Chocolate Chip Sourdough Scones – Easy Discard Recipe

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I’m totally a chocolate girl (dark chocolate, to be specific), but I had actually never tried baking a chocolate chip scone… until now!

Tender with melt-in-your-mouth bits of chocolate, these chocolate chip sourdough scones are just SO GOOD! The cinnamon gives them a deep, warm flavor, without tasting super cinnamon-y.

They are an easy recipe for using your discard sourdough starter (or active!), and can be baked the same day or long fermented (I’ve included directions for both methods.)

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Whether you serve them with a glass of milk or a dollop of whipped cream, I’m sure you’ll enjoy these amazing chocolate chip sourdough scones.

Kitchen Equipment

Ingredients to Note for Chocolate Chip 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 – I like using active starter and allowing the chocolate chip sourdough scone dough to ferment for better nutrition; however, 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.)
• Heavy cream – You can also substitute for whole milk, but the cream is delicious!
• Chocolate chips – I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use whatever you prefer. You can even swap out the chocolate chips for some other type of baking chip! I’ve included a list of substitute ideas below.
• Cinnamon – This adds a deep warm flavor to the scones without overpowering the chocolate.

Step-by-Step Instructions and Photos

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 chocolate chips 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. Brush the tops of the unbaked scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.

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 for 5 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Sourdough Scones

Tender with melt-in-your-mouth bits of chocolate, these chocolate chips sourdough scones are the perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 8 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 47 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American, British

Servings 8

Calories 478 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder aluminum-free
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter frozen and then grated
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup sourdough starter active or discard
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk cold
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup milk cold + more if needed

Topping

• 2 Tbsp heavy cream cold
• 2 tsp sugar

Instructions

 

• 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 chocolate chips 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. Brush the tops of the unbaked scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.
• 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 for 5 minutes.

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 scones not spread too much.

 

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 a cheese grater to get the frozen butter in the right size pieces.

 

 

Keyword chocolate chips, scones, sourdough, sourdough scones