Crisp on the outside. Soft and warm on the inside. Oozing with chocolaty goodness. These chocolate chip scones are a breeze to throw together so you can be enJOYing a moment of sanctuary in a matter of minutes.
Confessions of a Chocoholic
I have to admit, I am a chocoholic. There I said it. Technically, I just know what I like and am a firm believer in celebrating life by treating myself to moments of sanctuary. We all need a little kindness and chocolate is my treat of choice. Usually, I indulge in my Chocolate Almond Biscotti, my Sunday baking ritual. But I am branching out after discovering these Chocolate Chip Scones. Truthfully, my frugal side manifested after seeing a four-pack of scones selling for $16. I knew I could bake 8-10 for a fraction of the cost. So I did. Not only are these super easy to bake, perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside, but they taste so wonderful alongside my favorite Ryze Mushroom Coffee or mugful of Hot Chocolate.
Creating the Perfect Scone Texture
The texture is the most important aspect of baking scones. The trick is keeping the butter chilled so that when it bakes in the oven the heat will cause the cold butter to release steam as it melts, which creates those flaky pockets, crispy crust, and soft inside. Blending it too long will incorporate the butter into the flour prematurely and give you a dense scone. Flaky and light is the goal for a biscuit or scone.
Grating the refrigerated or frozen butter into the flour mixture with a cheese grater will break it into tiny bits which will quickly incorporate into the dough. Ultimately the more you handle the dough the warmer it will become. I have hot hands so I use a pastry blender to work the butter in. Blend just until you can pinch some of the dough between your fingers and it sticks together. You want to see chunks of butter still. Dump out onto a floured surface and try not to touch it too much. The butter needs to stay chilled, not warmed by your hands.
Chocolate Chip Scones
Crisp on the outside. Soft and warm on the inside. Oozing with chocolaty goodness. These chocolate chip scones are a breeze to throw together, so you can be enJOYing a moment of sanctuary in a matter of minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (*see note below)
- 1/4 cup Sucanant whole cane sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Grate the cold butter (frozen or refrigerated) with a cheese grater into the bowl with the flour mixture and gently stir to incorporate. Try not to overmix. The mixture should be clumpy and course. The pieces of butter melt and steam while cooking, creating the flakiest scones. The less you handle, the lighter the scones will be.
- Add in the chocolate chips .
- Measure out the buttermilk and add in the vanilla and stir. Carefully add to the flour mixture and stir until incorporated. DO NOT overmix.
- Dump the mixture out onto the counter and shape into a circle about 1 1/2" thick.
- Cut the circle in half and then each half into 4-5 wedges.
- Place the wedges on the baking sheet and bake for 22 minutes until tops are slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes while you pick at the chocolate chips that fell by the wayside;)
Notes
*I purchase Jovial Foods Einkorn All-Purpose Flour and Central Milling Artisan Bakers Craft Unbleached White Wheat Flour, Organic from Azure Standard in bulk quantities.
Alternate Flavor: If baking Lemon Blueberry scones, swap out the chocolate chips for fresh or frozen blueberries and add the zest of one organic lemon to the flour mixture before adding the buttermilk.
Alternate Flavor: If baking Cranberry Orange scones, swap out the chocolate chips for fresh or frozen cranberries and add the zest of one organic orange to the flour mixture before adding the buttermilk.
Alternative Flavors: Blueberry Lemon or Cranberry Orange
For those who are not chocoholics, the base of this recipe, minus the chocolate chips, is so easily adaptable to all your creative whims. Changing out the chocolate chips for fresh cranberries and orange zest by folding in an additional 3/4 cup of fresh cranberries and zest of one organic orange will give you a wonderful fall or winter variation. I am not a fan of dried cranberries so I use fresh or frozen berries, but feel free to use dried cranberries. It’s a texture thing. Alternatively, during blueberry season, I love adding fresh blueberries with lemon zest for a seasonal twist. Don’t forget to prepare the lemon curd with the cranberry or blueberry flavor though…So good!
A Moment of Sanctuary
sanctuary: a calm and safe haven, a comforting place where you can relax and feel at peace away from the noise of the world around you.
If you have read any of my other posts, you have probably heard me mention the word Hygge. To learn more about Hygge, check out my post on Hygge, Happiness, and Abiding Joy. Every woman needs time to herself to be just herself. In my Simply Charlotte Mason homeschooling circles, I have heard it called Mother Culture for moms, or more generally, “me time”. My son has even taken notice when I haven’t set enough time to fuel up and has respectfully suggested I take some time to go out and have some alone time. I did that for a while but then realized, I didn’t really want to go out. I wanted everyone else to go out so I could have some time to myself at home.
My special time to myself always includes a special treat. Here are some of my favorite refuel moments:
- Chocolate Chip Scones or Tea Party Scones and Lemon Curd by the fire
- Chocolate Almond Biscotti with a cup of Vanilla Rooibos Tea or Ryze Mushroom Coffee
- Popcorn with a Pop and a good movie or good book
- Hot Fudge Sundae and a foot soak
- Kombucha or Citrus & Pine Winter Shrub in the garden
- Pilates and Tulsi Delight or Mint Tea (I had to put something that doesn’t make it sound like all I do is eat sweets all the time to refuel…)
Everyone needs to take a moment to be kind to themselves so they can continue pouring out to those around them.
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In everything you do -eat, play, and, love- may it always be Seasoned with Joy!
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