chocolate chip scones
Drinking coffee dreamin’ about scones.
Ya’ll, I love scones. They are one of my favorite treats to pick up at a bakery or coffee shop on the rare occasion that I leave my house. The subtle sweetness of a well-made scone and the crisp texture is perfect for dunking into a hot cup of brew (and probably splashing it all over my planners and notebooks). One of those simple life pleasures that never fails to cheer me up on a downtrodden day.
Scones and biscuits are two endeavors on which I haven’t embarked much since starting FMG. Last year’s pumpkin scones are one of my most popular recipes and I can’t believe I didn’t attempt another project after that.
So, we turning the tides today, folks, and introducing another scone to your baking repertoir.
These no-fail Chocolate Chip Scones are as simple as can be, wonderful to prep ahead, and yield 8 fat, chocolatey, not-too-sweet triangles to enjoy whenever the craving smacks your soul. The texture hearkens to the traditional, well-loved formula of crisp exterior and soft, airy interior. No dense or dry shit here.
Cool thing here is you only need a handful of staple ingredients to recreate these beauties. Afternoon baking project? Hell yeah. Weekend brunch? Go for it. No bad occasion for a fresh scone.
What’s In a Name?
Scones and biscuits are pretty similar in formula, excepting a couple little swaps.
For one, scones use heavy cream to create a more tender finishing texture. Biscuits often get their lift and flakiness from buttermilk.
Most of the time, biscuits are folded like an envelope a few times to create those characteristic layers. Scones are not, though I have seen some people use this method. I don’t think that’s particularly authentic, so I don’t call for that here.
Now that those nuances are taken care of, let’s go.
Down-Home Scone
Start by mixing up some flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. I don’t like a very sweet scone, so I keep my sugar level very moderate. Then, cut in some very cold butter. I usually grate a stick and pop it in the fridge while I mill around prepping the rest of my ingredients. Cubing the butter works, too, but I find grating much easier for reducing hands-on time since an excess of body heat can warp the texture of the dough.
Next, stir in some dark chocolate chips. Semi sweet work fine, too, and I had success with both regular-sized chippies and mini chippies.
Pour in heavy cream and gently stir and work the dough into something of a ball. The dough should be a little crumbly, but should not fall apart. If it does, add another tablespoon of heavy cream until the desired texture is reached.
Now, you might be wondering, but where is the egg? I personally think that scones should have a bit of breakability to them. An egg will bind the ingredients more to create a cakier scone finish, which is lovely for some, but I prefer an airier pastry. Trust me, though, this recipe is not dry whatsoever.
Scones That Do a Wheelie
Line a big baking sheet with parchment, flour your hands, and gently pat your scone dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out 8 triangles and place them slightly apart on the sheet. Pop those babies in the freezer to chill at least 15 minutes, longer if you wish. This will help resolidify the butter to get that nice, flaky, crispy texture.
Once they’re ready, brush the tops with some heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. I use turbinado or demerara, depending on what I have.
Bake the scones in a 425 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes, until golden. Cool a few minutes, then dig right in!
These scones keep really well at room temperature for about 5 days or in the freezer for about 3 months. You can even shape the scones and freeze unbaked for about a month, if you’re really thinking ahead to emergency brunch needs.
Bet I made you crave a little coffee and a treat just now, huh? Hey, it’s Friday. Go for it!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More treats for your cuppa joe:
Bakery Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
Biscoff Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
chocolate chip scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 stick butter, grated, COLD
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the COLD butter until no pieces larger than a pea remain. Toss in the chocolate chips.
- Pour in the heavy cream and, with a wooden spoon, stir until a tacky but cohesive dough forms.
- Flour your hands and place the dough onto the baking sheet. Pat into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Slice into 8 triangles and gently separate so there's about 1 inch of space between each scone. Place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- When ready to bake, brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden on top. Let cool 5 minutes, then serve, or let cool completely and store for later.
