Glazed Dark Chocolate Chip Scones are next-level goodness on the scone Richter scale. Tender, flaky, rich scones made with buttermilk and stuffed with dark chocolate pieces, then drizzled with sweet yogurt glaze is my idea of afternoon tea (or breakfast!) heaven!
Scones and chocolate are probably two of my favourite things, so it felt only natural to combine them. I love making traditional English scones as their buttery, flaky crumb with crisp exterior topped with cream and jam makes for the most perfect afternoon tea.
However, I wanted to shake things up and whilst using the base recipe from my tried and tested traditional scone recipe, I’ve swapped out the milk in exchange for buttermilk and then thrown in a heap of chocolate into the dough. The result is THE most tender scones. The acidity of the buttermilk breaks down the gluten strands in the dough resulting in pure delicious flakiness. The chocolate melts into oozing puddles dotted throughout the buttery interior of the scone and the glaze provides the perfect sweetness to balance the dark chocolate. Perfection!
I just can’t get enough of chocolate treats for afternoon tea (nor can my children for that matter!) These Chocolate Chip Scones make the perfect mid-week snack along with Chocolate Hazelnut Granola Bars and Peach Crumble Cups.
Today, I’ll share with you how I create these scones and help you along with photos and instructions. You’ll realise just how simple they are to make. We definitely don’t want any hard, dry rocks! I urge you to check out my Foolproof Scone Recipe where I share all my tips and tricks when making scones - and they all apply to this recipe!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Uses pantry ingredients. Flour, butter, egg and buttermilk make up the core ingredients of these scones and you're most likely going to have them in your kitchen. (I share with you how to make your own).
- Quick to make. The scones come together in ten minutes or under and with a short refrigeration time and then bake time, you could be enjoying these buttermilk chocolate chip scones in under an hour.
- Perfect for afternoon tea. Served alongside a cup of tea these make the perfect afternoon snack.
Ingredients needed
Let's delve into the ingredients needed to make beautiful flaky, soft scones in this easy foolproof scone recipe.
- Self-raising flour - Part of the success of making scones lies in the height that they rise. Using self-raising flour will greatly improve your chances as it has a raising agent already mixed through. (Check out my FAQ's below if you can only get plain flour.
- Salt & baking powder -Salt adds depth to the flavour and the extra baking powder helps create a little more lift.
- Caster sugar - Add sweetness, feel free to use granulated sugar if that is all you have.
- Buttermilk - A beautiful addition to these scones providing richness and helping with their tender texture. Double cream/heavy cream, sour cream or yogurt can be used as a substitute. To make homamde butter milk, see tip below.
- Large Egg - The egg helps bind the ingredients together but also increases the richness and flavour.
- Unsalted butter - Has to be cold in order to create flaky layers within the scone.
- Dark chocolate chips- Use dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate coarsely chopped .
- Yogurt glaze - made with powdered icing sugar and Greek yogurt, this glaze provides the perfect sweetness against the dark chocolate. But please omit if you'd prefer.
TIP: To make homemade buttermilk: Add 30ml lemon juice (or white vinegar) to 210ml milk and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Once the milk has started to curdle, you are ready to use your homemade buttermilk.
Step-by-step instructions
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
Now that we’ve had a look at the ingredients needed for these scones, let's get to business and actually make these dark chocolate scones.
1.Sift dry ingredients together. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Sift your dry ingredients; flour, baking powder and salt. Add in the sugar and stir together. (Image 1)
2. Whisk wet ingredients together. In a bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla extract, then add the buttermilk and whisk together. (Image 2) Put one tablespoon of the egg mixture to one side- this will be your egg wash to be used later on.
3. Add butter to flour. Add the chopped butter and using your fingertips, toss the pieces until they are separated and coated with flour. In the bowl, set roughly ¼ of the butter cubes to the side of the bowl. (Image 3) Using your fingertips, rub the flour and remaining butter together until it looks like breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, use a pastry cutter)
Now rub the remaining cubes of butter into the flour but this time leave them larger until they are the size of peas. (Image 4)
TIP: The buttermilk and butter have to be cold to have success with this chocolate scones recipe. Refrigerate measured ingredients for half an hour before continuing on with the recipe if needs be. If you have warm hands, run them under cold water to cool them down but fore starting the recipe.
4. Combine wet into the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry mix and pour in the whisked egg/buttermilk mixture into the centre. Using a fork, stir together. (Image 5) Add in the chopped chocolate and mix through. It will still be very shaggy at this point and feel quite sticky. If necessary, use your hands to lightly bring it all together incorporating the dry flour left at the bottom of the bowl.
5. Bring the dough together and roll it out. Tip the scone mix onto a lightly floured surface and using your hands, bring it together and gently flatten it out.
We're going to use a folding technique to create flaky layers and incorporate air into the dough and minimise kneading. I use a bench scraper to help me out. Fold the dough in half and turn, (Image 6) then fold in half again. Using your hands, shape and press the dough into a round disc or gently roll with a rolling pin until the dough is roughly 4 cm (11⁄2 inches) thick. (Image 7)
TIP: The scones don’t need to be cut out into wedges. Stamp out rounds with a cookie cutter if you’d prefer.
6. Place dough on the prepared tray. With a sharp knife (or using the bench scraper), cut the disc into 8 equal-sized. wedges. Now refrigerate the tray for 30 minutes to rest the dough. Pre-heat oven to 200C (425F) whilst the scones are in the fridge.
7. Egg wash and bake. Using the egg wash that you set aside earlier, brush the tops of the scones. (Image 8) Take care not to let any drip down the sides of the scones as this can inhibit their rise. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and well risen. (Image 9)
8. Make yogurt glaze. In a bowl sift in powdered icing sugar then add Greek yogurt and whisk. Add a touch more if needed. Glaze should be thick. (Image 10) Once scones are baked, allow to cool slightly then drizzle with glaze. Best eaten the day they are made.
Variations
Chocolate versus chocolate chips. Confession time - this recipe is called Chocolate Chip Scones, but in truth, I actually prefer to use chocolate bars, chopped coarsely, in the scones instead of chocolate chips. When melted, chopped chocolate turns into oozing puddles whereas chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape when baked, so you don't get that same melted chocolate puddle. Huffington Post has an interesting article on tests they ran using chocolate chips vs chocolate chunks vs chopped chocolate. You do you in this situation - whatever your preference, they will still taste delicious.
Now that we’ve added in chocolate to the recipe here are some other ideas for what to add into your scones:
- Dried Fruit: From apricots, cherries, cranberries or raisins, any others dried fruit is a welcome addition.
- Fresh Fruit: Don't think you have to stick with dried fruit only. Oh no. Any type of fresh fruit like strawberries, peaches, pears or raspberries for example, when chopped into small pieces and mixed through are sensational.
- Nuts: Hazelnuts, almonds, pecans are some examples of nuts to mix in with your fruit or chocolate.
Make sure to checkout my Foolproof Scone Recipe for loads of ideas on flavoured scones.
Pro tips
- Use cold ingredients and cold hands. This prevents the scones from spreading when baked
- Don't over mix. This creates tough scones which we don't want!
- Refrigerate the dough. This need to be done before baking. Don't skip this step - it helps cool and harden the butter which inturn helps with the rise in the oven.
Frequently asked questions
To re-cap on my pro-tips: Use cold ingredients, don’t overmix and refrigerate the dough before baking.
Make sure your baking powder is in date. Out of date powder will inhibit the rise.
The age-old question and one that can cause controversy. Some say scones shouldn’t have eggs, some say they should (like myself). I believe scones benefit from the egg as it binds the ingredients, adds flavour but also acts as a leavener and aids in the rise, leading to increased fluffiness.
How to store and freeze
To store: These Chocolate Chip Scones are best served fresh and slightly warm. To store them, wrap them in plastic wrap or place them in a ziplock bag to retain their moisture and prevent them from drying out. Leave at room temperature. They should last 1 to 2 days.
To freeze: Once baked scones are cooled, wrap immediately in plastic wrap or place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in the oven or microwave.
Tools you’ll need
- Large Mixing Bowl: Using only one bowl for this recipe- it's simplicity at its best! I love how easy this recipe is to come together.
- Bench scraper: I don't know where I'd be without my bench scraper. So useful in many ways. Use it in the recipe to help fold the flattened dough disc in half and then again into quarters. It also helps to scrape down the surface when packing everything away.
More chocolate recipes that you may like
If you tried this Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scone Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how you go in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Also, please leave a star rating whilst you're there!
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This post was originally published in August 2019 but has been updated with new photos, new content and a revised recipe.
Chocolate Chip Scones Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Scones
- 375 g self-raising flour
- 12 g caster sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 210 g buttermilk, cold
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 90 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 150 g dark chocolate 70%
Yogurt Glaze
- 120 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1-2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Scones
- Sift dry ingredients together. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Into a large mixing bowl, sift in your dry ingredients; flour, baking powder and salt. Add in the sugar and stir together.
- Whisk wet ingredients together. In a bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla extract, then add the buttermilk and whisk together. Once whisked, set aside one tablespoon of the egg mixture- this will be your egg wash to be used later on.
- Add butter to flour. Add the chopped butter and using your fingertips, toss the pieces until they are separated and coated with flour. In the bowl, set roughly ¼ of the butter cubes to the side of the bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the flour and remaining butter together until it looks like breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, use a pastry cutter) Now rub the remaining cubes of butter into the flour but this time leave them larger until they are the size of peas.
- Combine wet into the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry mix and pour in the whisked egg/buttermilk mixture into the centre. Use a fork to stir until the mixture just starts to come together to form a dough. Add in the chopped chocolate and mix through. It will still be very shaggy at this point and feel quite sticky. If necessary, use your hands to lightly bring it all together incorporating the dry flour left at the bottom of the bowl.
- Bring the dough together and roll it out. Tip the scone mix onto a lightly floured surface and using your hands, bring it together and gently flatten it out. We're going to use a folding technique to create flaky layers and incorporate air into the dough and minimise kneading. I use a bench scraper to help me out. Fold the dough in half and turn, then fold in half again. Using your hands, shape and press the dough into a round disc or gently roll with a rolling pin until the dough is roughly 4 cm (11⁄2 inches) thick.
- Place dough on the prepared tray. With a sharp knife (or using the bench scraper), cut the disc into 8 equal-sized. wedges. Now refrigerate the tray for 30 minutes to rest the dough. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (425°F) whilst the scones are in the fridge.
- Egg wash and bake. Using the egg wash that you set aside earlier, brush the tops of the scones. Take care not to let any drip down the sides of the scones as this can inhibit their rise. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and well risen.
Yogurt Glaze
- Make yogurt glaze. In a bowl sift in powdered icing sugar then add Greek yogurt and whisk. Add a touch more if needed. Glaze should be thick. Once scones are baked, allow to cool slightly then drizzle with glaze. Best eaten the day they are made.
All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Sarah
These Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones look absolutely scrumptious Emma! The glaze on top of them looks divine! What a happy email to land in my inbox on a Monday morning! I can't wait to try these this afternoon - they are the perfect week day treat- so simple to make! Can't wait. x
Emma
Thank you so much Sarah for that lovely feedback. I do hope that you love them as much as my family does!