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Flaky, fruity, and naturally leavened with sourdough starter.

There’s nothing quite like the taste of summer packed into a soft, buttery scone — or is it a biscuit? Honestly, this recipe lands deliciously between the two. These Strawberry Sourdough Scones (or Biscuits!) are tender and flaky, gently sweet, and loaded with juicy fresh strawberries. Whether you’re in the biscuit camp or love traditional cream scones, you’ll find something to love in every bite.

They’re made with active sourdough starter (or discard), a splash of buttermilk or cream, and finished with a light golden crust. Top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries for a strawberry shortcake-style treat, or enjoy them warm for breakfast with a hot cup of tea.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Made with sourdough starter (no rise time!)

• Quick and simple – no stand mixer needed

• Buttery and soft inside with golden, crispy edges

• Filled with real fresh strawberries

More Recipes You’ll Love:

• • Sourdough Banana Snack Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

  • Sourdough Chocolate Chip Strawberry Muffins

  • Sourdough Cinnamon Knots

  • Sourdough Nutella Babka

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Tools needed:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Flour – The structure of the scones. AP flour gives the perfect balance of tenderness and strength. Coats the betters to prevent them from sinking and leaking juice into the dough. 

Baking Powder – The main leavening agent for lift and fluffiness.

Salt – Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.

Sugar – Lightly sweetens the dough and helps with browning.

Cold Butter – Creates layers and flakiness. Cold butter steams as it bakes, giving tender texture.

Sourdough Starter – Adds tangy flavor and moisture. Use active or discard — no rise time needed!

Buttermilk – Adds richness and moisture. Buttermilk gives a slight tang and tender crumb.

Vanilla Extract – Adds warmth and depth of flavor.

Baking Soda – Reacts with the acid in buttermilk or starter for extra lift.

Fresh Strawberries – Sweet, juicy fruit that makes these scones taste like summer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the Strawberries

Wash, dry, and dice your fresh strawberries. Pat them dry well with a paper towel. Then toss in a small bowl with 5–8g rice flour or all-purpose flour. This prevents them from releasing too much juice into the dough.

2. Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a small bowl, stir together your sourdough starter, cold buttermilk or cream, vanilla extract (if using), and baking soda. Let it sit for 1–2 minutes to activate, it will become bubbly.

3. Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

4. Cut in the Butter

Add cold cubed butter to the dry mix. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

5. Add the Wet Mixture

Pour the sourdough-buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until a soft, shaggy dough forms — don’t overmix.

6. Fold in the Strawberries

Gently add the floured strawberries to the dough. Use a spatula or your hands to fold them in with care to avoid smashing them. 

7. Shape and Cut

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a 1-inch thick circle. Cut into 6–8 wedges for a classic scone look, or use a biscuit cutter for rounds.

8. Bake

Place the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with whipped cream and extra strawberries (like shortcake!) 

• Enjoy with a hot mug of tea or iced coffee

• Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with honey

• Top with clotted cream for a traditional English scone experience

Storage & Freezing

• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days

• Freeze shaped, unbaked dough wedges for up to 3 months — bake from frozen (add 3–4 mins)

• Reheat leftovers in the oven or toaster oven for best texture

Recipe Tips

• Use cold butter — this creates the best flakiness

• Don’t overwork the dough or it’ll get tough

• Rice flour is a great choice for coating the berries — it keeps them from leaking too much juice

• Want even more flavor? Add lemon zest to the dough!

• If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use heavy cream.

Make It Yours

The photo above shows these scones (or biscuits!) served with whipped cream and juicy strawberries on top. They make the perfect summer dessert — but we love them just as much as a brunch treat. If you make them, tag me on Instagram @shakanranch — I’d love to see your beautiful bakes!

Strawberry Sourdough Scones (or Biscuits!)

Tender, flaky sourdough scones (or American-style biscuits!) filled with juicy fresh strawberries. Quick, simple, and perfect for summer baking.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings 8 scones

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Pastry cutter or fork
• Silicone spatula
• Sharp knife or biscuit cutter
• Baking sheet
•  Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  

Dry:

• 240 g all-purpose flour
• 12 g baking powder
• 3 g fine sea salt
• 25 g granulated sugar

Butter:

• 115 g cold unsalted butter cubed

Wet:

• 120 g active sourdough starter can use discard
• 120 g cold buttermilk
• 5 g vanilla extract optional
• 3 g baking soda

Add-ins:

• 100 –120g fresh strawberries diced
• 5 –8g rice flour or all-purpose flour to toss with berries

Instructions

 

Prep Strawberries:

• Dice fresh strawberries and gently pat dry. Toss with a spoonful of flour to prevent sogginess.
  100 –120g fresh strawberries, 5 –8g rice flour or all-purpose flour

Mix Wet Ingredients:

• In a small bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, cold buttermilk, vanilla (if using), and baking soda. Let sit for 1–2 minutes.
  120 g active sourdough starter, 120 g cold buttermilk, 5 g vanilla extract, 3 g baking soda

Combine Dry Ingredients:

• In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
  240 g all-purpose flour, 12 g baking powder, 3 g fine sea salt, 25 g granulated sugar

Cut in Butter:

• Add cold cubed butter into the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  115 g cold unsalted butter

Add Wet Mixture:

• Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and gently stir until combined — don’t overmix.

Fold in Strawberries:

• Carefully fold in floured strawberries using a spatula or your hands.

Shape Dough:

• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a 1-inch thick circle. Cut into wedges or rounds.

Bake:

• Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15–18 minutes, until golden brown.

Notes

For best results, use cold butter and cold dairy.
• Don’t overwork the dough — it keeps the scones tender.
• Rice flour works best for coating berries and avoiding soggy dough.
• Store in an airtight container for 1–2 days or freeze unbaked wedges for future baking.

Keyword breakfast biscuits, sourdough biscuits, sourdough scones, sourdough strawberry biscuits, Strawberry Sourdough Scones