Not all cottage cheese is created equal. The brand you choose significantly impacts your final texture. Use high-protein cottage cheese that contains 13 to 14 grams of protein per half cup serving.

 

THICKER BRANDS (Good Culture, Nancy’s): These have less excess liquid and higher protein content. Simply pour off any pooled liquid on top before using. No draining required.

 

WETTER BRANDS (Daisy, Organic Valley): These contain more whey and less structural protein. You must drain them for 15 minutes in a fine-mesh strainer before using to remove excess liquid. After draining, you should have removed about 2 to 3 tablespoons of liquid. The cottage cheese should look thicker and more paste-like.

 

HOW TO TELL: Open the container and look. If there is visible liquid pooling on top or the curds look very loose and soupy, drain it. If the cottage cheese looks thick and holds together, just pour off any surface liquid.

 

PUREEING THE COTTAGE CHEESE IS OPTIONAL  

You have two options for preparing the wet ingredients.

 

METHOD 1 PUREED: Blend cottage cheese alone until smooth, then pulse in the other wet ingredients. This guarantees no cottage cheese will be visible in the baked scones.

 

METHOD 2 WHISKED: Whisk all wet ingredients together by hand. You WILL see cottage cheese chunks in the raw dough. With small curd brands like Nancy’s or Good Culture, these chunks melt completely during baking and disappear from the finished scones.

 

I have made these scones multiple times with both Nancy’s and Good Culture without pureeing and had perfect results with zero cottage cheese visible after baking. With larger curd brands like Daisy or Organic Valley, chunks may remain visible after baking. Choose the method based on your cottage cheese brand and whether you mind seeing chunks in the unbaked dough.

 

 

 

The 8 to 12 hour cold fermentation develops complex sourdough flavor that you cannot get from quick-mix scones. It also improves digestibility by breaking down some of the grain structure and relaxes the gluten for a more tender final texture. However, because this is a high-hydration dough, do not ferment longer than 12 hours or the dough structure may break down.  

WHY FREEZE BEFORE BAKING

 

The 30 minute minimum freeze before baking (1 hour preferred) is critical for optimal results. Freezing serves three purposes: it firms up the butter so it creates steam pockets instead of melting into the dough, it relaxes the gluten for more tender scones, and it prevents spreading during baking. Scones baked without this step will spread more and will not rise as tall. King Arthur Baking’s testing showed visible improvement in rise and flakiness from freezing.

 

 

 

Mini chocolate chips are strongly recommended because they distribute more evenly throughout the dough and sink less in high moisture doughs. Every bite gets chocolate. If using regular chocolate chips, increase the amount to 150 to 170 grams to compensate for fewer chips per bite and expect slightly less even distribution throughout the scones.

 

The most reliable way to know your scones are fully baked is to check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Insert it into the center of the thickest scone. When it reads 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the scones are done. This prevents underbaking (doughy centers) and overbaking (dry scones).

 

 

If you don’t have sourdough starter or discard, you can adapt this recipe. Replace the 100 grams of sourdough discard with 50 grams of buttermilk plus 50 grams of additional all purpose flour (bringing total flour to 350 grams). Increase the baking powder to 2 and a half teaspoons instead of 2 teaspoons. Keep the half teaspoon of baking soda as written since the buttermilk provides enough acidity to activate it.

 

If you don’t have buttermilk: Make your own by combining 50 grams (about 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) of whole milk with half teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened and curdled before using.

 

Without sourdough, you can skip the overnight fermentation and bake the same day, but refrigerate a few hours for easier handling. The scones will still be excellent but will lack the complex flavor from fermentation. Results may vary.

 

 

Room temperature: Store baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For the first 24 hours, you can store them under a clean kitchen towel instead of sealed, which helps maintain the crisp exterior.

 

Refrigerator: Scones keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

 

Reheating: The best method is a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 to 7 minutes, which refreshes the texture. You can also microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or use an air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 minutes.

 

 

After shaping and cutting the scones on Day 1, you can freeze them for up to 3 to 4 weeks. Flash-freeze on the baking sheet until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to an airtight freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen as directed, adding no additional time beyond the 30 minute freeze called for in the recipe. After 5 weeks in the freezer, rise and moisture decline noticeably.

 

 

Let scones cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Many bakers report that freezing actually enhances the sourdough flavor.

 

 

Dough is too wet and sticky: This is a higher hydration dough and may look wetter than traditional scone dough. The pat and fold technique helps bring it together. If absolutely unworkable, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time (maximum 2 tablespoons total) until manageable. However, try the cold and freeze approach first.

 

Scones spread during baking: This usually means your butter got too warm, you didn’t freeze the scones long enough before baking, or your oven temperature is too low. Make sure you freeze for the full 30 minutes and start at 425 degrees Fahrenheit to set the exterior quickly.

 

Scones are dry: You likely overbaked them. Check the internal temperature next time and remove from the oven as soon as they hit 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Also ensure you’re using high protein cottage cheese and that you didn’t add extra flour beyond what the recipe calls for.

 

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Each scone contains approximately 9 grams of protein if cut into 8 scones, or 12 grams of protein if cut into 6 larger scones. The protein comes from the cottage cheese, egg, flour, and sourdough discard combined. The exact protein content will vary based on your specific cottage cheese brand. High protein brands like Good Culture will yield results at the higher end of the range.

 

 

This recipe uses cottage cheese to replace most of the butter and cream found in traditional scones, significantly boosting protein while reducing overall fat. The cottage cheese provides moisture through its liquid content and structure through its protein content. When blended smooth, it completely disappears into the dough flavor-wise but contributes to an exceptionally tender, moist crumb. The cold fermentation develops complex flavor and improves digestibility. The two temperature baking method (425 degrees Fahrenheit then 375 degrees Fahrenheit) sets the exterior quickly to prevent spreading while ensuring thorough baking. The mandatory freeze step keeps the butter cold so it creates steam pockets for flaky layers instead of melting into the dough.

 

 

This recipe is designed for make ahead convenience. Mix and shape the dough one evening, refrigerate overnight, then bake fresh the next morning. Alternatively, shape and freeze unbaked scones for up to 3 to 4 weeks, then bake directly from frozen whenever desired.

 

 

This recipe uses 60 grams of sugar (about 7 and a half grams per scone) which is significantly less than traditional scones. This keeps these scones in the healthier breakfast category while still providing enough sweetness, especially combined with the chocolate chips. If you prefer sweeter scones, you can increase to 75 or 85 grams of sugar, but know that extra sugar will affect the texture slightly by attracting more moisture and potentially making the dough stickier.