Banana Chocolate Chip Scones (with sourdough discard option)

Delicious scones flavored with mashed banana and dark and white chocolate chips are perfect for breakfast or to accompany your afternoon tea or coffee. The recipe can also be made with a sourdough discard.

I have been quite obsessed with making scones lately. I love the slightly crisp outside and the soft fluffy inside. It’s like a hybrid of eating pastry and a cake, but not as heavy. Scones are so forgiving and easy to put together too. I also have been able to use my sourdough discard to make good scones. These banana chocolate chip scones are one of our family favorites. They have the nice aroma of banana, just slightly sweet and the texture on the inside is so soft and fluffy.

Ingredients and substitutions

1. All-purpose flour
Low to medium-gluten flour is recommended for making scones. Unlike making bread, we don’t want too much gluten in the flour. We are aiming for soft and fluffy interior with scones
2. Whole wheat flour
Adding some whole wheat flour to scones makes them heartier and I like that extra nuttiness from the whole wheat flour
3. Cold unsalted butter
It is very important that the butter is chilled. You can grate them or dice them into small cubes. The cold butter makes the scones flaky and airy
4. Baking powder and baking soda
These two are responsible for making the scones rise, light, and airy in texture too
5. Very ripe bananas
I use cavendish bananas because that’s what is widely available here. You can use any of your favorite bananas and you want to make sure they are really ripe and sweet for the flavor to shine through.
6. Vanilla extract
It adds a nice aroma and vanilla pairs well with banana flavor too
7. Chocolate chips
I use dark and white chocolate chips. You can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
8. Sourdough discard (if using)
I use 100% hydration sourdough discard. They can be fed or unfed. It doesn’t matter
9. Heavy cream
This contributes richness to the scones. You can also substitute with regular whole milk. With the sourdough discard version, there’s no room to add any more liquid, so no heavy cream is used in sourdough discard version, but I can assure you that the scones still turn out very delicious

Important tips to remember when making scones

Making scones are not complicated. You just need to pay attention to these few points and you will get great scones every time:
1. Use cold ingredients: It’s important to use cold butter and cold milk or cream to ensure the scones are flaky and tender. For example, the cold butter helps create a flaky and tender texture in the scones. When cold butter is cut into the flour mixture, it creates small pockets of fat that melt during baking, creating steam that helps to lift and separate the layers of the dough, resulting in a light, flaky texture. In addition, using cold ingredients also helps to slow down the gluten development in the dough, which also contributes to the tender texture of the scones.
2. Don’t overmix: Overmixing the dough can make your scones tough and dry. Mix the dough just until it comes together.
3. Use a light touch: When shaping the dough, be gentle and don’t press down too hard. You want to avoid compressing the dough, which can lead to tough scones.
4. Keep the dough cold: To prevent the butter from melting, work quickly and keep the dough as cold as possible. I usually chill the dough in the freezer before baking. This prevents the scones from spreading and lose their shapes
5. Use a sharp cutter: Use a sharp biscuit or cookie cutter to cut your scones. A dull cutter can compress the dough and make it harder for the scones to rise.
6. Brush with egg or milk wash: For a golden and shiny crust, brush the tops of your scones with egg or milk wash before baking.
7. Bake at the right temperature: Bake your scones at a high temperature (around 400°F/200°C to 425 F/220 C) to ensure they rise properly and have a nice crust.

Step-by-step on how to make banana chocolate chip scones

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside. Cut the butter into small cubes or alternatively, you can use a grater to grate the butter. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and rub them to get an unevenly crumbly mixture that is about pea-size

2. Combine all the wet ingredients in another bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the dough just started to combine. You’ll still see some loose flour. Add the chocolate chips and give it a few mixes, don’t over work it and transfer to a work surface

3. The dough is still crumbly. Give it a few knead just until the dough comes together into a rustic looking dough. If it’s too sticky, dust with a bit more flour. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape the dough into roughly about 6-inch disc, about 1 inch thick

4. Chill the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting. I like the scones to have a clean cut so they rise better in the oven. It’s easier to cut them when the dough is firm and cold. I use a serrated knife to cut into 6 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. You can gently push few more chocolate chips on top for decoration if you want

5. Put this in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour before baking. You can also freeze these unbaked scones for up to 3 months if you don’t want to bake on the same day. Simply transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container after they are firm and solid and won’t stick to each other anymore
6. 15 minutes before the end of the freezing time, preheat oven to 425 F (220 C) for conventional oven, 400 F (200 C) for convection oven. Remove the scones from the freezer. Brush with some heavy cream and sprinkle with some turbinado sugar on top. Put in the oven middle rack and bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through baking.

7. Let the scones cool down for 5 minutes on the baking pan. They can be served right away after that or at room temperature.

Did you make this banana chocolate chip scones recipe?

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