Sourdough scones are such a lovely treat. They aren’t too heavy, making for a nice light addition to a breakfast, coffee break, or teatime. They are usually sweet enough to be served as a dessert as well. These dark chocolate cherry sourdough scones are no exception. The rich flavors from the chocolate and cherries make them so decadent they should be on the counter of a local bakery. No one will believe that it took less than 20 minutes to make them and have them in the oven.
Sourdough
There are so many great benefits to using sourdough. It is a culture of wild yeasts and can take the place of commercial yeasts in recipes such as cinnamon bread. The discard can also be added to just about any recipe that uses flour like muffins, scones, and biscuits.
Discard is simply the starter when it needs to be ‘fed’ more water and flour. It is thinner in viscosity than the starter because the yeasts have brown down the flour. They also break down the flour when recipes are fermenting which make it easier to digest. Gut healthy treats and pastries? Yes please!
This recipe can be long fermented for those gut healthy benefits or simply quick baked as a way to not waste that precious sourdough discard!
To learn more about sourdough grab my sourdough e-book, “The Art of Sourdough”. It has some of my favorite recipes including my go to sandwich and artisan bread loaves, and homemade ritz style crackers.
Tools
Paring knife – This can be used to cut the cherries
Mixing bowls
Liquid measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Bench scraper
Sheet tray
Parchment paper
Cherry pitter – this is completely optional. However, it does make this process so much easier and faster.
Ingredients
Dry
Flour – The unbleached, organic, all-purpose flour from Costco is the most cost effective I have found, and it works so well.
Baking powder – While yeast does cause things to rise, and sourdough is a wild yeast, we are not relying on it to give rise to our chocolate cherry sourdough scones. They do not get a proofing time, so they need a chemical leavener like baking powder to achieve that beautiful height.
Sugar – Organic cane sugar is my go-to, but it can be substituted with other sweeteners if desired. Depending on what alternative sweetener is used, the flavor may change a bit. Do not use honey or another liquid-based sweetener since the texture will be off.
Salt – A bit of salt really pulls any recipe together by balancing the sweetness and enhancing the flavors.
Wet ingredients and mix-ins
Butter – Salted butter or unsalted butter can be used depending on preference. I like to use the salted butter personally, but I do like a bit more salt in my baked goods.
Sourdough discard – This is a great way to use up that discard, so it does not have to be ‘discarded’ and wasted. I use it in all of my scone recipes like my apple cinnamon, lemon poppy seed, and coconut blackberry.
Cherries – I love using fresh cherries in this recipe, even though removing the pits can be a bit of a pain. Instead of cutting them out, use a cherry pitter.
Chocolate – I think the appearance of little square shaped chocolate chunks look so much better than chips, but the flavor is the same either way.
Vanilla – A little bit of vanilla extract enhances the sweetness of the scone and adds flavor to the dough itself without adding any extra sweetener.
Heavy Cream – The richness in heavy whipping cream not only keeps these scones tender but also adds a layer of flavor that just cannot be achieved with other milks or creams.
Alternate ingredients and substitutions
Almond extract – While I personally love the flavor of vanilla, adding a bit of almond extract can even further elevate this sweet treat. I would reduce the vanilla extract to 1 tsp. and add 1/2 tsp. of almond so it is not too overpowering of a flavor. It does pair very nicely with the cherries!
Active sourdough starter – Active starter can most certainly be used. It does tend to be thicker and have a little less moisture. So, if it is used, an extra bit of cream will be needed to achieve the proper texture. I do recommend the discard if doing the long ferment recipe, so the sour flavor does not become overpowering.
Cream – Alternative milks and creams may be used. Heavy whipping cream is higher in fat than standard milk and a lot of alternative creams. It is also thicker. If something different is used, the recipe will likely need less liquid to pull together. Just add it slowly and in small increments.
Chocolate chips – If dark chocolate is not for you, add some milk chocolate or semi-sweet! It will make the scones a bit sweeter and a little less rich, but they will be fantastic regardless. It can be more difficult to find chocolate chunks when they are not dark chocolate though.
Cherries: Frozen cherries can also be used. Just remember to cut them. I like the dark sweet cherries better than the tart cherries in this recipe.
Let’s make dark chocolate cherry sourdough scones!
Making the dough
Start by removing the cherry pits until there is one full cup of cherries. Don’t cut the cherries any smaller than in halves. Toss in a tablespoon of flour and set aside.
Preheat the oven and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Slice in the cold butter into the dry ingredients and break it into pieces the size of marbles by hand. A cheese greater, pastry whisk, or food processor can be used to incorporate the butter. However, I do find that the butter gets too small and the texture does not turn out as well. The easiest way to add it by hand is to make the “money, money, money” motion and then place the butter slices between thumb and finger while making this motion. Mix the butter in the flour and repeat.
Pour in the sourdough discard and gently mix it in until it is evenly distributed.
Add the chocolate chunks and the cherries. Mix until they are coated in the flour mixture.
Pour in the vanilla and half of the cream. Mix and slowly add more of the remaining cream until the dough comes together. The dough should not be stiff, but also not so soft that it is sticky.
Shaping and baking
Turn the scone dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two parts.
Shape each part into a disk that is 6 inches across.
Divide each disk into 8 equal parts, I use a bench scraper for this. Place all the chocolate cherry sourdough scones onto the prepared sheet tray.
Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or until the tips are turning lightly golden brown.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store covered or in an airtight container for up to five days!
Freezing
These scones can be frozen ahead of time and baked off whenever the need for a sweet treat arises. I love having some to bring to a friend, to pull out during postpartum, or if a friend is dropping by unexpectedly.
Prepare the dough as directed above. Once the dough is divided into disks, and each disk is in 8 equal pieces, and wrap the disks in plastic wrap. Place them in a freezer bag and into the freezer for up to six months.
To bake them, place the frozen scones onto a parchment paper lined sheet tray and place them into a preheated oven. Do not thaw the scones before baking. Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the tray and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until the top of the scones are lightly golden brown.
Long ferment scones
To make these scones easier to digest, they will need time to ferment. Make the dough, divide and shape the scones, then place them into the fridge overnight, or up to 48 hours.
When baking, do not allow them to come to room temperature first. Just bake on a parchment lined sheet tray. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 6-8 minutes or until the tops of the scones are lightly golden brown.
Tips for success
Cold: Keep the butter in the fridge until ready to use it. The butter staying in small pieces and not melting into the dough is one of the secrets to getting tender scones.
Work quickly: Because it is important to keep the butter cold, it is also good to work quickly. This does not mean you need to panic while mixing but not leaving hands in the dough longer than needed is a good plan.
Sizing: These scones are smaller than the standard scone. I personally like that size the best and someone can always have two if one just wasn’t enough. I do think this size bakes off the best and the edges don’t get too dry while the middle is baking. If you do want large scones, just make one disk and divide into 8 pieces. The disk should be about 10 inches across. The bake time would be closer to 20-25 minutes.
Thank you so much for checking out this recipe! If you liked it, please leave a comment and share it with your friends and family! And I love seeing others trying out and enjoying the recipes I create, so you are always welcome to share some pictures with me over on my Instagram!
Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Scones
These scones are so decadent with chunks of dark chocolate and juicy cherries. They can be made and in the oven in less than 20 minutes, making them the best treat for a last minute get together.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cherries (pits removed)
- 1 1/2 cup Flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 5 Tbsp. Butter (cold)
- 3/4 cup Sourdough discard
- 4 oz. Heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract*
- 1 cup Dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Start by removing the pits from the cherries until you have 1 cup of cherry halves. Toss with an extra tablespoon of flour and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Slice in the cold butter and break it up by hand until the pieces of butter are the size of marbles.
- Pour in the sourdough discard and gently mix it in until it is evenly distributed.
- Add the chocolate chunks and the cherries and mix until they are coated in the flour mixture.
- Pour the vanilla and half of the cream and mix gently to combine. Add the remaining cream little bits at a time until a dough forms. It will not be stiff or sticky. Do not over work the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two parts.
- Shape each part into a disk that is 6 inches across.
- Divide each disk into eight equal pieces and place them onto the prepared sheet tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the pan and bake for another 6-8 minutes, or until the tips of the scones are just starting to turn golden brown.
- Store covered at room temperature for up to five days.
- Enjoy!
Notes
* If you want to use almond extract (which pairs so nicely with the cherries) add 1 tsp of vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract.
Long ferment scones
Prepare the scone dough as directed above. Once the dough has been shaped into two disks, and each disk divided, wrap them in plastic wrap. Place these wrapped disks into the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
To bake place the scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet and directly into a preheated oven. No need to bring them to room temperature first. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 6-8, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.
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