Chocolate Chip Scones
This chocolate chip scone recipe is wonderfully tender, lightly sweetened and perfect alongside a cup of coffee for breakfast or dessert.
Yesterday, I shared with you the risotto that my mom requests for dinner each year for her birthday. For dessert, she turns down cake and asks that I make a batch of these chocolate chip scones instead. I believe this was the third baking recipe that I ever attempted on my own (behind peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars and chocolate chip-pecan pie bars) and it quickly turned into one of my family’s favorite treats. These chocolate chip scones are incredibly easy to make, plus I’m all-in on anything with chocolate chips that can be passed off as a breakfast food.
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The scones have a very tender texture – not quite flaky like a biscuit and not as cakey as a muffin, but a perfect combination of the two. They aren’t overly sweet, either, except for the chocolate chips, of course. If you keep your pantry stocked with bags of chocolate chips (who doesn’t?!) and heavy cream in your fridge, then you likely have everything you need to throw these scones together in no time at all. One bowl and only a handful of ingredients is all it takes!
What’s your favorite sweet-for-breakfast recipe?
Chocolate Chip Scones
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 3¼ cups (406.25 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) chocolate chips, semisweet or dark
- 2 cups (476 ml) heavy cream, cold
For the Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir the heavy cream into the flour mixture, stirring just until ingredients are moistened.
- Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until a soft dough forms (about 2 minutes). Divide the dough into two equal balls. Working with one at a time, pat each one into an 8-inch circle and cut into 8 triangles. Transfer the triangles to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature. These scones are best served the day that they are made, but can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag to store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on May 13, 2007.
Can you use another type of flour one that is gluten free, and will it work.
Hi Leslie, I have never tried using a gluten-free flour, so I’m not sure how it would affect this particular recipe.
These scones are WAY too wet! I even held back a little cream and still couldn’t get any sort of triangle shape to stay (so I made “blobs”) after adding a little more flour and not seeing any difference. I can make biscuits in my sleep but every scone recipe I’ve ever tried has been a big wet mess.
Tried out this recipe and it turned out awesome!!! Kids had their friends over and they really enjoyed it. I added a dash of vanilla though. It was a liitle sticky but manageable with dusting of flour. Loved the texture. It’s certainly a keeper! I would have posted the pictures of the scones I made if I could.
Good recipe. Easy to make and they are delicious. We ate them right from the oven. Watch out for hot chocolate chips! :)
I tried these for the first time and the dough was so soupy. I added twice the flour but not sure how they will turn out because I overmixed to make them the correct consistency. bummer! I will stick with a butter based recipe.
Buonissimo! I used the chocolates my kids recieved for easter. I reccomend to try this. Thank you for this recipe.
Just wanted to say that I’ve baked these a few times now and it’s a fantastic recipe! They’re better than any scones I could buy at the store–delicious and not-too-crumbly texter, and the chocolate chips give it the perfect balance between sweet and bready. Great post!
Can I use soy milk as a substitute for the heavy cream. Id like to make them non-dairy.
Hi Eli, I’ve never tried to use a non-dairy substitute for the heavy cream in these scones. If you give it a try, let me know how it works out!
So good! And so easy. Perfect Sunday breakfast :) Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Michelle, I really want to give these a try. I’d like to know if it’s possible to sub some of the cream with milk or buttermilk so i don’t have to use 2 full cups of cream.
Hi Daliya, I would not recommend making those substitutions, as these are cream scones.
I loved these and they turned out beautifully. My problem is I have two members of my family who eat gluten free and I tried to make these with gluten free flour. TOTAL disaster! They were crumbly and not properly cooked in the middle. Can you give me some advice as I am new to gluten free cooking. Should I add more liquid or lower oven temp and cook longer?
I love your recipes and thank you for all the great things I have cooked from your site. (Also your son and dogs are adorable and I love the fact you share photos of them with us)
Hi Lesley, Oh no! I honestly haven’t done much at all in the way of gluten-free baking, so I’m afraid I’m not going to be of much help. I know King Arthur Flour has some great resources online – they might have a section about gluten free baking!
Oh my goodness- yummy! I love just about ANY sweet breakfast food, and these look amazing!
I’m not a big sweets for breakfast person, usually preferring last night’s dinner leftovers (aka mac and cheese for breakfast). BUT my parents visit from out of town often and my dad has a SERIOUS sweet tooth with his coffee. Will be trying these next time he visits!
As a southern gal I love a sweet biscuit, I mean scone. These look beautiful! Chocolate should be eaten for every meal :)
These look so darn YUMMY!!!
This recipe looks delicious and so easy….I am going to bake these with my kids!~Carolyn @ Cabot
This has become my go to scone recipe! Light and flaky. Delicious flavor. I just add whatever I am in the mood for – diced dried apricots, dried cranberries and pecans. This recipe is so good that I make it with no additions, too – sometimes I just want a plain scone. All that said, these scones with mini chocolate chips are a hit everywhere I take them!
Hi Michelle, Am I doing the math right? Two circles of dough, 8 per circle = 16 scones. Or do you divide into 3 to get the 24 servings? I love your recipes and you are my go to for trying new things. Thanks!!
Hi Susan, Yes, you’re correct, I’ve corrected it above in the recipe. Thanks!
I saw these scones and I thought that it would be perfect for chamber orchestra snacks (early in the morning)! Unfortunately, chamber orchestra does indeed begin quite early (7:25, which means that I have to get up at 6:00) so I don’t think I could make the dough the morning of, but I still want them to be somewhat warm when I get there. Would it be possible to make the dough the night before, refrigerate it and bake it the next morning? If so, how would you recommend that I do that?
Hi Ashley, Yes, you could definitely do that! You could refrigerator the dough whole and shape/bake in the morning, or you could cut out the scones, place on the baking sheet, and refrigerate. Then, just brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar before baking in the morning.
Made these today for a party and they were sooo good! Got lots of rave reviews from my friends. Thanks for the yumminess!
These are awesome! It’s nice to have an easy recipe for these, I will now be abandoning the other recipe that I had been using! :) Everything in one bowl–couldn’t be easier! And I like the fact that I don’t have to cut butter into the dough–so much easier to just use the heavy whipping cream! Thanks for posting this recipe!
I made these tonight and they were so good! Next time I make them I think I will add a little orange zest and an orange juice glaze on top. Love the chocolate- orange flavor combination, especially near the holidays.
Love the recipe! I’ve never made scones before but think I’ve give it a try! I hope your Mom has a fabulous birthday!!! Enjoy!!!
Hi! Does it matter if you use unsalted or salted butter to brush the scones or will either do just fine?
Either one will work just fine!
I think these scones are one of best baked goods I’ve ever eaten. Such an easy recipe, too, with the cream instead of chilled butter. I did sub 1 cup of white chocolate chips and 1 cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and left out the nuts. I’m wondering if they freeze well.
I just wanted you to know that these are my ‘go to’ scones for any event I may have to self-cater for work. For example, I used them as a portion of a breakfast at a conference I hosted in July. They were a huge success. And I also used them as refreshments during an art show with coffee and pound cake. The college students were DYING for the recipe. College students don’t cook, so it must have been fantastic.
Thanks for sharing your love!
I just made these scones and they are so fluffy. It was the perfect texture. Much better than my first try at scones. Using another recipe, I made dense, tough scones. I’m glad I have redeemed myself! :)
The scones were very easy and delicious. A little too much chocolate for my taste but my father devoured them. : ) I also used 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour. They were great! : )
Thank you for posting this recipe! My MIL made them for us and then passed on the recipe and we’ve been making them ever since. We always use mint chips and dark chocolate chips and have thoroughly enjoyed every batch.
I’m hoping to make these for a brunch on Friday (today is Sunday) and was wondering if I could mix up the dough today, shape the scones, and then freeze the scones until Friday morning? Would that work and if so, how should I adjust the baking time?
Hi Emma, Yes, that would work just fine. You’ll just need to increase the baking time 2 or 3 minutes, or until they’re lightly browned.
Thanks; they’re in the freezer right now! :)