Chocolate Espresso Sourdough Scones
If you love deeply chocolatey baked goods and strong coffee, these chocolate espresso sourdough scones are about to earn a permanent spot in your baking rotation. They’re tender and flaky with crisp edges, studded with chocolate chips, and infused with just enough espresso to intensify the cocoa without overpowering it.
This is the kind of bake that feels indulgent yet intentional—perfect for slow mornings, afternoon coffee breaks, or serving guests when you want something impressive but unfussy. And thanks to sourdough starter (discard or active), these scones have a subtle depth of flavor that sets them apart from standard recipes.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Espresso Scones
These scones are built on a few key principles that make them consistently excellent:
Sourdough Discard Adds Structure (Not Sourness)
Using sourdough starter helps bind the dough and adds moisture without making the scones taste tangy. It’s an ideal way to use discard in a recipe where flavor balance really matters.
Espresso Enhances the Chocolate
Espresso powder doesn’t make these taste like coffee—it deepens the chocolate flavor. Think rich, dark bakery-style cocoa rather than bitter or sharp notes.
Frozen Butter = Flaky Layers
Grated frozen butter is the secret to that classic scone texture: tender inside, crisp on the outside, and layered rather than dense.
Tips for Bakery-Style Results at Home
Don’t overmix. The dough should look shaggy before shaping.
Keep everything cold. Cold butter and chilled dough = better layers.
Use finely ground espresso powder. This ensures even flavor without grit.
Bake until just set. Overbaking dries out scones quickly.
Small details make a big difference here.
If you’re looking for a sourdough discard recipe that feels elevated, cozy, and a little indulgent, these chocolate espresso sourdough scones are it. They’re approachable enough for beginner bakers and special enough to serve when you want to impress.
Once you try them, you may find yourself stashing a batch in the freezer “just in case.”
Chocolate Espresso Sourdough Scones
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 220 g All Purpose Flour
- 25 g Cocoa Powder
- 10 g Espresso Powder fresh ground or instant espresso
- 100 g Sugar
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 113 g Frozen Butter 1 stick
- 4 g Salt
- 100 g Chocolate Chips
Wet Ingredients
- 125 g Sourdough Starter active or discard
- 1 Egg
- 50 g Heavy Cream
- 10 g Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, sugar, baking powder, chocolate chips, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together.
- Add the sourdough starter, egg, heavy cream and vanilla to a separate smaller bowl. Whisk thoroughly.
- Grate frozen butter into the dry ingredients. Gently fold the butter into the dry ingredients, just enough to coat the butter in the flour mixture. (See notes below on how to use a food processor instead of a grater.)
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix. It will be thick and dry. The key to this recipe is to NOT over-mix. You want the grated butter to stay in small pieces and NOT be totally mixed into the dough. This is how the scones stay flaky.
- Once you’ve given the dough a gentle initial mix, dump it onto a work surface. Use a bench scraper to continue cutting the mixture together, then use your hands to shape the dough into a round disk (Roughly 1.5" thick). Again, be careful to not overwork the dough. You don’t want the warmth of your hands to melt the butter into the dough!
- At this point, you can move straight into baking, refrigerate for a few days, or freeze the dough. If you refrigerate or freeze, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Although optional, letting the dough get nice and cold before baking makes them even better!
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the scone disc into 8 even triangles (like a pizza).
- Brush heavy cream on top of each scone and sprinkle with sugar before baking.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the scones are fully set.
- Optionally, drizzle melted chocolate over the scones once cooled for an extra burst of chocolate
chocolatey perfection!!
These are perfect for Saturday mornings with a cup of coffee. Usually the kids eat them before I’m able to get to them but when they don’t, they’re perfect!
Scones are a family favorite here, so these were so fun to try!!! Super tasty!
These and the chocolate chip cookies are called “the diet breakers” for me. Irresistible
I need this MORE OFTEN in my life.
These are so delicious!
These are a delicacy in my house. I feel protective over this recipe.
So delicious!! Definitely going to be a new staple of mine!
Never been a fan of scones but these are going into my new rotation! So good!