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Chocolate Chip Scones

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Sweet, tender, and buttery with morsels of warm chocolate, chocolate chip scones are a kid favorite.

Chocolate chip scones on parchment paper.

Whether it’s chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip granola bars, or chocolate chip muffins, I’ve found that anything dotted with chocolate chips will catch a kid’s eye. These chocolate chip scones are no exception — sweet, tender, and buttery with morsels of melted chocolate within, kids (and adults!) absolutely love them. They’re wonderful served warm out of the oven, especially on a lazy weekend morning when you feel like spoiling everyone. This recipe is a variation on my traditional cream scones. The difference is that these are a bit sweeter, dotted with chocolate chips, and flavored with vanilla. They also disappear faster, at least at my house.

“These are great! I’ve tried to make scones 3 times with other recipes, this is the first time they came out perfectly.”

Laurie

What You’ll need To Make Chocolate Chip Scones

ingredients for chocolate chip scones
  • Cake Flour: The base of the scones. Cake flour provides a softer, more delicate texture than all-purpose flour. Don’t have cake flour on hand? See the FAQs to see how to make your own cake flour using all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
  • Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the scones rise and become light and fluffy.
  • Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and enhances the flavor of the scones.
  • Butter: Incorporates richness and flavor, contributing to the scones’ buttery taste and flakiness.
  • Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: Infuse the scones with bursts of chocolate flavor.
  • Egg: Acts as a binding agent, helping to hold the scone dough together.
  • Heavy Cream: Provides moisture and richness, resulting in a tender and moist scone. Do not substitute light cream or milk
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile with its aromatic sweetness.
  • Demerara Sugar: (Also called raw or turbinado sugar) Sprinkled on top for a crunchy, caramelized texture and a hint of sweetness.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

dry ingredients for making chocolate chip scones in a mixing bowl

Begin by combining the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then whisk to blend.

whisked dry ingredients for making chocolate chip scones in a mixing bowl

Add the pieces of cold butter.

dry ingredients and chunks of butter in a mixing bowl for making chocolate chip scones

Use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles very coarse crumbs. Don’t worry about getting a uniform consistency. All those little pea-size clumps of butter create structure in the scones and make them tender and fluffy when baked.

butter mixed with flour in mixing bowl for making chocolate chip scones

Stir in the chocolate chips.

butter, flour and chocolate chips in mixing bowl for making chocolate chip scones

Combine the cream, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl.

cream, egg, and vanilla in mixing bowl for making chocolate chip scones

Whisk to blend.

liquid ingredients whisked together for making chocolate chip scones

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the cream mixture.

adding liquid ingredients to dry ingredients making chocolate chip scones

Stir with a rubber spatula until blended.

chocolate chip scone dough in a bowl

When the dough comes together, dump it onto a work surface dusted with flour. It should be sticky.

chocolate chip scone dough on a work surface dusted with flour

Gently knead the dough into a ball.

chocolate chip scone dough gently kneaded into a ball on work surface

And then press it into a flat circle about 3/4-inch high.

chocolate chip scone dough flattened into a circle on work surface

Cut the circle into 8 wedges.

chocolate chip scone dough cut into wedges before baking

Transfer the wedges to prepared baking sheet, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.

chocolate chip scone dough wedges sprinkled with coarse sugar on baking sheet

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch.

chocolate chip scones fresh out of the oven

Serve scones warm out of the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

Cake flour is finer and lower in protein, which makes lighter and fluffier scones. If you don’t have any on hand, a simple blend of all-purpose flour and a bit of cornstarch makes a great substitute. Simply whisk together 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup cornstarch. This easy swap will take your scones from just okay to fantastic, giving them that perfectly tender, fluffy, ultra-buttery crumb. If you’d like some other options for using up cake flour, take your pick from cherry cornmeal upside-down cake to crumb cake to pound cake.

Can scones be frozen?

Definitely! To freeze them before baking, place the raw scones on a baking sheet, let set in the freezer, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Wait until you’re ready to bake the scones to brush on the egg wash, and allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking, let the scones cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Before serving, remove the scones from the container and let them come to room temperature. (If you have the option to freeze the scones before or after baking them, you will get the best results if you freeze before baking.)

What is demerara sugar and is there a substitute for demerara sugar?

Demerara (also called raw or turbinado) sugar is a type of cane sugar with large, crunchy crystals and a slightly amber color. It has a natural caramel-like flavor and is often used to add texture and sweetness to the tops or exterior of baked goods like pecan shortbread cookies and strawberry muffins. If you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute light or dark brown sugar, or simply omit it.

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Chocolate Chip Scones

Sweet, tender, and buttery with morsels of warm chocolate, chocolate chip scones are a kid favorite.

Servings: 8 scones
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cake flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled with knife (see note on substitution)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, best quality such as Guittard or Ghirardelli
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅔ - ¾ cup heavy cream (do not substitute milk or light cream)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon demerara sugar (also called raw sugar or turbinado)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, salt, baking powder and granulated sugar. Add the pieces of cold butter. Use your fingertips to rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-size clumps of butter within. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together ⅔ cup heavy cream, the egg and the vanilla. Make a well in center of dry ingredients, then add the cream mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix until the dough comes together. It should be a bit sticky. If it seems dry, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream.
  4. Dust a work surface lightly with flour, then dump the sticky dough on top. Knead very gently a few times until the dough comes together into a ball, sprinkling more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky to work with. Press the dough into a circle about ¾-inch high, then cut into 8 wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, and then sprinkle evenly with the demerara sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the scones are lightly golden and firm to the touch. Serve warm.
  5. Note: If you don't have cake flour, you can make your own: simply whisk together 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup cornstarch.
  6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: To freeze before baking, place the raw scones on a baking sheet, let set in the freezer, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking, let the scones cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Before serving, remove the scones from the container and let them come to room temperature. (If you have the option to freeze the scones before or after baking them, you will get the best results if you freeze before baking.)

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 scone
  • Calories: 364
  • Fat: 20 g
  • Saturated fat: 12 g
  • Carbohydrates: 44 g
  • Sugar: 16 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Sodium: 217 mg
  • Cholesterol: 70 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Can I make the dough ahead of time, cut it into shape and refrigerate to bake the next morning?

    • Yes, definitely.

  • I made these to bring to work and I never actually got to eat one because they were gone in minutes. I heard nothing but rave reviews from my coworkers and got a few recipe requests. Someday I will make these again and taste one for myself; seems obvious that they are fabulous!

  • My boss gave me her scone recipe that I am sworn to not reveal…however, she doesn’t think it is a real scone recipe if it has an egg in it.
    I prefer, rather than the heat of my hands having an impact on the dough, using a pastry blender to mix the butter and flour. A while back either I got very tired, or discovered my cream had expired…so I put the flour butter mixture (no egg) into a zip lock in the fridge…where it stayed for 2-3 weeks. And when I finally got around to making them (I figured it would be an experiment, with low expectations), I also figured since I was experimenting…why not…and I used a large cookie scoop and plopped them on the cookie sheet…(on a silpat) and then patted them down before brushing with cream and sprinkling with sugar. Came out fine!

  • I love these scones. They are light but still substantial. I like to use the mini-chocolate chips so you get a little chocolate in each bite.

  • My family loves these scones. The only change I made to the recipe was to substitute mini chocolate chips in place of regular chips. Mouth watering!

  • Looks great! Love the site!

  • I have been looking for a good scone recipe and I like the hint about the cake flour. All scones are not made alike.

  • I have always wanted to try scones..I am glad I did these were delicious and easy to make. My brother in law loves scones and he enjoyed these. I’m glad I tried them.

    • — Sally Davenport
    • Reply
  • These are on the list of things to bring to our breakfast meeting. Can’t wait!

  • I was on a hunt for a good chocolate chip scone recipe and tried several different versions – these were the clear winner. Fluffy, moist, melt in your mouth scones!

    • — Shelley Thomas
    • Reply
  • I used to love munching on freshly baked scones when I worked in a coffee shop in my 20’s. This brings me way back! I will have to give this recipe a try. But, since I’m a nut lover, I’ll also have to throw in some chopped pecans for a great crunch amid all that sweetness.

  • These scones look fabulous and easy. My kids will love them! Thanks for sharing!

  • Made these once and loved them, definitely going to make them again! Highly recommended (but much easier in a food processor!!)

  • My family and I love scones, I made these for them and they were gone before they were fully cooled. Gonna make them again,

  • Wow! These were fantastic! I made them for Easter breakfast. My son loved them. He asked me the next day what happened to them. I had taken them to work and they were gone in a flash ! I have some baking now. Thanks so much for the recipe.

  • your daughter is so cute! must try these

  • Made my 2rd batch of these tonight at the request of my son. Dropping them off to him at college. Used dried cherries instead of chocolate chips and they are D-licious!

  • These are fantastic! I have made them several times. They just melt in your mouth if you eat them still warm from the oven.

  • FINALLY, a recipe to use up my cake flour. 😀

  • This recipe is perfect when looking for alternative to the traditional chocolate chip cookie.

  • Oh my goodness, these look delicious! Hopefully I can try them soon…

    • — Hanna Hutcheson
    • Reply
  • Can these be made the night before?

    • Hi Donna, These are really best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. Sorry!

      • Could the unbaked scones go into the fridge overnight and then bake in the morning? Also, what is the best way to store/package scones? Thank you so much!

        • Hi Joani, yes, you can refrigerate the scones overnight before baking them. And after baking, I’d store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!

  • I’ve never had them with chocolate chips before but I wasn’t disappointed. Still uncertain with St. Pat’s coming up if I can go without or back to the staple with berries. You may have ruined me forever

  • Baking is not my forte’ – I never have any luck with it. BUT these scones were easy to make and delicious! They were a hit with the kids and the adults. We had surprise visitors who raved about how good they were. THANK YOU!

  • These scones were soo good right out of the oven.
    I always keep heavy cream in the refrigerator just for good eats like this. Cream lasts longer than most folks think especially towards the back.

  • I love scones! I’m going to make mine with cinnamon chips.

    • — crystal heckel
    • Reply
  • These are going to be made this weekend. Fabulous!

  • Took these to work and everyone wanted the recipe!

  • Very good scone recipe. My daughters (ages 12 and 8) beg me to make these. Definitely a favorite in our house!

  • I have never made scones and always wanted to – thanks for the inspiration!

  • I have made these scones a few times now and normally I’m not a scone person, but these were the best! Very tender and with just the right amount of sweetness from the chips! Love them,

    • — Marissa Pacelli
    • Reply
  • Haven’t tried this yet, but they look so good! I certainly want these for breakfast!

  • I have never made scones…..I don’t think I have ever eaten them either…But, I am seriously considering giving these a try, they look tender and sound sweet and with chocolate how could you go wrong!?!?!?! 🙂

  • Love scones! Best thing to have with a cup of good coffee. Bet they would be great with a few white choc. bits added as well!

  • I made these last weekend. They were so delish right out of the oven! Thanks for all of the great recipes! 🙂

  • This looks so YUMMY! Can not wait to try them….

  • Are they bad if made with regular flower, or just not as amazing?

    • Eliana, They’ll still be good, just not as tender.

  • Can’t wait to try these this weekend. Always looking for good scone recipes.

  • We LOVE scones, they are so easy to make and so much cheaper than buying them and this recipe is a keeper!! Thanks!

  • Interesting. I do not use egg in mine (allergic to same) and use buttermilk, so mine are little more like biscuits.

  • I’m a scone lover, but never attempted to make them. Two things made me try your recipe. First, what you wrote about what a perfect scone should be, totally agree with you. Second, your recipe looked so easy. I want to thank you so much for sharing this recipe, they were PERFECT! I’m using this as my basic recipe for different flavors.

  • I’ve never been successful with baking; however, this looked pretty easy, so I thought I’d give it a try. I made a beautiful mess in the kitchen and was feeling rather proud of myself when I put them in the oven – until I realized I forgot to sprinkle the sugar on top. I buy in bulk, so I had my sugar in a little plastic bag and waas opening the oven and frantically trying to sprinkle the sugar without letting too much heat out, not realizing I was resting the bag on the oven door – which, of course, put a hole in the bag and sugar went everywhere in the oven. I was ready to cry! But, aside from the drama, they turned out AMAZING! This is the first baking item I am going to be proud to share. Thank you so much!!

  • So, so good! I made these this morning- they were perfect for a chilly November morning. I thank you, and so does my husband.

  • Most amazing scones ever! More tender and flaky than any other scones I’ve tried. Thank you thank you thank you!

  • I love scones and chocolate chip are my favorite. They looked like they are baked to perfection!

  • Thanks for a “hand-made” recipe…I find baking therapeutic to begin with, so this is right up my alley! I have a feeling these will disappear quickly at my house, as well. P.S. Your daughter is adorable! 🙂

  • These are delicious (and pretty easy to make)! Terry said they are the best scones he has ever had 🙂

  • Hi Sarah, Thanks so much for your comment! I’ve never baked on wax paper but you could just use a lightly greased baking sheet. The parchment is just for easy clean up. Hope you enjoy the scones. They are a definite favorite at my house!

  • I love scones! Definitely will be trying these 🙂

  • Hi! These look amazing, I cannot wait to try them. Maybe this Saturday morning! I’ve been baking a ton lately and there have been a few recipes that call for parchment paper and I’m wondering if I can substitute wax paper? I’ve never tried it because I’m afraid it will melt on my cookie sheet, but parchment paper is a little expensive…

    • Wax paper won’t melt onto your pans, I use it all the time…

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