Vegan Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Discard Scones

Name: Vegan Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Discard Scones
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard, at room temperature; 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons (38 g) cane sugar; 1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 6 tablespoons (85 g) virgin coconut oil, cold, cut into small pieces; 1 medium lemon, zested (about 1 tablespoon); 1 cup (150 g) fresh or frozen blueberries, kept frozen or very cold; ½ teaspoon (2 ml) vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened plant milk (oat or almond)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, crumbly scones made with sourdough discard, fresh blueberries, and bright lemon zest. Coconut oil keeps them vegan while delivering a light, cake-like crumb with crispy exteriors. Perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 43 min
Makes: 8 scones

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Remove sourdough discard from the fridge 30 minutes before baking so it's at room temperature
Use fresh or frozen blueberries—if frozen, do not thaw them to prevent bleeding
Have all dry ingredients measured and ready before mixing

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (190 g), cane sugar (38 g), baking powder (7 g), baking soda (2 g), lemon zest (about 1 tablespoon), and fine sea salt (3 g).
- Make sure the baking powder and baking soda are evenly distributed with no lumps.
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Ready when: dry mixture is uniform in color and texture
Tip: Zesting the lemon while dry makes it easier to distribute evenly throughout the dough.
2
Cut in cold coconut oil
- Add the cold virgin coconut oil pieces (85 g) to the dry mixture.
- Using your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or a fork, work the oil into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some walnut-sized pieces remaining.
- This should take 2–3 minutes of gentle rubbing.
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Ready when: mixture looks like uneven coarse breadcrumbs with pea- to walnut-sized pieces of oil visible
Tip: Keep the coconut oil as cold as possible—work quickly with cool hands. Do not overmix or the scones will be dense.
3
Fold in blueberries
- Gently fold the cold blueberries (150 g) into the dry mixture using a spatula or your hand, turning the mixture just until the berries are distributed throughout.
- Avoid crushing them.
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Ready when: blueberries are scattered throughout without visible clumps
Tip: If using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen until the last moment to prevent them from bleeding color into the dough.
4
Make wet mixture
- In a small bowl, whisk together the room-temperature sourdough discard (240 ml), vanilla extract (2 ml), and plant milk (30 ml) until smooth.
- No lumps should remain.
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Ready when: wet mixture is smooth and uniform
5
Combine wet and dry
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and blueberries.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until the dough just comes together.
- Do not overmix—a few flour streaks are okay.
- The dough should be slightly shaggy and hold together loosely.
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Ready when: dough is barely combined and holds together; no overmixing
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and leads to tough, dense scones. Aim for a slightly rough dough.
6
Shape dough into disk
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Gently pat it into a ¾-inch (2 cm) thick round disk, about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter.
- Keep the surface of the disk even and do not compress the dough too much.
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Ready when: dough is shaped into an even disk without cracks on the edges
Tip: A light touch prevents tough scones. If the dough warms up, refrigerate it for 5 minutes before cutting.
7
Cut scones
- Using a 2-inch (5 cm) round biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out scones from the disk.
- Press straight down without twisting—twisting seals the edges and prevents rising.
- You should get 8 scones.
- Place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Gently gather scraps, re-pat, and cut additional scones if needed.
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Ready when: 8 uniform round scones placed on the baking sheet with space between
Tip: Pressing straight down cuts cleanly; twisting will seal the edges and prevent the scones from rising properly.
8
Rest and bakeOven 400°F / 205°C
- Let the scones rest at room temperature on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, ensure your oven is preheated to 400°F (200°C).
- After resting, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 16–18 minutes until the scones are pale golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet).
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Ready when: tops are light golden brown; toothpick in the center shows moist crumbs (not wet), and scones feel firm when gently pressed
Tip: Do not overbake—vegan scones can dry out quickly. Check at 16 minutes; oven temperatures vary.
9
Cool and serve
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the scones cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 more minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: scones are firm enough to handle without breaking
Tip: Scones are best eaten the same day they are baked, ideally within a few hours while still tender.

Good to know

Tips

Sourdough discard adds subtle tang and structure. Do not use discard straight from the fridge—let it come to room temperature so it mixes evenly and leavens properly.
Keep all ingredients cold before mixing. Chill the mixing bowl and your hands if the kitchen is warm; this is key to flaky, tender scones.
If your scones are dense, you likely overmixed the dough or the oven was too cool. Always test oven temperature with an oven thermometer and mix just until the dough comes together.
Serve warm scones with dairy-free butter, coconut whipped cream, or a lemon-blueberry compote.

Make ahead

Prepare the dry mixture (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest) up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container. When ready to bake, cut in the cold coconut oil, fold in blueberries, and proceed with the wet mixture and remaining steps.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Wrap individual scones and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until warmed through.

Substitutions

virgin coconut oil → cold vegan butter or cold vegetable shortening. Use the same amount. The texture will be slightly different but still tender.
fresh or frozen blueberries → fresh raspberries, blackberries, or diced fresh strawberries. Keep berries cold to prevent bleeding. Frozen berries work equally well.
unsweetened plant milk (oat or almond) → unsweetened soy milk or coconut milk (full-fat canned, thinned with water). Use the same amount for consistency.
vanilla extract → almond extract (use 1/4 teaspoon) or omit. Almond extract pairs well with lemon and blueberry. The scones work fine without it.