Chocolate Chip Scones

You don’t have to travel to a coffee shop or café to get a bakery-quality scone in your hand. In fact, this recipe for chocolate chip scones makes it easy to mix, knead, cut and bake flaky golden scones that you’ll want to make again and again. The trick is keeping the dough as cold as possible, working with cold butter and cream. Thankfully, this recipe is full-proof, ensuring that you end up with flaky, moist and delicious scones every time you bake them.

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Scones

• All-purpose flour and sugar: The base of these chocolate chip scones starts with all-purpose flour and granulated white sugar.
• Baking powder: Works as the leavening agent for these chocolate chip scones.
• Butter: Cold butter is cut into the dry ingredients to ensure these scones come out flaky and moist.
• Egg and heavy whipping cream: An egg is whisked together with heavy whipping cream to provide the fat in these scones, giving them a moist texture.
• Chocolate chips: Fold in your favorite semi-sweet chocolate chips before kneading, shaping, and baking your scones.

Directions

Step 1: Cut in the butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Step 2: Mix in the wet ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the cream. Stir them into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Then, fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Step 3: Knead and shape the dough

Transfer the scone dough to a floured surface, then knead gently six to eight times. Pat the dough into a 6-inch circle and cut them into six wedges.

Step 4: Bake until golden brown

Separate the wedges and place them 1-inch apart on an increased baking sheet. Bake the scones until golden brown, around 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the scones to a wire rack, then serve warm.

Editor’s tip: For scones that are crumbly and golden brown on top, brush the tops with more cold heavy whipping cream. The cream helps to create that golden crust and keeps the scone from drying out.

Recipe Variations

• Drizzle with icing: For an extra decadent twist on your chocolate chip scones, drizzle the tops with a quick vanilla glaze.
• Or sprinkle with a sparkling sugar: If you prefer the crunchy, sweet crystals on top of fresh-baked pastries instead, then sprinkle the tops of your scones with a sparkling sugar before baking in the oven.
• Replace the chocolate chips with other fillings: This scone recipe can work with a variety of fillings. Some of our favorite scone combinations include blueberries and lemon zest, dried cranberries and orange zest, raspberries with white chocolate or even a sweet and savory scone with diced apples and cheddar cheese.
• Make circle scones: Prefer a circle scone compared to a wedge? Divide the dough into six pieces, roll into circles and press each scone gently down on the pan like a hockey disc.

How to Store Chocolate Chip Scones

For the best quality, wrap each scone individually in plastic wrap and store the wrapped scones in an airtight container for up to three to four days for peak freshness.

Can you freeze chocolate chip scones?

Yes, scones freeze well and are great to have on hand. Follow this chocolate chip scones recipe as normal. Then once the scones are fully cooked and cooled, seal them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They’ll last in the freezer for up to three months. You can also freeze unbaked scones and bake from frozen; just be sure to give the scones a few extra minutes in the oven to bake thoroughly.

How do you reheat chocolate chip scones?

When you’re ready for a scone, pop one in the oven or toaster oven at 350° for 5 to 10 minutes to reheat.

Chocolate Chip Scones Tips

How do you “cut in” the butter when making scones?

Cutting in the butter just means incorporating it into the dry mixture with a fork or pastry cutter. You want the butter to resemble coarse breadcrumbs, and remain cold. One of our favorite tricks for cutting in butter for this chocolate chip scone recipe is running the butter through a cheese grater, then mixing it in with the dry ingredients.

How can you make sure your scones are flaky?

For a flaky finish on your chocolate chip scones, you’ll want to keep the dough as cold as possible before baking. Colder dough holds its shape better and doesn’t spread as much in the oven, giving you the flakiest texture possible. You can do this by keeping your egg and cream in the fridge right up until you add them to the dough.

How do I keep my scones from drying out?

The colder the dough, the flakier and softer the inside of the scone will be. To ensure that your dough is as cold as possible, pop the prepared scones in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking.