Sourdough Gingerbread Scones

A hand holding a sourdough gingerbread man shaped scone.

5 from 4 votes

Perfectly spiced with ginger and cinnamon, these Sourdough Gingerbread Scones taste just like Christmas. The warm spices and rich molasses give them that classic, comforting gingerbread flavor, and the maple glaze on top makes them extra special.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: scones

Author: Emily Christensen

Equipment

Ingredients

280 grams all-purpose flour 2 cups
50 grams sugar ¼ cup
5 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon
5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
5 grams salt 1 teaspoon
4 grams ground ginger 3 teaspoons
6 grams cinnamon 3 teaspoons
113 grams butter frozen, ½ cup
120 grams sourdough discard cold, ½ cup
1 large egg cold, 50 grams
40 grams molasses 2 Tablespoons
45 grams milk cold, 3 Tablespoons

Maple Glaze

120 grams powdered sugar 1 cup
45 grams maple syrup 3 Tablespoons
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
15 grams milk 1 Tablespoon
28 grams butter, melted 2 Tablespoons
Flaky salt optional

Instructions

Before starting, add a stick of butter to the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
280 grams all-purpose flour, 50 grams sugar, 5 grams baking powder, 5 grams baking soda, 5 grams salt, 4 grams ground ginger, 6 grams cinnamon
Shred a stick of frozen butter and toss it into the flour mixture.
Alternatively, you can use a pastry blender to mix the cubed butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand.
113 grams butter
In a separate medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients.
120 grams sourdough discard, 1 large egg, 40 grams molasses, 45 grams milk
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix until the dough begins to come together.
Dump the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it together until the flour is incorporated and the dough forms. At first, it will seem like too much flour but it will come together. If it is still too dry, slowly add up to another Tablespoon of milk to the dough, it should not be sticky dough.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out your shapes, then gather and re-roll the scraps 2–3 times to use up as much dough as possible. You should end up with about fifteen 4-inch gingerbread men. Work quickly, if the dough is getting warm and sticky place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes and then continue.
If you prefer a more traditional look, shape the dough into an 8-inch round and slice it into 8 triangles.
Place the scones on two lined baking sheets. Bake gingerbread scones in a preheated 400°F oven for 8-10 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown on the edges and top, rotating the trays halfway through. Don’t over-bake or they will get dry. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
If you are making a traditional triangular shape bake at 425°F oven for 13-15 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, milk, and melted butter with a spoon or whisk. Drizzle over the warm baked scones or dip the scones in the icing and enjoy! Top with flaky salt if desired.
120 grams powdered sugar, 45 grams maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 15 grams milk, 28 grams butter, melted

Notes

Use cold ingredients. One of my best tips for flaky, tender scones is to use cold discard and frozen butter. The colder the ingredients, the better. If your discard is at room temperature and/or butter is not frozen, place the scones in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or more to chill before baking, or the scones will spread.
Don’t over knead the dough. It will be flaky when mixing. Over kneading will turn a tender scone tough due to the gluten development.
Roll to 1/4 inch thick. If you are using a cookie cutter, you want your dough to be rolled out to 1/4 inch thick. Too thin and they can burn, but too thick and they will lose their shape.

Nutrition