These tender and buttery Chocolate Chip Scones are simple to make in just over half an hour! My recipe includes an optional sweet vanilla glaze for a bakery-style look. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Chocolate Chip Scones From Scratch
My siblings (critical as they may be) call these chocolate chip scones the “best scones ever”, and I have to agree. They’re tender, flaky, exceptionally buttery, and dotted with sweet mini chocolate chips. They’re also incredibly easy to make, since the dough comes together in the food processor (I provide instructions for how to make them without a food processor too!).
Much like my classic scone recipe, these scones are sweetened just enough, making them a great breakfast option. However, since I can’t resist, I top off mine with a light vanilla glaze (I almost did a chocolate glaze, but didn’t want to make things too chocolatey–that’s what this chocolate scone recipe is for!). You can skip the glaze if you’d like, but it’s only 3 ingredients and so simple to make.
It’s a bit hard to tell in the photos, but I like to make these as miniature 2-3 bite scones. At this size, these are the perfect pairing for a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. You can always make them “regular” sized, too though!
What You Need
Just 10 ingredients come together for this chocolate chip scones recipe. Here are the most important ones:
- Butter. Use unsalted butter and make sure it’s VERY cold before you get started. The colder your butter, the better your scones will be.
- Cream. A good pour of heavy cream makes these scones super tender and fluffy. You can also use double cream or whipping cream.
- Brown sugar. Using light brown sugar instead of regular granulated deepens the flavor of these scones and makes them taste reminiscent of their inspiration–chocolate chip cookies!
- Chocolate chips. I like to use mini semisweet chips (especially when making these into mini scones). If you prefer dark chocolate or milk chocolate, feel free to use either.
SAM’S TIP: If I’m feeling a bit lazy, I’ll skip the vanilla glaze and just brush the scones with cream and sprinkle with sugar before baking. This adds a little extra sweetness and texture on top (it’s my favorite part of the scone!).
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Scones
- Mix the dry ingredients – Combine the flour sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor.
- Scatter the butter – Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until the butter has been cut in.
- Add the cream – Add the cream and vanilla and pulse again until the dough begins to clump together.
- Form the dough into a disc – Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, add the chocolate chips, and form it into a disc.
- Laminate the dough – Fold the dough over itself, turn it 90 degrees, and fold again. Repeat this process 5 times total.
- Cut into wedges – Form the dough back into a disc and cut it into 8 wedges.
- Bake – Place the scones 1″ apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 13-14 minutes at 375F.
- Cool and enjoy! Let the scones cool completely on their baking sheet before topping with glaze.
SAM’S TIP: Folding the dough over on itself during the lamination process creates beautiful flaky layers (I use this technique in my homemade biscuits as well!). Scroll down to the video below if you need a visual for this step.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend it. Cream helps give these scones their tender and flaky texture. Milk just doesn’t have enough fat to work the same way.
During my testing process, I found that adding eggs produced less fluffy and tender chocolate chip scones. Instead, we’ll use heavy cream, which keeps these scones flavorful without compromising their texture.
Wrap each scone in cling wrap and place in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge this way for up to 3 days, or you can place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to bake, frozen scones will just take a minute or two longer. Refrigerated scones will bake in the same time as freshly made scones.
Love chocolate for breakfast? Try my chocolate chip muffins!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Chocolate Chip Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar firmly packed (50g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter very cold and cut into cubes (113g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (118ml)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips (85g)
Vanilla Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (125g)
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the basin of a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Cover with lid and pulse to combine.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Scatter cold butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse again until butter pieces are mostly combined but some discernible pieces (no larger than pea-sized) remain.½ cup unsalted butter
- Combine heavy cream and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and whisk together. Pour evenly over flour/butter mixture.½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pulse again until the mixture is mostly combined and beginning to cling together.
- Transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface and sprinkle chocolate chips overtop. Use your hands to gently work the dough together, distributing the chocolate chips as you go, until you have a disc. Fold dough over itself, turn 90 degrees and fold again. Repeat this 4 more times.½ cup mini chocolate chips
- Form dough into 2 separate 4” (10cm) discs (for mini scones) or one 6” (15cm) discs (for regular scones).
- Using a sharp knife, cut each disc into 8 wedges, pressing straight down with each cut (don’t saw).
- Transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1” apart. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 13-14 minutes, until cooked through.
- Allow scones to cool on baking sheet. Once cooled, top with vanilla glaze, if desired.
Vanilla Glaze
- Whisk together powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract. Add more milk as needed until glaze is smooth and drizzles off the whisk.1 cup powdered sugar, 2-4 Tablespoons milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dip the tops of cooled scones in glaze or drizzle with glaze. Allow glaze to set before serving.
Notes
Food Processor
If you don’t have a food processor you can make the scones by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with either a pastry cutter, box grater, or pair of knives. Whisk together heavy cream and vanilla and pour over and stir until well-combined. The dough will be very dry but will come together with some effort. If absolutely necessary you can add a bit more cream, a splash at a time.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.Original Recipe
This recipe was updated January of 2023. I improved the recipe to give it a greater depth of flavor and to make it easier to assemble with the same light and buttery results. The new recipe is my preference (and my many blind taste-testers agreed.) However, if you are looking for the original recipe, you can find my original chocolate chip scones here. I recommend the new recipe and am no longer accepting comments or questions on the original recipe.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Thera
Hello! Did you recently update this recipe? I made it awhile back and I feel like it’s different.
Sam
Hi Thera! I did just update it a few weeks ago. 🙂
Eddie
It is different. Brown sugar is now where regular white sugar was previously. They are not as good with the brown sugar. They taste weird now like this…maybe trying to make a cho chip cookie scone…but it doesn’t work.
These scones were GREAT, please put back as before.
Sam
Yes, as I said, this recipe is updated. I prefer this version for its flavor and ease of preparation, but if you are looking for the original it is provided in the recipe notes.
Victoria Miller
I am sure there are plenty of blind taste testers that love the new recipe but your original recipe was the greatest scone recipe Id ever had. I’m thankful we still have access to it!
Mary
I have never made scones from scratch and I tried these and they are delicious and so easy. I did have to add more cream. Just wondering how to reheat them? Oven or microwave?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed them, Mary! A few seconds in the microwave should do the trick 😊
Mary
My little wedges rose in the oven then toppled over. What can I do to prevent this next time?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Oh no! We’re so sorry this happened! This has to do with how the scones are cut; make sure to press straight down, and you shouldn’t have this issue come up again. Hope that helps!
Diana
Sam,
I tried a package scone mix during Christmas. They were ok. I’ve never tried to make scones. What a nice gift for the new year. I can make the mini chocolate chip and the raspberry for my young granddaughters. They will love them.
Thank you Sam,
Happy New Year 🎈
2023
Diana
Sam
I hope everyone loves them, Diana! Happy New Year! 🙂
Darin
I would like to make this recipe for a friend but she can only eat gluten-free flour. Can I just substitute gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Sam
Hi Darin! Unfortunately, I am not very familiar with using gluten free flour so I can’t say for sure. I wish I could help more. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Esther
My dough was still crumbly and dry and I didn’t have any more cream. I only had soymilk on hand so I added about 1/4 c soymilk to bring the dough together. These scones were delicious! I loved them! This will be my go to scone recipe!
Lenore Litwin
Absolutely tender flaky and delicious. Thank you for a great recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for your review, Lenore! Enjoy the scones ❤
Sarah
I don’t have heavy cream – could I substitute whole milk (3%) or make a buttermilk using the 3% and vinegar?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sarah! While you could, but they won’t be quite as light and flaky without the cream.
crystal m
Hi I’ve never made scones before. What do you mean when you say “cut in the butter”? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Crystal! I explain it a bit in step 3. I typically freeze and grate the butter then just stir it into the flour. If you use a butter cutter you will actually be doing that all right in the bowl and cutting the butter into the flour mixture. 🙂
Sharon
Great tasting scones! I replaced the icing with crystalized sugar. My family loved them.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious, Sharon! Enjoy 🙂
Ashley
Amazing:) I used buttermilk and butter flavored Crisco because I didn’t have cream or frozen butter… turned out great.
Sam
So glad to hear you enjoyed, Ashley! 🙂
Jennifer Crouch
I am a cook at a senior living facility and they love these
Billi
These are the best scones! They are flaky and tender. I made about 300 mini ones for a girls tea party. I also made with white choc chips, dried cranberries and added a little almond extract. They were a huge hit. Thanks for this fabulous recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Billi! 🙂
Monica
I’ve been making pumpkin scones, and wanted to try something different. I had all the ingredients (except mini chips, so I chopped some large ones). This recipe is delicious and easy… melt in your mouth!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Monica! We have lots of other scones on the blog if you’d like to try another new recipe 😊
Katy Keenan
Love this recipe!
Taryn Mele
I’ve made these many times. Most people that have tasted them have said they are the best scones they’ve ever had. My husband prefers them with slightly less chocolate chips. They freeze extremely well.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they’ve been such a success for you, Taryn! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review ❤
Amy
This recipe is always way too dry so I have to add an extra 1/2-3/4 cup cream but with that, they are perfect and my go to scone recipe
Marie Rennie
Sooo delicious!!
Theresa Johnson
This recipe is awesome! Baked up so nicely…followed recipe as is but did split it in half.
Will be making again!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Theresa! I wonder if the dough wasn’t quite formed properly so they split a little bit. Hopefully they don’t split on you next time. 🙂
Theresa J
Lol I mean I cut the recipe in half. Everything was perfect!