Cinnamon Sugar Scone Bites (Sourdough)
Buttery, tender sourdough scone bites loaded with cinnamon sugar and baked until golden, served with a sweet vanilla cream cheese dip. Same-day or overnight, no shaping required.
Servings: 56 bites
Calories: 57.5kcal
Equipment
- 8x8 inch square baking pan
- plastic wrap
- Large mixing bowl (x2)
- Bench scraper or bowl scraper
- Pastry cutter
- Whisk
- Parchment-lined baking sheet
- Hand mixer or whisk (for dip)
Ingredients
SCONE BITES
- 333 g all-purpose flour 2 2/3 cups
- 67 g light brown sugar packed (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
- 9 g baking powder 2 1/4 tsp
- 4 g fine sea salt 1/2 tsp
- 8 g ground cinnamon 3 tsp
- 150 g cold unsalted butter grated (2/3 cup)
- 160 g sourdough discard 100% hydration (2/3 cup)
- 80 g cold buttermilk 1/3 cup
- 1 large egg cold
- 5 g vanilla extract 1 tsp
CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING
- 33 g granulated sugar 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
- 5 g ground cinnamon scant 2 tsp
- 1/2 tsp all-purpose flour
- 30 g heavy cream for brushing (2 tbsp)
VANILLA CREAM CHEESE DIP
- 226 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature (1 block)
- 60 g powdered sugar sifted (1/2 cup)
- 30 g heavy cream 2 tbsp
- 5 g vanilla extract 1 tsp
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 inch square pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang on all sides to fold over the top.
- In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the sourdough discard, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Place in the refrigerator.
- Grate your cold butter. *Pro Tip: place your grated in the freezer for a few minutes before you begin for easier butter processing.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the cold grated butter and use a pastry cutter, fork or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until you have a shaggy mixture with pea-sized chunks remaining. Do not overwork. Place the bowl in the freezer.
- Let both bowls rest for 15 minutes, wet ingredients in the refrigerator and dry ingredients in the freezer.
- Pull both bowls out. Pour the dry ingredients over the wet. Using a bowl scraper, pull the liquid up from the bottom and fold it over the top, then chop through the mixture with the edge of the scraper to bring everything together. Stir until just combined and no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy and slightly sticky. Do not knead.
- Transfer the dough into the prepared pan. Lay the plastic wrap overhang over the top and use your hands to press into an even layer filling the pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours for an overnight cold ferment.
- When ready to proceed, brush the top of the slab evenly with heavy cream directly in the pan. Mix together the Cinnamon & Sugar topping and sprinkle generously over the entire surface. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400F (205C) while the slab freezes.
- Use the plastic wrap overhang to lift the frozen slab out of the pan onto a cutting board. Peel back the plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the slab using a 7x8 grid into approximately 3/4 inch squares, yielding 56 bites. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced about 1/2 inch apart. You can adjust this recipe as needed for size of bites, just watch the baking time.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden and the edges are set. Rotate the pan halfway through for even browning. Start checking at 14 minutes. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
- While the scone bites bake, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until silky and dippable, about 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust consistency with a splash more cream if needed. Serve alongside warm scone bites.
Notes
Storage:
Scone bites are best the day they are baked. Store leftovers in a loosely covered container or paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Avoid sealing in an airtight container as this can make them soggy. To refresh, warm in a 150C (300F) oven for 5 minutes. The cream cheese dip keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
No Sourdough Starter:
No starter? No problem. Replace the 160g of sourdough discard with 80g of additional all-purpose flour and 80g of additional cold buttermilk. The texture will be similar and the bites will still be delicious, just without the fermented depth that sourdough brings.
Same-Day or Overnight:
For same-day baking, the 30-minute refrigerator chill is the minimum before applying the topping and freezing. For an overnight cold ferment, cover the pressed dough tightly with the plastic wrap overhang and refrigerate for up to 18 hours. Apply the topping and freeze for 30 minutes right before baking.
Troubleshooting:
If your dough seems too dry, press it into the pan and refrigerate as directed. The flour will continue to hydrate as it rests and what looks dry at the mixing stage often comes together beautifully after chilling. For more tips, visit the full blog post at h3artofthehome.com.
