Pesto Scones (Sourdough)
Flaky sourdough scones made with a game-changing technique: freeze homemade nut-free pesto solid and grate it like butter directly into the dough, so every single layer is loaded with basil, garlic, parmesan, and romano from the inside out.
Servings: 8 scones
Calories: 245kcal
Equipment
- Food processor or mini food processor
- Gallon zip freezer bag
- kitchen scale
- Box grater with large holes
- Large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Fork or rubber spatula
- Half sheet baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Instant read thermometer
- - Pastry brush
Ingredients
Group 1: HOMEMADE NUT-FREE PESTO
- Make this first. It needs at least 4 hours in the freezer, or overnight.
- 10 grams fresh basil leaves packed (about 1/3 cup)
- 27 grams olive oil 2 tablespoons
- 8 grams parmesan cheese freshly grated (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 3 grams romano cheese freshly grated (1 teaspoon)
- 10 grams salted butter softened (2 teaspoons)
- 1 small clove garlic
Group 2: DRY INGREDIENTS
- These go into the large bowl, then into the freezer for 15 minutes.
- 250 grams all purpose flour 2 cups
- 8 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
- 1.5 grams baking soda 1/4 teaspoon
- 4.5 grams fine salt 3/4 teaspoon
- 55 grams frozen homemade pesto grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 and 1/2 tablespoons)
- 40 grams cold unsalted butter grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 tablespoons)
GROUP 3: WET INGREDIENTS
- These go into a separate bowl, then into the refrigerator for the same 15 minutes.
- 1 large whole egg cold
- 100 grams active sourdough starter 100% hydration, cold (scant 1/2 cup)
- 90 grams cold buttermilk plus more by the tablespoon only if needed (about 6 tablespoons)
GROUP 4: TOPPING
- cold buttermilk or heavy cream for brushing
- freshly grated parmesan for sprinkling
Instructions
GROUP 1: MAKE AND FREEZE THE PESTO
- (Do this the night before or at least 4 hours ahead.)
- Add the basil, olive oil, parmesan, romano, salted butter, and garlic to a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Transfer the pesto to a gallon zip freezer bag and spread it into a thin, round-ish log. Seal the bag and lay it completely flat in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight. The pesto must be frozen completely solid before you grate it.
GROUP 2: BUILD THE DRY MIXTURE AND FREEZE
- Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk together until combined.
- Remove the frozen pesto from the freezer and immediately grate it on the large holes of a box grater directly into the flour mixture. Working quickly, grate the cold butter on the same large holes directly into the flour mixture as well. Toss everything gently with a fork until the fat shards are coated in flour. Cut them in with a pastry knife or fork until they are broken up a little. Do not overwork them.
- Place the entire flour bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes. This refirms any fat that warmed during grating and keeps everything cold until the wet ingredients are added.
GROUP 3: BUILD THE WET MIXTURE AND REFRIGERATE
- While the flour mixture chills, whisk together the cold egg, active sourdough starter, and 90 grams of cold buttermilk in a separate bowl until completely smooth and the starter is fully incorporated.
- Place this bowl in the refrigerator for the same 15 minutes so both mixtures are thoroughly cold when they come together.
GROUP 4: COMBINE AND CHECK THE DOUGH
- After 15 minutes, remove both bowls. Pour the cold liquid mixture over the cold flour mixture all at once.
- Use a fork or rubber spatula to fold together until just combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. The dough will look shaggy and rough. That is exactly right. Do not overmix.
- Press a small pinch of dough between your fingers. If it holds together, stop. If it crumbles and will not stick, add buttermilk one tablespoon at a time, folding gently between each addition, until the dough just comes together.
GROUP 5: SHAPE AND CHILL
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Gently press and pat into a disc approximately 1 inch thick. Do not knead. The dough should look rough on the outside. Wrap up in the plastic wrap, tightly.
- Transfer the disc to the refrigerator and let cold proof for 6-8 hours. If you want these sooner without the long ferment, pull out after about 2 or 3 hours of chill time and continue with instructions.
- Remove from the refrigerator, unwrap and use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the disc into 8 equal wedges, pressing straight down in one clean motion. Do not saw through the dough, as this compresses the edges and prevents the layers from opening during baking.
- Separate the wedges slightly a parchment lined baking sheet so they are not touching. Transfer the entire tray to the freezer for 1 hour. Do not skip this step.
GROUP 6: BAKE
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F while the scones finish their freezer rest.
- Remove the scones from the freezer. Brush the tops lightly with cold buttermilk or heavy cream.
- Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan generously over all 8 scones.
- Bake straight from frozen for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops are deep golden and the parmesan is golden and crispy at the edges. Internal temperature should reach 200 to 210 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Do not underbake.
- Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving. These are best eaten warm.
Notes
Nut-Free:
This recipe is completely nut-free. Traditional pesto uses pine nuts, but the salted butter in this homemade pesto replaces both the richness and the body that pine nuts typically contribute. The combination of parmesan and romano provides all the depth you need, and nothing feels missing.
Storage:
Baked scones keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Do not refrigerate baked scones, as cold air accelerates staling. For longer storage, freeze baked scones completely cooled, wrapped individually, for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Make Ahead:
The pesto can be made and frozen up to 6 months in advance. If you double or triple the pesto recipe, you will have your next batch essentially done before you start. The scones themselves are best made ahead by freezing them unbaked: complete all steps through shaping and cutting, freeze the wedges solid on the tray, then transfer to a zip bag. Bake directly from frozen at 400 degrees, adding 3 to 5 minutes to the bake time. Unbaked frozen scones keep for up to 3 months and bake up just as well as fresh.
Substitutions:
Sourdough discard works as a direct swap for active starter with no other adjustments needed. The baking soda in the recipe already reacts with the acidity in the discard, the buttermilk, and the cheeses, so no extra leavening is required. Discard produces a slightly deeper fermented flavor that works beautifully with the pesto.
Store bought pesto can be used. Freeze it a zip bag overnight until completely solid, then grate directly from the freezer. Keep in mind that store bought pesto contains no butter, only olive oil. The scones will still be delicious but may be less flaky than the homemade version, since the butter in the homemade pesto is what creates extra steam-driven layers in the oven.
No Sourdough Starter Version:
Remove the 100 grams of starter entirely. Add 50 grams of flour to your dry ingredients and increase the buttermilk to 140 grams. Increase the baking powder to 10 grams (2 and 1/2 teaspoons). All other steps stay the same, including the cold chain and the freezer rest before baking. These can be made and baked the same day with no fermentation rest needed. For full details and hydration notes, see the blog post.
Troubleshooting:
If the dough is too dry and crumbly: add buttermilk one tablespoon at a time and fold gently until the dough just holds together when pressed. This is more common when using store bought pesto, which has a higher oil content than the homemade version.
If the dough feels sticky or too wet: lightly flour your hands and the work surface rather than adding flour directly to the dough. Adding flour to wet dough disrupts the hydration balance the recipe was built around.
If the scones spread flat in the oven: the fat warmed up before baking. Make sure the full 1 hour freezer rest was completed and that the oven was fully preheated before the scones went in.
If the layers did not open up during baking: the edges were likely compressed when cutting. Always use the sharpest knife you have and press straight down in one motion with no sawing.
