A soft and tender scone, with crunchy bits of toasted pecan and sweet white chocolate chunks in every bite. We love serving them as a light dessert or for an afternoon tea with friends. They can be baked ahead of time and freeze very well. Whip these white chocolate pecan scones up in less than 20 minutes and have them filling your home with an irresistible smell.
This recipe is loosely inspired by a scone that was served at a bakery where I worked when I was attending school for culinary arts. They added the white chocolate and pecans and topped with a whole pecan. However, the similarities stop there. They shaped theirs with a scoop because the dough was softer and they baked into the shape of a half sphere. The serving size was around 3/4 of a cup so the middles could be slightly underdone at times. And the biggest difference? They were not sourdough! They were however the most popular scone we had in the line up and they would often sell out early in the day. Ever since working there, the combination of creamy white chocolate and pecans have been my favorite add-ins.
And now with this recipe, you can have bakery quality scones without having to beat the crowds in the early mornings!
Settle the debate
Now, before we get too far into this recipe, the debate needs to be settled. How do you say pecan? Please leave me a comment letting me know how you say it. Is it “pee-can” or is it “puh-khan”. I always say the later but whenever someone says “pee-can” I laugh. A friend of mine used to say that a pecan is a nut, and a pee-can is the thing in the bathroom. It has stuck with me for years, so hopefully it makes you smile when you hear it now too.
Sourdough
Sourdough has a whole host of benefits. It is a natural culture of wild yeast. These yeasts can break down the flour making it easier to digest. It takes the place of commercial yeast which causes doughs to rise, and not just bread but things like cinnamon rolls and bagels as well. This rising time does take longer but that slow rise makes the flavor all the richer and forces you to slow down and enjoy the process.
When sourdough starter needs to be fed it is often more of a runny texture and this is usually thrown away or discarded. Hence the name ‘discard’. This is still full of those healthy yeasts and bacteria and let’s be honest, flour costs money. So, if throwing it away can be avoided, it should be. Adding it into a recipe like this, tortillas, or a quick bread is a great way to give it purpose and a new life. Not to mention the added layer of flavor it brings to whatever it is added to.
To learn more about sourdough and get some of my favorite sourdough recipes, check out my sourdough e-book “The Art of Sourdough“!
Tools
Liquid measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Bench scraper – This is my favorite way to cut the scone dough. A knife can be used, but I find this works better and they an be used to measure the disks as well.
Sheet tray
Parchment paper
Ingredients
Dry
Pecans – I like to get the whole pecans so I can use them for the decor and also for mixing into the dough. Toasting is an optional step, but it really does elevate this recipe and intensify the pecan flavor so much.
Flour – My go-to is the organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour from Costco!
Baking powder – Since the sourdough starter is not active in this recipe, we are relying on this chemical leavener to give us that oven spring.
Sugar – Organic cane sugar works well since it is a more neutral flavor. Things like date sugar, coconut sugar, and the like can be used, but the flavor will reflect the sweetener that is used.
Salt – You cannot have a good baked good recipe without a bit of salt to balance and toe everything together. I am a huge fan of this company and all their products, but their flake salt specifically is incredible!
Wet ingredients and mix-ins
Butter – Salted butter, or unsalted butter will work. I like salted butter because I like a little bit of extra salt in my recipes.
Sourdough discard – I like the excuse to add sourdough discard to my recipes whenever I can, so I don’t have to throw any of it away!
White chocolate chips – There are so many different kinds of white chocolate on the market these days. I like to try and find one that has real cocoa butter instead of vegetable shortening or oils. I think the flavor is so much better, the texture is so much more enjoyable, and that is just better for our health. Chips are easier to find but white chocolate chunks can be used as well!
Vanilla – A bit of vanilla extract just adds an extra layer of flavor to these white chocolate pecan sourdough scones. Enhancing the sweetness and richness without actually adding more sweetener.
Heavy whipping cream – This is what helps to pull the rest of the dough together and once baked, yields a tender scone.
Alternative ingredients and substitutions
Nuts: Yes, you can use other nuts in place of the pecans. I personally love the flavor they yield, especially when they are toasted. But walnuts, pistachios, or almonds would work great. For almonds I would get sliced almonds, so you don’t have to worry about chopping them. But if you substitute the nuts, you will be missing out on trying your own white chocolate pecan sourdough scones.
Chocolate: If you don’t like white chocolate, it can be left out but add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar to offset the lack of sweet. Or other chocolate chips can be added in its place, but the flavor will be drastically different, and a darker chocolate may mask the flavor of the nuts.
Cream: The best results come from heavy cream because of the high fat content. Things like milk, evaporated milk, and other alternative milks can be used. However, I do recommend using heavy cream when you can for the most tender scones.
Active starter: I do like discard for this recipe, especially if it is the long ferment recipe. However, active can be used, but because it tends to be thicker than discard, a bit more cream will most likely be needed for the dough to pull together.
Let’s make white chocolate pecan sourdough scones!
Making the dough
Start by preheating the oven and lining a sheet tray with parchment paper.
Chop or break the pecans into smaller pieces and place them in a single layer on the prepared sheet tray.
Place the pecans into the oven to roast for 3 minutes. Shake the sheet tray to keep them from burning and continue to roast in one-minute intervals until fragrant. Be careful not to overdo it. They can burn quickly. Once they are roasted, set aside to cool.
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Slice the cold butter into the dry ingredients and break it up by hand, stopping when the chunks are around the size of marbles. The butter chunks will continue to get smaller as the other ingredients get mixed in. A food processor, a cheese grater, and a pastry blender can be used. However, I find that I get the best results from mixing in the butter by hand so as not to have the butter get to finely incorporated. The best way to add it by hand is to make the “money, money, money” motion, then do that with butter between thumb and fingers.
Add the sourdough discard and mix gently to incorporate it, getting it as evenly dispersed as possible so there are no chunks.
Mix in the cooled pecans and white chocolate into the flour mixture.
Pour in the vanilla and half of the cream. Mix and add the rest of the cream in small increments until the dough comes together. It should be soft but not sticky.
Shaping and baking
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into two parts.
Shape each half into a disk six inches across. I do this with my bench scraper, but a sharp knife may also be used.
Divide each disk into 8 equal pieces and transfer them to the prepared sheet tray.
Place a whole pecan onto the top of each scone, pressing down hard enough for it to dent into the dough. If it is not pressed down hard enough it will most likely fall off later. This step is optional; however, it makes them look as though they belong in a coffee shop window.
Bake them for 10 minutes then rotate the tray. Bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or until the top of the scones are turning golden brown.
They can be cooled on a wire rack if desired.
Storing
Store them covered or in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. I doubt your leftover scones will be around long enough for them to make it five days.
Freezing
This dough can be frozen and baked off whenever a sweet treat is needed. Prepare the dough and divide the two disks. Then wrap each pre-sliced disk in plastic wrap and place them into a freezer bag. Store the unbaked scones in the freezer for up to six months.
To bake frozen scone dough, have the oven preheated. Place the dough onto a parchment lined sheet tray and place them into the oven. Do not thaw them first. Bake for ten minutes then remove them from the oven. Quickly place a whole pecan on the top of each scone, pressing them down firmly. Allow them to bake for another 8-10 minutes or until the tops of the scones are turning lightly golden brown. This may require a few extra minutes depending on the oven and freezer temperatures.
Long ferment sourdough scones
These can be long fermented, so they are easier for the body to break down and digest. To do this, prepare the scone dough and divide the disks. Wrap the dough in a beeswax wrap, plastic wrap, or place into glass Tupperware. Store in the fridge overnight or as long as 48 hours. The longer they are left in the fridge the more the flour will break down, but the tangy flavor from the sourdough will increase as time goes on as well.
To bake, top them with a pecan and place them on a prepared sheet tray and into a preheated oven. No need to allow them to come to room temperature first. Bake for ten minutes, rotate the pan and bake for an additional 6-8 or until the tips are turning lightly golden brown.
Tips for success
Cold ingredients: Keeping the butter and cream in the fridge until ready to add to the dough ensures that they are cold. This helps keep the butter from softening too much. If it gets too soft, it will get worked into the dough and there will no longer be small pieces of butter which provide so much of the tender texture of the scone.
Toast the pecans: It seems like a step that can be skipped when in a rush, but don’t. Trust me on this one. It really takes these scones to the next level. You can even pop them in the oven while it is preheating. Just do not forget to set a timer because they can go from nice and toasted to burnt really quickly.
Thank you so much for checking out this recipe! Receiving your feedback helps me create even more recipes and make old recipes even better. Leave a comment with your thoughts on this one. And don’t forget to share it with friends and family! It really does mean so much to our little family
White Chocolate Pecan Sourdough Scones
Out of all the scones recipes I have, these are my favorite. The tasty flavors that come from the toasted pecans, paired with the creamy sweet white chocolate is just divine. They are super easy to make, freeze, and store as well!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pecans (plus 16 extra for garnish)
- 1 1/2 cup Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Baking powder
- 2 Tbsp. Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 5 Tbsp. Butter (cold)
- 3/4 cup Sourdough discard
- 1 cup White chocolate
- 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
- 4 oz Cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 and line a sheet tray with parchment paper
- Chop or break the pecans into smaller pieces and place them in a single layer on the parchment lined sheet tray.
- Toast them in the preheating oven for 3 minutes. Shake or stir them and keep baking in one-minute increments until fragrant. Be careful to not burn them. Once toasted, set aside to cool.
- In a mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir until combined.
- Slice in the cold butter and break it up by hand, stopping when the chunks are around the size of marbles.
- Add in the sourdough discard and gently combine, getting it as evenly dispersed as possible.
- Add the cooled pecans and white chocolate and mix to incorporate into the flour mixture.
- Pour in the vanilla and half the cream. Mix and add more cream as needed until the dough comes together. It should not be a super stiff dough but should not be really sticky either.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and divide the dough into two parts.
- Shape each half into a disk that is 6 inches across.
- Divide each disk into 8 equal parts and transfer them to the parchment lined sheet tray.
- Place a whole pecan into the top of each scone, pressing down hard enough for it to indent into the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the sheet tray and bake for another 5-8 minutes, or until the tops are just turning lightly golden brown.
- Store covered at room temperature for up to five days.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Long ferment scones
Prepare the dough as directed above. Once the dough is shaped and cut into 16 pieces, wrap the disks in plastic and place into the fridge overnight, or up to 48 hours. They can also be placed on a plate and covered with a beeswax wrap.
To bake take them from the fridge, place them onto a sheet tray, and place into a preaheated oven No need to let them come to room temperature first. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for an additional 5-10.
This recipe for white chocolate pecan sourdough scones contains affiliate links. To learn more about how we use them, click here.
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