Sourdough Blueberry Tender Scones (Print Version)

Buttery, tangy scones with fresh blueberries, perfect for breakfast or an afternoon indulgence.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed and cold
08 - 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

11 - 1 cup fresh blueberries
12 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for topping, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Add cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in blueberries carefully to avoid crushing them.
07 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-inch circle approximately 1 inch thick.
08 - Cut the dough into 8 wedges and arrange on the prepared baking sheet with space between each piece.
09 - Brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
10 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
11 - Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sourdough discard adds a subtle tang that makes these scones taste like they belong in a proper British tea room, without any fussy techniques.
  • They come together in under 20 minutes of actual work, which means you can have warm scones before most people finish their coffee.
  • Fresh blueberries burst throughout, turning an already tender crumb into something that feels almost luxurious for a weekday breakfast.
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough is the fastest way to end up with dense, tough scones instead of tender ones, so stir just until combined and then stop.
  • Your sourdough discard should be cold and unfed for the best results—warm discard will warm up your dough and mess with the texture entirely.
  • Frozen blueberries are genuinely better here than fresh because they don't release juice into the dough during mixing and baking.
03 -
  • Keep absolutely everything cold before you start mixing—cold hands, cold bowl, cold butter—because warmth is your enemy when you're trying to build flake and tenderness.
  • Don't skip the rest time after shaping; those ten minutes on the baking sheet are when the gluten relaxes and the scones puff up properly in the oven.
  • If your sourdough discard is very thin and liquid, reduce the heavy cream slightly so your dough doesn't come out too wet.
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