These Sourdough Blueberry Scones are light and flaky with crispy crumbly edges, juicy blueberries, and fresh thyme.
They make a delicious breakfast treat or pair beautifully with your favorite tea.
Try one of these other sourdough breakfast treats: Sourdough Dutch Baby, Sourdough Oatmeal Pancakes, Sourdough Discard Banana Bread, Buttermilk Sourdough Pancakes, Sourdough Pumpkin Bread, Sourdough Waffles, Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins, and Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread.
One of my favorite pairings is thyme and blueberries. Thyme helps to make these scones unique. Thyme also pairs well with cherries, citrus, peaches, figs, honeydew, and cranberries.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- These Sourdough Blueberry Scones are a great way to use up sourdough discard.
- You can use any type of sourdough discard; freshly fed or runny acidic hungry discard.
- They are also easy to customize by changing the added fruit or herbs.
I spent most of my life never having tried a scone. Now that I have I just can't get enough. Try one of my other scone recipes: Sourdough Cheese Scones, Apple Pecan Scones, Sourdough Scones, or Brown Butter Pecan Scones.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make these light and flakey Sourdough Blueberry Scones.
Butter and Heavy Cream: Make sure the butter and heavy cream are chilled. Keeping the scone dough as cold as possible prevents over-spreading and preserves the scone's flakiness.
Sourdough Discard: By reducing the amount of heavy cream and flour and adding sourdough discard we are able to turn a basic scone recipe into an excellent way to use up extra sourdough discard.
Egg Yolk: The addition of an egg yolk is nontraditional. But I think it adds richness and creates a lighter less dense scone. The additional fat will also help stop the scones from drying out.
Save the egg white to make this Lemon Swiss Meringue.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries can be used interchangeably in this recipe. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the scone dough.
Have some extra blueberries? Try this Small-Batch Blueberry Jam.
Thyme: You can use fresh or dried thyme.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Are you new to sourdough? I have plenty of information to help you on your sourdough journey.
- How to Create Your Own Micro Sourdough Starter
- Scrapings Method for Sourdough Starter
- How to Dehydrate Sourdough Starter
- Storing Sourdough Starter in the Refrigerator
- Storing Sourdough Starter on the Counter
- Best Containers for Storing Sourdough Starter and Discard
- How Long Does Sourdough Discard Last?
- What is the Difference Between Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Discard?
- Best Gifts for Sourdough Bakers
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don't have any sourdough discard, you can substitute ½ cup of heavy cream and a ½ cup of all-purpose flour for the 1 cup of sourdough discard.
- If you don't have heavy cream, you can substitute milk or half and half.
- Fruit Variations: Swap the blueberries for your favorite fruit.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, thyme, and kosher salt to the bowl of your food processor. (Image 1)
Step 2: Cut the butter into 4 pieces and added it to the food processor. Pulse a few times to chop and incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue processing until the butter pieces are the size of peas. (Image 2)
Tip: You can also use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture.
Step 3: In a large bowl whisk together the sourdough discard, heavy cream, and egg yolk. (Image 3)
Step 4: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and add the blueberries. Fold together being careful to not over mix the dough or crush the blueberries. (Image 4)
Step 5: Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times until it begins to come together. Flatten the dough and fold it into thirds like you would a letter. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat this flattening and folding process two more times. (Photos 5 & 6)
Step 6: Pat the dough into a disc approximately 1 inch thick. (Photos 7 & 8)
Step 7: There are two ways you can your dough to make individual scones:
- Use a knife to cut it into eight wedges.
- Use a circle biscuit cutter to cut out about 10 scones.
Tip: Cutting scones into circles looks nicer but you will always have at least one wonky-looking scone that is made by mashing all of the scraps together. Cutting scones into wedges is easier and has the added bonus of not creating any scraps. How you choose to cut your scones is up to you.
Tip: When cutting the scones, push straight down without twisting the cutter. Twisting the cutter seals the edges together and will prevent them from rising.
Step 8: Transfer the scones to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. To prevent the scones from spreading chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Step 9: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and brush tops with heavy cream. Brushing with heavy creams will encourage browning. (Photo 9)
Step 10: Bake for 15-20 minutes. The scones should be golden brown. (Photo 10)
Recipe FAQs
Frozen blueberries are a great substitute. Frozen blueberries can be added directly to the batter while they are still frozen.
There are a few reasons why your scones may not have risen.
Check your baking powder. For maximum efficacy, the baking powder should be used within six months of opening. To test your baking powder, drop a small amount into hot water. Look for bubbles and fizzing. If a reaction occurs it's still good to use.
Kneading the dough for too long will make them tough, dense, and shorter.
Using too much flour will make the dough too stiff to rise to its full potential. I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients by weight rather than volume. Accuracy matters particularly when baking.
Yes, scones can be in advance and frozen either before or after baking. See below for additional instructions on how to make and save scones made in advance.
Scones are best the day they are baked.
Leftover scones can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to four days.
To freeze baked scones, let them cool completely and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a zip-top bag labeled with the date and contents. Freeze scones for up to 3 months.
Thaw on the counter for a few hours, and then warm in the oven to get the best texture.
To freeze unbaked scones, cut the scones out and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze them until solid and then transfer them to a zip-top bag labeled with the date and contents. Scones can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To bake frozen scones, bake the scones directly from frozen adding an extra 2-3 minutes of baking time.
Expert Tips
- A food processor makes blending the butter into the dry ingredients a million times easier. And allows you to work with colder butter without hurting your hands. Try putting the butter in the freezer for an hour before blending it into the dry ingredients. The texture of your scones will be even better.
- If you don't have a food processor, use a box grater to create small strips of butter that will be easier to cut into the flour with a pastry blender.
- If you don't have any sourdough discard, you can substitute ½ cup of heavy cream and a ½ cup of all-purpose flour for the 1 cup of sourdough discard.
- If you don't have heavy cream, you can substitute milk or half and half.
- Don't overwork the dough. Overworking the dough creates gluten which will result in chewy rather than flaky scones.
- Fruit Variations: Swap the blueberries for your favorite fruit.
- Don't use a rolling pin. Pat the dough out with your hands to avoid overworking the dough.
- When cutting the scones, push straight down without twisting the cutter. Twisting the cutter seals the edges together and will prevent them from rising,
- To help scones keep their shape, chill them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Bake scones on parchment paper or a silicone mat to avoid overcooked bottoms.
- Baking times will vary depending on your oven. It is helpful to know your oven and worth purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary as much as 50 degrees plus or minus.
- If the bottoms of the scones are browning too quickly slide a second baking sheet directly under.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Sourdough Blueberry Scones
Equipment
- pastry blender or food processor
- mixing bowl
- baking sheets
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 113g - chilled
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ⅔ cup heavy cream plus extra for brushing
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Add the 3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated white sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl of your food processor.
- Cut the 8 tablespoons unsalted butter into 4 pieces and add it to the food processor. Pulse a few times to chop and incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue processing until the butter pieces are the size of peas.
- In a large bowl whisk together the 1 cup sourdough discard, ⅔ cup heavy cream, and 1 egg yolk.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and add the 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries. Fold together being careful to not over mix the dough or crush the blueberries.
- Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times until it begins to come together. Flatten the dough and fold it into thirds like you would a letter. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat this flattening and folding process two more times.
- Pat into a disc approximately 1 inch thick and cut into circles using a 2.5″ cutter. You can reshape the scraps and cut out additional scones but they won't be as flaky.
- Transfer the scones to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. To prevent the scones from spreading chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and brush tops with heavy cream. Brushing with heavy creams will encourage browning. Bake for 15-20 minutes. The scones should be golden brown.
Notes
- Leftover scones can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to four days.
- To freeze baked scones, let them cool completely and then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a zip-top bag labeled with the date and contents. Freeze scones for up to 3 months.
- Thaw on the counter for a few hours, and then warm in the oven to get the best texture.
Kelley says
They're done, and AMAZING!!! Much better w just 4t of baking powder ☺️
Erica says
Yay! I am so happy they worked out for you!
Kelley says
I made these yesterday! When fresh look out of the oven, they were savory (used fresh blueberries, which were super tasty when sampled) but I really only tasted the thyme. Still good I thought! But then later, after they cooled completely, they tasted of baking powder... overwhelmingly. I ended up dumping the entire batch. I do understand baking powder is a chemical compound...and the recipe did call for a seemingly larger amount... AnyHoo, I'm making these again today, using less of the baking powder...I want them to be delicious! Because in theory, this recipe sounds amazing for using my sourdough discards! Stay tuned!
Erica says
I'm sorry the recipe didn't work out for you perfectly the first time. You can certainly reduce the baking powder although they may not rise as much. I have been noticing lately that my baking powder has been clumping in recipes creating pockets of baking powder in the final product. It is becoming standard practice for me to press my baking powder through a sieve when adding it to the dry ingredients, just to make sure it gets evenly distributed. I just used up the last of my sourdough discard, but as soon as I have more I am going to test this recipe again,
Kelley says
The new batch is in the freezer now! (Great tip BTW! They held their shape beautifully!)
Anyway, I used 2t less baking powder...so we'll see!!
I'm very optimistic!!
I'll keep you posted!
Erica says
I am excited for you and wish I had homemade scones waiting for me.