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 scones 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 (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter very cold and cut into cubes
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (85 g) mini chocolate chips
Vanilla Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- 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 (250 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) 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 (113 g) unsalted butter
- Combine heavy cream and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and whisk together. Pour evenly over flour/butter mixture.½ cup (118 ml) 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 (85 g) 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 (125 g) 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.
Susie
Could you use buttermilk instead of heavy cream? I always have buttermilk on hand.
Sam
Hi Susie! I haven’t tried it, but I think it could work. You may need slight adjustments to the amount if the buttermilk is a little thinner or a little thicker. 🙂
Karen
I love these scones, and have made them often. I have made different flavor varieties, both large and small. However, my scones tend to spread quite a bit in the oven. I do use very cold butter, don’t handle the dough very much, and often will put the dough i. The frig to get cold Gain before baking. Any suggestions.
Kirstie Sanchez
I’ve never commented on a Pinterest recipe before but these deserve it! I made these scones about a month ago. It was my first time making scones and the recipe was so easy! And they came out so good! I’m making 2 batches in the morning but am going to try one batch with blueberries instead of chocolate chips! I’ve been wanting to make them again since I made them the first time so I’m excited!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Kirstie! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
Monica
can you freeze this after you make them?
Sam
Hi Monica! That should work just fine. 🙂
Misty Jones
I’ve made these twice this week and the second time I did a double batch! These are soooo good!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re SO happy you like the scones, Misty 🩷
Kelly P
I have never made scones and am generally not a great baker but this recipe was foolproof! So tender, just sweet enough and I did not use the glaze just the heavy cream wash with sugar. Thank you for the video tutorial it was very helpful!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for letting us know how you enjoyed them, Kelly!
Sar
Just made these and they are delicious. Added a frosting glaze. Thanks!
Cybil
This was my first time making scones and I did it! The directions were precise and the scones were delicious. I used spelt flour and half and half instead of the cream (I didn’t have any on hand) and they were amazing. I will be trying more of your recipes. Thank you so much!!
Kay
I make these for company all the time, and they’re always a huge hit. I use vegan Becel brick butter and Silk soy creamer to make them vegan. So good!
Ryan Hubbard
Let me just say, making these was a process, but it was SO worth it.
I doubled the recipe because I was making these for my classmates, so it took quite a while to get all of the flour and butter combined. Eventually, I just did it in batches and combined them after. I was extremely pleased with how these came out, and they were delicious! My dad used to make a similar recipe when I was little, so these brought back great memories.
Thanks for this recipe, I will definitely make them again!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Ryan! 🙂