.
    6. Use a low-protein flour such as all purpose flour to make scones. Save the bread flour for making this simple sourdough bread recipe.
    Sourdough chocolate chip scones cut into wedges.

    Sourdough Scones Flavor Variations

    If you don't want to use chocolate chips in your sourdough scones, there's a list a mile long of scone flavors and mix-ins you could choose. Here are a few of my favorite flavors for sourdough scones:

    • Lemon & Poppy Seed Sourdough Scones - add 1 - 2 tbsp of lemon zest and 2 tbsp of poppy seeds.
    • Cranberry & Orange Scones - add 1 - 2 tbsp of orange zest and 100g of dried cranberries.
    • White Chocolate & Pecan Scones - add 100g each of white chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
    • Blueberry Sourdough Scones - Add 150g of fresh or frozen blueberries. You could also add 1 - 2 tablespoons of lemon zest to these for lemon blueberry sourdough scones.
    • Raisin Cinnamon Sourdough Scones - 150g of raisins and 1 - 2 tsp of ground cinnamon.
    • Chocolate Espresso Scones - add 2 tsp of espresso powder and swap the chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips.

    When adding any of these flavor combinations, leave out the chocolate chips and add the above ingredients to the other dry ingredients before adding the liquid.

    Sourdough scones are also lovely when finished with a simple glaze or ganache.

    Using A Stand Mixer or Food Processor

    You can use a stand mixer or food processor for this recipe. A Thermomix works really well too. It's really easy to rub the flour into the butter using kitchen machinery. If you are using one of these appliances, just be careful not to over work the dough when you add the liquid ingredients.

    Freezing and Storing Sourdough Scones

    These sourdough scones are best eaten within 12 hours of making (and I would say best eat warm out of the oven). But they will keep in an airtight container for around 3 to 4 days. I find warming them gently in the oven before serving is best.

    If you want to freeze them, wait til they are cool and then wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months.

    You can also freeze the uncooked dough. I find it's best to form them into wedges and then freeze. Allow them to thaw a little before brushing with cream and baking as per instructions.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use whole wheat flour when making sourdough scones?

    You can use whole wheat flour when making sourdough scones, but I recommend not using more than 50% whole wheat - try to use a lower protein flour like all purpose to make up the other 50%.

    I don't have cream, can I use a substitue?

    You can use milk if you don't have cream, however it won't tenderise the scones as much as cream will.

    Can I ferment sourdough scones overnight?

    Yes you can leave these scones in the fridge overnight and bake them the next day. Just remember to brush them with cream before you pop them in the oven. I don't cover the scones in the the fridge because they tend to become "wet" from condensation.

    Is it best to use salted butter or unsalted butter?

    It really doesn't matter - I always use salted butter unless stated otherwise in my recipes. Use whatever you have on hand.

    SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES - PINTEREST IMAGE

    Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones

    These buttery sweet scones are made with 150g of sourdough discard and lots of chocolate chips! They are perfect as a breakfast treat or with a coffee shared with friends.
    4.86 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Fermentation Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 scones
    Calories 3429 kcal

    Equipment

    • Kitchen Scale
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Pastry Brush for brushing on the cream before baking
    • Baking Tray
    • Dough Scraper for cutting the scones into wedges

    Ingredients
      

    • 300 g All Purpose Flour
    • 100 g Butter (cubed and super cold)
    • 8 g Baking Powder (2 tsp)
    • 2 g Salt (a good pinch)
    • 50 g Brown Sugar
    • 50 g White Sugar
    • 150 g Chocolate Chips (use your favorite type)
    • 1 Egg
    • 150 g Sourdough Starter (or sourdough discard)
    • 50 g Heavy Whipping Cream
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 30 g Heavy Whipping Cream (for brushing scones before baking)

    Instructions
     

    • Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside (one with no lip is best).
    • Add the all purpose flour and cold, cubes of butter to a large mixing bowl. Use your finger tips to rub the flour into the butter. You can use a curved dough scraper if you prefer.
    • Once the butter is fully coated in flour, add the baking powder, salt, brown and white sugars and chocolate chips to the bowl. Gently combine all of the dry ingredients so that they are well mixed through and the chocolate chips are well distributed.
    • In a small mixing jug, combine the egg, sourdough starter, heavy whipping cream and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.
    • Now pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to bring the mixture together to a very shaggy, dry dough. It's ok if it's lumpy and has spots of flour through it - the main thing here is not to overwork the dough!
    • Grab your baking tray lined with parchment paper and tip the shaggy dough out onto it. Use your hands to gently press the dough into a round disk (mine is around 18" or 45 cm across).
    • Use your dough scraper or a sharp knife to cut the disc into quarters and then each quarter in half, so you end up with 8 equal wedges. Gently move them apart, so they have room to bake.
    • Place the baking tray in the fridge (it should stay there for around 30 minutes to make sure the butter is super cold).
      Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
    • After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge and gently brush the scones with the heavy whipping cream (pastry brush is best for this). Sprinkle with sugar if you want to.
    • Place the scones into a 400F/200C oven for around 15 to 20 minutes - or until the scones are golden brown.
    • When they're cooked, remove the tray from oven and allow the scones to cool on the tray for around 10 minutes before you enjoy them!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 3429kcalCarbohydrates: 458gProtein: 44gFat: 160gSaturated Fat: 98gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 469mgSodium: 2373mgPotassium: 985mgFiber: 9gSugar: 188gVitamin A: 3913IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 767mgIron: 16mg
    Keyword Sourdough Discard
    Tried this recipe?Share your creation with us @ThePantryMama or tag #thepantrymama!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Padmaja Paul

      April 19, 2023 at 6:06 pm

      5 stars
      Hi from India
      Can these be made egg free?

      Reply
      • The Pantry Mama

        April 24, 2023 at 10:01 am

        I'm sorry I haven't tried to make these sourdough scones without egg, however I would definitely try to use flaxseed as an alternative to egg 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate! I’m the face behind The Pantry Mama and I want to help you bake delicious sourdough bread, no matter what your schedule. 
    When I’m not baking sourdough, I love to hang out with my three boys on our farm, tend to my jungle of indoor plants and drink good coffee.

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