Breads & Doughs

How to Make Chocolate Scones

4.70 from 151 votes
Yes, you read that right… chocolate scones. If you love chocolate as much as I do read on for the most indulgent of breakfast treats!
My chocolate scones recipe out of the oven.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: These chocolate scones are far from traditional, but no less amazing. With every bite, you are immersed in chocolate flavor from the bittersweet cocoa in the scone itself, to the rich chocolate chips, to the sweet chocolate glaze that graces the top. Whether it’s a special occasion or just another breakfast or afternoon tea, try my chocolate scones!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was updated and improved on 8/31/23, to include a step-by-step tutorial video, answers to the most frequently asked questions and more Chef’s Pro Tips. 

What is it that makes scones so delightful? Is it the warm, sweet scent when they are first pulled from the oven? Is it the way the butter and a touch of salt mingle with the bit of sugar? Or, would you say, it’s that flaky texture that gives way to a soft center?

However you love your scones, just imagine all this…with chocolate! One heavenly bite of my chocolate scones and you won’t stop wondering where these have been all your life! You may never look back!

[ Want a Traditional Irish Scone? Make my Best-Ever Irish Scones! ]

A tray of double chocolate scones, drizzled with chocolate, and cut into triangles.

Table of Contents

What Are Chocolate Scones?

  • A scone is a traditional Irish baked good, made with wheat flour and butter, that is a sweeter version of an American biscuit. It is denser than a muffin, and softer and cakier than shortbread.
  • A chocolate scone is all this with cocoa powder and chocolate chips added in! The result is a scone that has a rich, chocolaty taste while still retaining the characteristic crumbly and slightly dense texture of a traditional scone.

Key Ingredients and Why

  • All-purpose flour (aka plain flour)

    • All-purpose flour has protein around 8-11% which ensures scones a sturdy enough structure to hold shape or mix-ins without being tough.
    • You can use gluten-free flours and be sure to check out my tips below.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder

    • Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, unsweetened natural cocoa powder, or cacao powder (from raw cacao beans) for an intense and robust chocolate flavor.
  • Granulated sugar

    • Sugar sweetens chocolate scones, balancing out the bitterness from cocoa powder.
    • It tenderizes chocolate scones by weakening gluten formation, and softens scones by holding onto and adding moisture.
    • In addition, sugar coats air bubbles to retain air, making scones rise so the results are not too dense.
    • Last but not least, sugar contributes to the browning process through Maillard reaction, leading to a visually-appealing dolden-brown color.
    • You can use sugar substitute of your choice from my Sugar Substitute Chart.
  • Baking powder

    • The baking powder gets activated when mixed with liquid and exposed to heat.
    • This produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles to make scones expand and rise, contributing to the scones’ light, airy, and less dense texture, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing final product.
  • Salt

    • Salt enhances the scones and complements the sweet and bitter flavors.
  • Butter

    • Make Homemade Butter for the freshest superior taste and creamiest consistency.
    • I always use salted butter for extra flavor from salt but unsalted butter will work as well.
    • FROZEN butter contains colder water (than non-frozen butter), which will evaporate during baking to help scones rise and create layers.
  • Heavy cream

    • Taste: Heavy cream enriches chocolate scones,
    • Appearance: It binds ingredients together, leading to the even distribution of chocolate chips. And it contributes to the browning, giving the exterior a deep beautiful color.
    • Texture: Heavy cream not only adds moisture to scones but also helps create a tender crumb by coating the flour particles and inhibiting gluten formation. This leads to a more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture rather than a tough and chewy one.
  • Milk

    • I use full-fat/whole milk.
    • Another milk of your choice will also work here. (Adjust it accordingly to get the same consistency dough as the video. )
  • Egg wash

    • Egg wash keeps scones moist and produces a shinny exterior.
    • You can use beaten whole egg, egg yolk with water, milk, yogurt, or melted butter.
  • Powdered sugar

    • Powdered sugar is finer than granulated sugar or caster sugar, leading to a smooth glaze.
    • You’ll never run out of it when you start using my recipe for Powdered Sugar.
  • Vanilla extract

    • Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of chocolate scones.
    • Make your own using my recipe for Homemade Extract at a fraction of the store price!
  • Chocolate chips

    • You can use milk chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips.

Tools You Need

How To Make Chocolate Scones

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add butter to the dry mix and cut in with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Mix and add wet ingredients—cream, milk, and chocolate chips—to the flour mixture.
  5. Quickly combine the ingredients until a loose dough forms. Knead on a floured surface a few times until the dough holds together. Pat into a one-inch thick circle.
  6. Cut dough into eight even triangles or wedges using a pastry scraper, and place on a baking sheet.
  7. Let scones chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tops are firm and scones sound hollow when tapped.
  9. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  10. Make the glaze while the scones are cooling: stir powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla until smooth
  11. Serve: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones and let set before enjoying.

How Do I Store Chocolate Scones?

  • Store chocolate scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. 
  • For longer storage, place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months. Because of the chocolate glaze, these scones are best defrosted slowly at room temperature for an hour or two.

Drizzling my chocolate scones recipes with even more chocolate.

FAQs

Can I make these chocolate scones gluten-free?

  • Check out my Guide to the Best Gluten-Free Flours for details.
  • Use one-half to three-quarters of the amount of liquid called for, and then add more if needed to get the same consistency as what’s called for in the recipe.

Can I freeze individual raw scones?

  • Yes, once the dough is formed and cut into individual scones, you can freeze them as needed.
  • When it’s time to bake, take them out of the freezer to thaw at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes then bake at 400°F (200°C) for roughly 25-30 minutes or until golden brown all over on the outside.

How do I reheat chocolate scones?

  • If you have frozen scones, defrost them at room temperature while preheating the oven for roughly 15 minutes.
  • Reheat your room-temperature or defrosted chocolate scones at 350°F(180c°) for 10 minutes or until warm throughout.

Gemma’s Pro Tips For Making Chocolate Scones

  • Prep Your Space! Have your baking sheet and a floured surface for kneading ready before you begin—this will allow you to work quickly once you have the dough mixed. 
  • Use COLD butter! Cold butter makes the dough easier to handle and gives you the best-textured scones! For this recipe, you can either grate frozen butter or cut butter into very tiny cubes and freeze for 5 or 10 minutes to make sure it doesn’t melt as you are mixing the dough.
  • If you have trouble keeping butter cold during kneading, you can also grate frozen butter using a box grater and putting them into the flour. You can do this whenever you have time, and then keep butter curls in the freezer.  This is the trick to making these the biggest and boldest scones.
  • Don’t over-knead! It is very important not to over-knead your dough, or you will have dense scones. Once you add the liquid, combine quickly, just until the dough holds together.
  • Chill out! After cutting out your scones, let them chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let the butter firm up and let the gluten relax. Do this and you’ll be rewarded with tender scones!
  • Elevate your chocolate scones with butter and jam!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was updated and improved on 8/31/23, to include a step-by-step tutorial video, answers to the most frequently asked questions and more Chef’s Pro Tips. 

Don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking cookbook!

Watch The Recipe Video!

How To Make Chocolate Scones Recipe

4.70 from 151 votes
Yes, you read that right… my chocolate scones recipe. If you love chocolate as much as I do read on for the most indulgent of breakfast treats!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 8 scones
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Yes, you read that right… my chocolate scones recipe. If you love chocolate as much as I do read on for the most indulgent of breakfast treats!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 8 scones

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups (11 ¼ oz/319g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (1oz/28g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup (4oz/115g) granulated sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (4oz/115g) cold butter, cubed
  • 1 cup (6oz/170g) chocolate chips
  • ½ cup (4floz/115ml) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (4floz/115ml) milk
  • egg wash

Chocolate Glaze

  • ¾ cup (3oz/85g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add butter to the dry mix and cut in with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  • Add the cream, milk and chocolate chips to the flour mixture. Working quickly, combine ingredients until a loose dough forms.
  • Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly a few times, just until dough holds together. Pat into an 8-inch circle and 1-inch thick.
  • Cut dough into 8 even triangles and place on a baking sheet. Let scones firm up in the fridge for 15 minutes.
  • Egg wash the scones and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tops are firm and scones sound hollow when tapped.
  • Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a rack to finish cooling.

Making the Chocolate Glaze

  • Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla until smooth and no lumps show.
  • Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones and let set before devouring! You can store these scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or for longer storage, freeze them for up to 2 months.
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Sue
Sue
3 years ago

OH!!! So I whipped them up, baked them, cooled them, drizzled them, ate one. Immediately packed the rest up and got them out of the house. Gave to friends. I knew they just were too awesome to keep around. Thanks Gemma for a great recipe!

Sineen
Sineen
3 years ago

Hi
Gemma
I wanted to ask what can we use instead of heavy cream in the chocolate scones
Sineen 😊

Maureen
Maureen
3 years ago

Love,love,love.

Samantha Lozano
Samantha Lozano
3 years ago

It could just be me, but I’m not seeing how much of the ingredients to use. 🤷‍♀️

Eve-Marie
Eve-Marie
3 years ago

My dough was very wet and gooey. I’m pretty sure I used the correct amounts. Too bad there isn’t an accompanying video for this recipe…it would have been helpful to see the expected consistency of the dough. But they turned out edible and tasty nonetheless!

Amber
Amber
3 years ago

So good!!

Amanda Kelly
3 years ago

These came out perfect!!! I was craving scones and I received the Chocolate scones BBB email and immediately whipped them up! Sent some to my in-laws and they said it was out of this world delicious!

Sue Parker
Sue Parker
1 year ago

WOW. That is what everyone says about these scones. Light and chocolaty! For fun cut back a bit on the chocolate chips and added chopped dried tart cherries. Gilding the lily. Used Trader Joe’s heavy cream. Did not put on the glaze as am always in a rush. But no one missed it.

Bakertry
3 years ago

I tried these with homemade oat flour, trying to save our regular flour, and they came out tasty. Not the texture of regular scones, a bit crumbly, but very tasty. Will definately try again when we can get more regular flour.

Mommom baker
Mommom baker
3 years ago

I love chocolate and I love scones. These are fabulous! And during this time of staying at home, these were just the thing to perk me up – my neighbors too.

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Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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