Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Scones – Easy Discard Recipe

Tender, easy to whip up, and packed with fall flavor, these apple cinnamon sourdough scones are the perfect easy discard recipe to use up your sourdough starter.

You can bake them the same day, or long ferment them for more nutritional benefits.

They’ll make your house smell amazing, and are a delicious treat to put your family in the fall spirit! Top them with an optional maple cinnamon glaze for added fall flavor.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure here.

Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Scones

Tender, easy to make, and SO good, these apple cinnamon sourdough scones are an easy discard recipe you can make the same day or long ferment for a delicious fall treat.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American, British

Servings 8

Calories 403 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder aluminum-free
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter frozen and then grated
• 1 medium apple, finely diced about 1 cup
• ½ cup sourdough starter discard or active
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk cold
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp milk cold

Maple Cinnamon Glaze (Optional)

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• dash of salt

Instructions

 

Long Fermentation Method

• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
• Add the grated frozen butter, toss in the flour mixture, and then use your hands to break up the butter into pea size pieces.
• Add the diced apples and toss to distribute evenly.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and in the well, add the sourdough starter, egg and egg yolk, vanilla, and milk. Mix the wet ingredients together and then stir them in with the dry ingredients until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
• Shape the scone dough into an 8-inch round disk. Cut it into eight equal pie-shaped pieces, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Cover the scones (with plastic wrap or something air-tight) and allow to ferment in the refrigerator for 8-72 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, uncover the scones, and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the tops and edges. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and dash of salt. Then add the maple syrup and mix until smooth. Drizzle over the scone and enjoy!

Same-Day Method

• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
• Add the grated frozen butter, toss in the flour mixture, and then use your hands to break up the butter into pea size pieces.
• Add the diced apples and toss to distribute evenly.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and in the well, add the sourdough starter, egg and egg yolk, vanilla, and milk. Mix the wet ingredients together and then stir them in with the dry ingredients until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
• Shape the scone dough into an 8-inch round disk. Cut it into eight equal pie-shaped pieces, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Cover the scones (with plastic wrap or something air-tight) and chill for 30 minutes.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, uncover the scones, and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the tops and edges. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and salt until well-mixed. Drizzle over the scones and top with bits of chopped pecan. Enjoy!

Notes

• Don’t overmix the dough – Overmixing scone dough can develop more gluten than you need, resulting in a tough or dense scone.
• Chill before baking – Chilling helps the butter in the dough harden up, helping your scones not spread as much when baked.
• Adjust milk if needed – Depending on the moisture content of your sourdough starter, you may need to adjust the amount of milk, one tablespoon at a time.
• Cheese grater – Use the cheese grater to grate the frozen butter into pea-sized pieces.

Keyword apple, apple cinnamon sourdough scones, cinnamon, easy discard recipes, sourdough, sourdough discard, sourdough scones

Kitchen Equipment

Ingredients to Note for Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Scones

• Unsalted , frozen butter – Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe. However, I have tested this recipe with salted butter, and it did taste just fine; it just may depend on which salted butter you use. Using frozen butter helps keep the scones from spreading as much.
• Sourdough starter – You can use discard in this recipe, as there is baking powder to assist in the leavening. (See my tip below regarding chilling if you use discard starter.)
• Apple – I used a Fuji apple, but you can use whatever apple is your favorite for baking (such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady.) Just dice it in small pieces.
• Cinnamon – This adds a deep warm flavor to the scones.

Ingredients for the Optional Maple Cinnamon Glaze

• Confectioner’s sugar – This creates the bulk of the glaze.
• Cinnamon – This gives us an extra boost of fall flavor!
• Salt – This helps accentuate the delicious flavor in the glaze.
• Maple syrup – This moistens the glaze and adds just a hint of maple flavor!

Frequently Asked Questions for Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Scones

Step-by-Step Instructions and Photos

Long Fermentation Method

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
2. Add the grated frozen butter, toss in the flour mixture, and then use your hands to break up the butter into pea size pieces.
3. Add the diced apples and toss to distribute evenly.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and in the well, add the sourdough starter, egg and egg yolk, vanilla, and milk. Mix the wet ingredients together and then stir them in with the dry ingredients until just combined, avoiding overmixing.

5. Shape the scone dough into an 8-inch round disk. Cut it into eight equal pie-shaped pieces, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Cover the scones (with plastic wrap or something air-tight) and allow to ferment in the refrigerator for 8-72 hours.

7. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, uncover the scones, and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the tops and edges. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

8. Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and dash of salt. Then add the maple syrup and mix until smooth. Drizzle over the scone and enjoy!

Same-Day Method

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
2. Add the grated frozen butter, toss in the flour mixture, and then use your hands to break up the butter into pea size pieces.
3. Add the diced apples and toss to distribute evenly.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and in the well, add the sourdough starter, egg and egg yolk, vanilla, and milk. Mix the wet ingredients together and then stir them in with the dry ingredients until just combined, avoiding overmixing.

5. Shape the scone dough into an 8-inch round disk. Cut it into eight equal pie-shaped pieces, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Cover the scones (with plastic wrap or something air-tight) and chill for 30 minutes.

7. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, uncover the scones, and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the tops and edges. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

8. Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and salt until well-mixed. Drizzle over the scones and top with bits of chopped pecan. Enjoy!

Happy baking! Talk soon!