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    Gastronotherapy » Recipes » Bread

    Sourdough Discard Scones with Chocolate Chips

    Published: Sep 15, 2022 · Modified: Feb 2, 2023 by MaryAnne · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Sourdough discard scones are loaded with chocolate chips, with a light and flaky texture. They have a rich buttery crumb, a crisp exterior, notes of molasses from brown sugar, and a bit of tanginess from the discard. These versatile and healthy sourdough scones can be made ahead of time, and enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea.

    sourdough discard scones arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    I love making sourdough discard recipes like sourdough discard focaccia, sourdough cornbread, and sourdough discard naan. Not only is it a great way to use your sourdough starter discard, but it lends so much complex flavor to baked goods.

    In these sourdough discard scones, discard takes the place of buttermilk, providing acidity and tenderizing our dough. Sourdough discard also includes vitamins, minerals, and probiotics that improve digestion and gut health.

    Tender on the inside with rich bites of chocolate chips, and a golden brown and crisp exterior, serve your homemade scones for breakfast or afternoon tea, and put some in the freezer for later.

    Jump to:
    • ⭐️ Why These Scones are the Best
    • 🍫 Ingredient Notes
    • 📝 Variations & Substitutions
    • 🔪 How to Make Sourdough Discard Scones with Chocolate Chips
    • 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
    • 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 🍽 Related Recipes
    • Sourdough Discard Scones with Chocolate Chips

    ⭐️ Why These Scones are the Best

    • Light and flaky scones with a rich and buttery element. They fall somewhere between a cookie and cake with a crisp exterior.
    • Brown sugar adds deep molasses notes, sourdough discard provides slight tanginess, and chocolate chips add rich chocolate flavor.
    • Easy sourdough scone recipe that uses simple ingredients and is freezer-friendly.
    • Make ahead instructions provided so you can bake later
    • Versatile scone recipe that can be made a variety of ways, like these cinnamon raisin scones.
    • Excellent way to use your extra sourdough starter discard, which helps to tenderize the scones.
    • Healthy scones that incorporate whole wheat flour and sourdough discard.

    🍫 Ingredient Notes

    scone recipe ingredients arranged on a table.
    • Whole wheat flour - Adds a subtle nutty flavor and added nutrition
    • Light brown sugar - Provides warm molasses flavor
    • Baking powder - Acts as the leavener in this recipe (because we're not using active sourdough starter, we still need to use leavener to help our scones rise).
    • Unsalted butter - Gives our scones a flaky texture and using unsalted butter helps us control the amount of salt used.
    • Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips - Use your favorite brand of chocolate chips
    • Sourdough starter discard - Adds a tangy and more nuanced flavor and provides health benefits
    • Heavy cream - Makes our scones much more tender; use milk or half & half in place of heavy cream
    • Coarse or granulated sugar - Adds a sweet finishing crunch

    📝 Variations & Substitutions

    • Make dairy-free sourdough discard scones: Substitute plant-based/vegan butter and cream or milk.
    • Spice: Add a pinch of ground cinnamon or cardamom for warm spice.
    • Nuts: Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds for some crunch.
    • Make gluten-free: Substitute total flour amount (2 cups) for all-purpose gluten-free flour. I don't recommend using almond flour or coconut flour, as they contain added moisture and will throw off the texture of the scones.
    • Dried fruit: Add ½ cup of raisins, figs, apricots, or dates for added sweetness and a chewy bite.
    • Savory: Leave out brown sugar and vanilla extract, and add your favorite savory flavoring, like ½ cup of shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons of diced jalapeño, and/or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
    three sourdough scones arranged on a white plate with white napkin.

    🔪 How to Make Sourdough Discard Scones with Chocolate Chips

    In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder together. Cube the cold butter or use a box grater to grate the butter into the bowl.

    dry ingredients for scone recipe in a medium bowl.
    grated butter on top of dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

    Use a fork or pastry cutter to squish the butter pieces into flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs are formed. Add chocolate chips and stir.

    butter mixed into dry ingredients.
    chocolate chips stirred into flour and butter mixture.

    In a separate bowl, whisk the sourdough starter, egg, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream until well combined and smooth. Pour into the flour mixture and use a fork or wooden spoon to gently mix together (the dough will be crumbly).

    wet ingredients mixed into a small bowl.
    wet ingredients mixed into dry ingredients in a bowl.

    Place a piece of parchment on the counter and lightly dust with flour. Turn the dough out onto the parchment-lined counter and use your hands to bring it together, pressing and shaping into an 8" disc.

    scone dough shaped into a disc on parchment paper.

    Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced out evenly. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill dough.

    bench scraper slicing scone disc into 8 wedges.
    scone wedges placed on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tops of scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the scones are golden brown. Transfer scones to a cooling rack.

    brushing heavy cream on tops of scones.
    baked scones on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

    • Storage: Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
    • How to freeze: After completely cooled, wrap individual scones in foil, place in a freezer-safe container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
    • Make ahead: Assemble scones the night before and store (covered) in the fridge to bake the next morning.
    • Freeze unbaked scones: Place scone wedges on parchment-lined baking sheet and place in freezer for 30 minutes. Transfer frozen wedges to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the scones directly from freezer but add 2-3 minutes to baking time.
    • Roll out your dough on parchment paper. This prevents your dough from sticking to the counter and also makes for easy clean up.
    • Use cold butter. This helps to create that lovely flaky texture in your scones.
    • Don't overwork the dough. Mix it just enough to bring it together (it will still look a bit shaggy). If your dough is overworked, your scones will be tough instead of tender.
    • How to serve: Pair with spinach and mushroom quiche or goat cheese frittata for a festive brunch.
    three scones on a parchment lined cutting board with spoonful of chocolate chips.

    💬 Frequently Asked Questions

    What does sourdough discard do in baking?

    Using sourdough discard in baking provides acidity and acts a lot like buttermilk, which tenderizes the dough and adds a tangy flavor.

    What can you do with sourdough discards?

    You can add sourdough discard to so many baking recipes, including cornbread, naan, focaccia, and whole wheat bread.

    Is eating with sourdough discard healthy?

    Sourdough discard includes vitamins, minerals, and probiotics that improve digestion and gut health, making it a healthy option.

    Does sourdough discard spoil?

    Although it takes a very long time for sourdough discard to spoil, in general, if you see signs of mold on the surface of your discard, you should throw it away. You can prevent your sourdough discard from spoiling by storing it in the refrigerator, feeding it once a week, and stirring the separated water - also known as "hooch" - back into the discard.

    🍽 Related Recipes

    • Cinnamon Raisin Scones
    • Sourdough Discard Naan
    • Fluffy Sourdough Cornbread
    • Sourdough Discard Focaccia with Rosemary

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

    Subscribe to my email newsletter to get my FREE Guide on Money Saving Tips on Buying Groceries, and get new recipes delivered to your inbox!

    sourdough discard scones arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    Sourdough Discard Scones with Chocolate Chips

    Author: MaryAnne
    Sourdough discard scones are loaded with chocolate chips, with a light and flaky texture. They have a rich buttery crumb, a crisp exterior, with notes of molasses from brown sugar, and slight tanginess from the discard. Prep time is just 10 minutes, and they can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Chilling Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 8 scones
    Calories 431 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¼ cup whole wheat flour
    • ½ cup light brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
    • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled or frozen
    • 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
    • ½ cup sourdough starter discard
    • 1 egg
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 4 Tablespoons heavy cream, divided
    • 2 Tablespoons coarse or granulated sugar

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder together.
    • Cube the cold butter or use a box grater to grate the butter into the bowl. Use a fork or pastry cutter to squish the butter pieces into flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs are formed. Add chocolate chips and stir.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk the sourdough starter, egg, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream until well combined and smooth. Pour into the flour mixture and use a fork or wooden spoon to gently mix together (the dough will be crumbly).
    • Place a piece of parchment on the counter and lightly dust with flour. Turn the dough out onto the parchment-lined counter and use your hands to bring it together, pressing and shaping into an 8" disc.
    • Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced out evenly. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill dough.
    • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tops of scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the scones are golden brown. Transfer scones to a cooling rack.

    Notes

    • Storage: Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
    • How to freeze: After completely cooled, wrap individual scones in foil and place in a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
    • Make ahead: Assemble scones the night before and store (covered) in the fridge to bake the next morning.
    • Freeze unbaked scones: Place scone wedges on parchment-lined baking sheet and place in freezer for 30 minutes. Transfer frozen wedges to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the scones directly from freezer but add 2-3 minutes to baking time.
    • Roll out your dough on parchment paper. This prevents your dough from sticking to the counter and also makes for easy clean up.
    • Use cold butter. This helps to create that lovely flaky texture in your scones.
    • Don't overwork the dough. Mix it just enough to bring it together (it will still look a bit shaggy). If your dough is overworked, your scones will be tough instead of tender.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 431kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 7gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 224mgFiber: 2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 497IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jerry

      October 07, 2022 at 4:30 pm

      5 stars
      I love the added tanginess the discard gave my scones!! I added a handful more of chocolate chips and my family devoured them. I will be making them again!

      Reply
      • MaryAnne

        October 07, 2022 at 4:37 pm

        You can never add too many chocolate chips, Jerry! So happy you liked them! 😊

        Reply

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    MaryAnne from Gastronotherapy

    Hi, I'm MaryAnne! Gastronotherapy is where I create easy recipes that are mainly vegetarian and vegan. And I have a huge sweet tooth, so dessert is never far behind.

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