Maple Pecan Sourdough Scones

I absolutely love the flavors of maple and pecan. This combo is popular during the fall and winter months, but these flavors and ingredients can be found year round. My sourdough maple pecan scones are a super yummy and easy recipe to use up your extra sourdough discard. They require only a few pantry staples you probably already have and make a great addition to your breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea.  

Why You Will Love this Sourdough Maple Pecan Scone Recipe

 These scones can be made start to finish in less than one hour. This same day sourdough discard recipe is super fast and easy but your friends and family will think you spent hours making these delicate scones. 

You will love the flaky texture, contrasted by the crunch pecans and the sweet maple glaze drizzled over the top. 

How to Use Sourdough Starter in Scones

I have made several scone recipes with sourdough discard (like my sourdough strawberry scones, blueberry lemon sourdough scones, cranberry orange sourdough scones, and sourdough pumpkin scones) so I’ve learned all the tricks to make a great scone. The key to adding sourdough starter to your scones is to control the moisture. Adding too much moisture will result in scones that spread and do not look very aesthetic. 

I recommend using 100% hydration starter. This means you use equal parts of water and flour by weight to feed your starter. It is okay if you starter is not a 100% hydration. You may need to add a bit of flour or water to your starter to get the right consistency. 

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Flour: I recommend all purpose flour but bread flour can also be substituted. 
• Sugar: We use plain white granulated sugar in this recipe. I have not tried substituting brown sugar. Doing so may result in dough that is too wet and may cause the scones to spread slightly. 
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Butter: We use unsalted butter for this recipe. You can use regular salted butter but I would recommend reducing the salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon if you do.
• Pecans: You can substitute walnuts in this recipe for similar results. 
• Sourdough starter: You can use active sourdough starter or sourdough discard straight from the fridge. 
• Milk: You can use any type of milk or milk substitute. I have made these with oat milk with good results. 
• Maple syrup: I highly recommend using pure maple syrup. Maple flavored syrups typically do not taste quite the same nor do they have the same composition. The results may not be as good if you substitute this ingredient. 

How to Make

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425F.

Step 2: Whisk together the dry ingredients.

Step 3: Grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients and gently mix together with a wooden spoon, rubber spatula or your hands.

Step 4: Stir in the pecans.

Step 5: In a separate bowl, mix together the sourdough starter, milk and maple syrup. Add this mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients.

Step 6: Gently mix the dough until a shaggy dough that just holds together forms.

Step 7: Transfer the scone dough to a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a 9 inch circle. 

Step 8: Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the scones into 8 equal sized wedges.

Step 9: Transfer the scones to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 5 minutes. Then, reduce temperature to 375F and bake an additional 10 minutes. Allow the scones to cool completely.

Step 10: Make the glaze and drizzle over the scones. 

How to Make Ahead

You can freeze these scones and make several months in advance. I recommend adding 2 minutes to the initial baking time at 425F if baking from frozen. 

How to Store 

I recommend storing these scones in an airtight container or on a plate wrapped with plastic wrap. They are best when eaten the same day but will last at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 7 days. 

If you love making sourdough and discard recipes, check out more of our other sourdough recipes:

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Sourdough Granola
• Sourdough Tortillas
• Rich and Fudgy Sourdough Brownies
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies