Earl Grey Sourdough Scones -Tastes Like a London Fog

Close your eyes and imagine a perfectly steeped cup of earl grey tea. It has a splash of cream with light notes of sugar and vanilla. Now, picture a soft and tender pastry. It falls apart in your mouth when you take a bite and is sweet and delicious. These earl grey sourdough scones are those two things perfectly combined. The texture is soft, and the earl grey tea flavors the dough without being overpowering. The vanilla milk glaze adds just the right amount of creamy sweet drizzled across each one.

They are also incredibly easy to put together. They can be whipped up and in the oven in less than 20 minutes. This recipe contains instructions for both quick bake and long ferment scones depending on how much time you have. They also make for a great thing to freeze and bake fresh whenever you need a quick sweet treat.

Sourdough

We are quickly approaching the end of our summer scone series. Maybe two more weeks and we will start to transition to more fall themed flavors and recipes. But when it is over, all my other sourdough scone recipes will be here on the blog to enjoy all year long. Some of our favorites have been, vanilla bean, lavender blackberry, lemon poppy seed, double chocolate, and chocolate orange. 

I have realized I am completely obsessed with sourdough. And honestly, I am ok with that. Adding the discard or the active starter to a recipe adds a layer of flavor I have not been able to get any other way. I used to think that adding starter meant any and all baked goods with it would be super tart and gross. But I figured out several ways to adjust how strongly sour the starter is. If you are struggling with sourdough baked goods that are too sour, check out my sourdough e-book. In “The Art of Sourdough” I explain how to start and maintain a starter, walk you through some of my favorite recipes, and have tips and tricks for every step of the process so it is not overwhelming. 

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out some other sourdough recipes that aren’t scones. Sourdough tortillas, bagels, muffins, cinnamon raisin bread, cinnamon rolls, and sweetheart pop tarts.

Tools 

Tea infuser – This is only needed if you are using loose leaf tea!

Mixing bowls

Measuring spoons

Measuring cups

Liquid measuring cup – A kitchen scale can also be used

Bench scraper – Literally one of my favorite kitchen tools. I think I use this more than just about anything else in my kitchen.

Sheet tray

Parchment paper

Ingredients

Tea

Water: With this filtered water we are going to steep some extra strong tea to add flavor to the dough.

Earl grey tea: Either loose leaf tea or tea bags can be used.

Dry ingredients

Flour: All-purpose flour works great in this recipe. Using unbeached and organic is ideal. My favorite place to buy flour is Azure standard.

Baking powder: Because we are not using starter to get the rise, like we would in a loaf of bread, we are still relying on a chemical leavener. The addition of baking powder keeps these scones soft and light.

Salt: A little salt balances and enhances all the flavors. Without a little salt, the recipe seems like it is missing something, and they taste a bit flat.

Earl grey tea leaves: These leaves are not getting steeped into tea. They are being added into the dough for a little texture, decoration, and some extra flavor. If you have tea bags, then open one and measure out some of those leaves. If using loose leaf tea, the leaves may need to be chopped or ground a bit before adding them into the dough. This can easily be done with a spice grinder.

Sugar: The dough is lightly sweetened which means they really do not even need glaze if it is not desired. 

Wet ingredients

Butter: I use salted butter in just about all my baked goods, but unsalted butter will work just as well. 

Sourdough discard: Adding discard to a recipe like this is a great way to use up leftover discard so it does not go to waste. 

Vanilla extract: The addition of vanilla to the dough adds a lovely layer of flavor and pairs quite nicely with the tea.

Heavy whipping cream: Since there is a higher fat content in heavy cream than in milk, these scones turn out much richer and more decadent.

Glaze

Powdered sugar: This is the perfect base for any glaze because of the texture and the mostly neutral flavor.

Vanilla extract: I like adding a little splash of vanilla to the glaze, but it can be left out if desired.

Milk: When I make myself a cup of earl grey tea, I add a splash of milk, and a little honey or sugar. It just seemed fitting to make a milk glaze to pair with the earl grey sourdough scones.

Additional ingredients and substitutions

Active sourdough starter: Active starter can easily be used in place of the discard. If using starter, a little extra cream might be needed to pull the dough together since the starter is usually thicker than the discard.

Black tea: Black tea can be used in place of the earl grey, but the taste will be different. Earl grey does have a black tea base, but it also has the flavor of bergamot which is a strong and unique citrus flavor. The black tea will still add a wonderful flavor to the scones, but they may seem a bit flat. Adding a few teaspoons of fresh orange zest would help the black tea taste better if the flavor of earl grey is not for you. 

Let’s make earl grey sourdough scones!

Making the dough

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the water to a simmer and pour over the tea. Steep for five minutes and remove the tea bags or leaves. Set the tea aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and ground tea leaves. Stir to combine.

Slice in the butter and break it in by hand until the pieces are the size of marbles. Work quickly so as not to overwork the dough or soften the butter. I have found doing this by hand to result in the best scones. Make the “money, money, money” motion and place a piece of floured butter between thumb and fingers. Repeat that motion until all the butter is broken into pieces.

Other options for adding in the butter are using a pastry cutter, pastry blender, food processor, or grating frozen butter using a cheese grater. But I do recommend doing it by hand. 

Add in the sourdough discard and mix until evenly distributed.

Stir the vanilla and 1 ounce of the cooled tea into the cream.

Pour the cream mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently until a soft dough forms. It should not be sticky or stiff. Add a little extra cream or flour if needed.

Shaping and baking

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a log.

Slice the log in half and shape each piece into a disk 6 inches across.

Using a bench scraper, divide both disks into 8 equal pieces.

Transfer all the unbaked scones onto a parchment lined sheet tray.

Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the tips are just starting to turn lightly golden brown.

Allow to cool before glazing. They may be cooled on a wire rack if desired.

Glazing

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.

Drizzle glaze over the tops of the scones once cooled.

Enjoy on their own or with a fresh cup of tea!

Storing

Store any leftover scones covered or in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.

Freezing

You never know when the need for an earl grey sourdough scone is going to strike. Having some dough in the freezer means these can be baked at a moment’s notice. To do so, simply make the dough as directed above and divide the disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and place them into a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

When ready to bake, place the frozen scones onto a parchment lined sheet tray. Do not allow them to thaw before baking. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes or until the tips are turning lightly brown. Allow to fully cool, then drizzle with freshly made glaze.

Long ferment sourdough scones

To get the gut healthy benefits from long fermenting this dough, they need to be made in advance. Make the dough as directed above, divide the disks and wrap them both in plastic wrap, parchment paper, or a beeswax wrap. Keep them in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours. 

When ready to bake place scones onto a prepared baking sheet. For best results, do not allow them to come to room temperature before putting into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 6-8 minutes, or until just starting to turn lightly golden brown. Make the glaze and drizzle them once they are fully cooled. 

Tips for success

Cold butter: The key to these tender scones is the butter staying in larger chunks and not getting mixed into the dough completely. That means the butter needs to stay cold. If it warms and softens it becomes one with the dough much easier which is what we want to avoid. Keep your butter in the fridge until ready to add it into the dry ingredients for the best texture. 

Do not overwork: Mixing the dough too much can cause two things. First, it can break up the butter until the chunks are too small or worked into the dough. Second, it can strengthen the gluten that is present in the flour. These lead to tough scones. To get that fluffy scone texture we all know and love, stop mixing as soon as the flour is fully incorporated into the dough. Do not knead it like bread. 

Grind the tea leaves: If you are using loose leaf tea, grind or chop it before adding it into the dough. Lose leaf is great for steeping into tea, but those long leaves will make for a very strange bite if added straight into the dough.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. It is always such a delight hearing about how much you enjoyed a recipe so thank you for leaving comments! Don’t forget to share with friends and family so they too can enjoy making earl grey sourdough scones. Thank you!

Yield: 16 small scones

Earl Grey Sourdough Scones

Print

A perfect cup of earl grey tea transformed into a scone and lightly drizzled with a vanilla milk glaze. They are easy and fast to make, and perfect for tea lovers of all kinds.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Scones

• 1 1/2 oz. Water
• 2 tea bags Earl grey tea (or 2 tsp. loose tea leaves)
• 2 cup Flour
• 1 Tbsp. Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 3 Tbsp. Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Earl grey tea leaves (crushed)*
• 6 Tbsp. Butter (cold)
• 3/4 cup Sourdough discard
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 3.5 oz Heavy cream

Glaze

• 1 cup Powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. Milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat the water to a simmer and pour over the tea. Steep for five minutes and remove the tea bags or leaves. Set the tea aside to cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and tea leaves. Stir to combine.
4. Slice in the butter and break it in by hand until the pieces are the size of marbles. Work quickly so as not to overwork the dough or soften the butter.
5. Add in the sourdough discard and mix until evenly distributed.
6. Stir the vanilla and 1 ounce of the cooled tea into the cream.
7. Pour the cream into the flour mixture and mix gently until a soft dough forms. It should not be sticky or stiff. Add a little extra cream or flour if needed.
8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a log.
9. Slice the log in half and shape each piece into a disk 6 inches across.
10. Using a bench scraper, divide both disks into 8 equal pieces.
11. Transfer all the unbaked scones onto a parchment lined sheet tray.
12. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the tips are just starting to turn lightly golden brown.
13. Allow to cool before glazing. They may be cooled on a wire rack if desired.
14. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
15. Drizzle glaze over each cooled scone.
16. Store any leftover scones covered or in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
17. Enjoy!

Notes

* If using tea bags, the tea from the bags is usually ground pretty small. When using loose tea leaves, the leaves tend to be bigger. If using loose, crush the leaves until there is 1/2 tsp. then add it to the dough.

Long ferment scones

To get the gut healthy benefits from sourdough these must be long fermented. To do so, make the dough as prepared above. Divide and slice the disks, then wrap both disks in plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and place into the fridge. Allow them to ferment in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven. Then transfer the scones onto a parchment lined sheet tray and place directly into the oven. Do not allow them to come to room temperature before baking. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 6-8 minutes. Make the glaze fresh and glaze once cool.

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