Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones Recipe

My First Scone Disaster

My first scones were like little rocks. I was so sad. I used warm butter without knowing better.

Now I know the secret is cold, cold butter. Those little butter bits melt in the oven. They make the scone fluffy and tall. It makes all the difference.

Why Cold Butter is Your Best Friend

You might wonder why the butter needs to be so cold. It seems silly, right? But it matters a lot.

When the cold butter hits the hot oven, it steams. That steam pushes the dough up. It creates little pockets of air. This gives you a light scone, not a dense one. I always pop my butter in the freezer for a few minutes first.

The Chocolate Trick

Do you ever get scones where the chocolate sinks? I used to. Then I learned a little trick.

Toss your chocolate chunks in a bit of flour first. The flour helps the chocolate stick to the dough. This way, the chocolate stays put while baking. You get a bit in every single bite.

*Fun fact*: This trick works for blueberries in muffins, too! Have you ever tried adding a secret ingredient to your baking?

Bringing the Dough Together

When you mix the wet and dry ingredients, be gentle. Do not over-mix it. A shaggy dough is a good dough.

You should still see small bits of butter. This is what you want. I still laugh at how I used to mix and mix. I thought I was making it perfect. But I was just making it tough.

The Best Part: That Smell

Sliding the scones into the oven is the start of the magic. After a few minutes, the smell fills your kitchen. Doesn’t that smell amazing?

It is the smell of warm chocolate and baking bread. It feels like a hug. This is why I bake. It is not just about eating. It is about creating a happy feeling at home.

What is your favorite smell from the kitchen? Is it cookies, or maybe roasting chicken?

A Little Sourdough Magic

You might not taste a strong sourdough tang here. That is okay. The starter does something else.

It makes the scone tender. It gives it a special softness inside. Using your starter feels good, doesn’t it? It is like using a little friend to make your baking better.

Do you have a sourdough starter? What is its name? Mine is named Bubbles.

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
All-purpose flour	3 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp	2 tbsp is for coating the chocolate
Baking powder	2 tablespoons
Salt	3 teaspoons
Cold butter	1 cup	Diced into ½-inch cubes
Heavy whipping cream or coconut cream	1 cup	Cold
Large eggs	4	For the dough
Granulated sugar	1/4 cup
Sourdough starter	1/2 cup
Roughly chopped semi-sweet bakers chocolate	8 oz
Large egg	1	For egg wash
Coarse sugar	For sprinkling

My Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones

Hello, my dear! Come sit with me in the kitchen. I want to share my scone recipe with you. It’s a special one. I’ve added my sourdough starter to it. That little starter makes them so soft and fluffy. It also gives them a lovely little tang. I think you will love them. The chocolate just melts in your mouth. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

Now, let’s get our hands busy. I’ll walk you through it step-by-step. It’s like baking with a friend. I still laugh at the first time I made these. My grandson said they were “pocket-sized chocolate clouds.” What a sweet thing to say! Are you ready to begin?

• Step 1: First, let’s get our oven nice and hot. Set it to 400°F. Then, grab two baking sheets. We will line them with parchment paper. This keeps our scones from sticking. I always do this. It saves me from a big cleanup later!
• Step 2: Now for the chocolate! Chop it up into big chunks. Then, toss them with two tablespoons of flour. This little trick is my secret. The flour helps the chocolate stay put in the dough. Otherwise, it all sinks to the bottom. We want chocolate in every single bite.
• Step 3: Let’s mix our dry ingredients. Put the flour, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl. Give them a quick stir. This makes sure everything is friends. Nobody wants a mouthful of just baking powder. I learned that the hard way!
• Step 4: Here is the most important part. Your butter must be very, very cold. Dice it into little cubes. (I sometimes pop it in the freezer for five minutes). Mix it with the dry stuff until it looks like little peas. (A hard-learned tip: warm butter makes flat scones. We want them tall and proud!).
• Step 5: In another bowl, we mix the wet things. Whisk the cream, eggs, sugar, and sourdough starter together. It will look a bit lumpy. That is perfectly fine. The starter is alive, you know. It gives our scones a happy little lift.
• Step 6: Pour your wet mixture into the dry one. Mix it gently until it just comes together. Then, fold in your floured chocolate pieces. Don’t worry if you see a bit of dry flour left. We will take care of that next. Why do we coat the chocolate in flour? Share below!
• Step 7: Dump the dough onto a floured counter. Gently knead it a few times. You just want to bring it all together. You should still see little bits of butter in there. Those bits make the scones flaky. If the dough sticks to your hands, add a tiny bit more flour.
• Step 8: Now, roll the dough out. Use a floured rolling pin. Roll it until it’s about one inch thick. That’s a good, sturdy scone. My rolling pin was my mother’s. Using it always makes me think of her.
• Step 9 & 10: Use a round cutter to make your scones. A drinking glass works just fine if you don’t have one. Place them on your baking sheets. Brush the tops with a beaten egg. Then sprinkle them with coarse sugar. This makes the tops shiny and sweet.
• Step 11: Time to bake! Pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remember to swap the trays halfway through. This helps them bake evenly. Soon, your kitchen will smell amazing. That’s how you know they’re almost done.

Cook Time: 20–22 minutes
Total Time: About 40 minutes
Yield: About 12 scones
Category: Breakfast, Snack

Three Tasty Twists to Try

Once you master the basic recipe, you can have some fun. I love playing with new flavors. It keeps baking exciting. Here are a few ideas I’ve tried and loved. They are all so simple.

• Orange Zest & Dark Chocolate: Add the zest from one orange to the dough. It makes the chocolate taste even richer. So bright and cheerful!
• Cinnamon Swirl Scones: Mix one tablespoon of cinnamon with two of sugar. Sprinkle it over the dough before you roll it up. It creates a lovely swirl inside.
• Salty Peanut Butter Cup: Use chopped peanut butter cups instead of chocolate. Sprinkle a little sea salt on top before baking. Sweet and salty is the best combination.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

How to Serve Your Scones

A warm scone is a little piece of heaven. I like to break mine open right away. The steam pours out. You can see all the melted chocolate inside. It’s the best part of my morning.

For a real treat, slather on some softened butter. A dollop of clotted cream is also divine. If you have fresh berries on hand, serve them on the side. The juicy berries are perfect with the rich scone.

What should you drink with it? A tall glass of cold milk is always my first choice. For the grown-ups, a hot cup of coffee with cream is just right. The bitter coffee loves the sweet chocolate. Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Your Scones Happy and Fresh

Let’s talk about storing these treats. Cool your scones completely first. Then pop them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh on the counter for two days.

For longer storage, freeze them. I wrap each scone tightly in plastic wrap. Then I put them all in a freezer bag. This way, you have a quick breakfast ready anytime.

To reheat, just warm them in a 300°F oven for ten minutes. I once microwaved a scone. It became soft and chewy, not crumbly. The oven is always better for that fresh-baked feel.

Batch cooking saves you so much time on busy mornings. It means a warm, homemade treat is never far away. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Easy Fixes for Common Scone Troubles

Sometimes scones don’t rise high and tall. This often happens if your baking powder is old. Check the date on your canister before you start.

If your scones are tough, you might have over-mixed the dough. I remember when I kneaded the dough for too long. The scones were dense like little rocks. A light touch makes them soft and tender.

Another problem is melted, greasy butter. Your butter must be very cold. This creates little steam pockets in the oven. That steam is what makes your scones light and flaky.

Getting these steps right builds your cooking confidence. It also makes your food taste so much better. Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Scone Questions, Answered

Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Yes! Use a good gluten-free flour blend. The results are often very tasty.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead? A: You can shape the scones and freeze them. Bake them straight from the freezer, just add a few more minutes.

Q: What if I don’t have heavy cream? A: Plain, full-fat yogurt is a fine swap. It will still give you a rich, moist scone.

Q: Can I make a smaller batch? A: You can cut all the ingredients in half. This is perfect for a smaller family.

Q: Is the sourdough starter necessary? A: It adds a lovely tang, but you can skip it. Just add a bit more cream to the dough. Which tip will you try first?

Bake Some Happy Memories

I hope you love baking these scones as much as I do. The smell of them in the oven is pure comfort. It always reminds me of my own grandmother’s kitchen.

Fun fact: The word “scone” comes from Scotland! I would be so delighted to see your creations. Sharing food is one of life’s greatest joys. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest!

Happy cooking!

—Fiona Brooks.