Name: Tender Chocolate Chip Scones with Sparkling Sugar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups All-Purpose Flour; 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar; 1/4 tsp Salt; 2 tsp Baking Powder; 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, very cold and cut into small cubes (or grated); 1/2 cup Whole Milk, plus 1 tbsp extra for milk wash (applied before baking); 1 Large Egg; 2 tsp Vanilla Extract; 2/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips; Sparkling Sugar, applied after milk wash

Golden on the outside and dusted with sparkling sugar, these chocolate chip scones have a soft, tender middle studded with semi-sweet chips. They come together fast and make a breakfast or brunch treat that is sweet without being too sweet!

Chocolate chip scones drizzled with melted chocolate on a round wire cooling rack with a small bowl of melted chocolate placed close by.

Why These Scones Are a Favorite

Simple to mix up and ready in no time.
Mildly sweet on their own, though you can drizzle melted chocolate over the tops if you want more.
Light and tender in the middle.
Packed with chocolate chips.
A golden crust topped with a sprinkle of sparkling sugar.

Chocolate chip scones drizzled with melted chocolate on a round wire cooling rack with a small bowl of melted chocolate and spoon placed close by.

What You’ll Need

You will need the items below to bake these homemade chocolate chip scones. The bulleted entries are the key ingredients, and each one has a short note.

Ingredients in various size bowls labeled as whole milk, semi sweet chocolate chips, baking powder, granulated sugar, egg, salt, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, sparkling sugar, and all purpose flour on a white marbled background.

All-Purpose Flour. King Arthur is my go-to for all my baking, though any brand you like will work.
Granulated Sugar. Organic pure cane sugar works just as well.
Unsalted Butter. I like Kerrygold or Kirkland. Any brand is fine, as long as it is very cold and either cubed or grated.
Whole Milk. Heavy cream or full-fat Greek yogurt can stand in for it.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Ghirardelli is my favorite, but pick whichever brand you enjoy. Milk chocolate chips are another option.
Sparkling Sugar. Sprinkle this on top only after the milk wash goes on.

Measurements and full directions are in the recipe card below.

Step-by-Step Method

Here is a brief walkthrough of making these simple chocolate chip scones. For the printable version, with US customary or metric amounts, use the recipe card below.

Whisked all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a large glass mixing bowl on a white and grey marbled background.

Step 1. Mix the dry ingredients. Start with the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Butter cut into flour mixture in large glass mixing bowl on a white and grey marbled background.

Step 2. Work in the chilled, cubed (or shredded) butter. The blend should look like tiny flakes, though a few bigger pieces are fine.

Whisked egg, milk, and vanilla extract with flour mixture added to the bowl.

Step 3. Beat together the milk, egg, and vanilla. Add the liquid to the flour and butter mixture, then start stirring with a spatula.

Chocolate chips mixed into scones mixture in a large glass mixing bowl on a white and grey marbled background.

Step 4. Fold in the chocolate chips. Once everything is combined, the dough will be sticky and slightly moist. That is expected.

Chocolate chip scones dough shaped into a seven inch diameter circle on a white parchment paper lined baking sheet sprinkled with flour.

Step 5. Move the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with flour, then knead it. Knead it 4 or 5 times at most. Form a circle about 7 inches across and press it down until it is 1 1/2 inches tall.

Chocolate chip scones cut into triangles and separated on a white parchment paper lined baking sheet sprinkled with flour.

Step 6. Slice the dough into 8 wedges. Space them out on the sheet. For bigger scones, cut 4 wedges instead.

Chocolate chip scones dough cut into triangles, brushed with milk wash, and sprinkled with sparkling sugar on a parchment paper lined baking sheet sprinkled with a little flour.

Step 7. Apply the milk wash, then add sparkling sugar.

Baked chocolate chip scones on a white parchment paper lined baking sheet sprinkled with a little flour.

Step 8. Bake 16-18 minutes at 425ºF. Allow them to rest 5-10 minutes before eating.

Keeping, Freezing, and Warming Up Leftovers

Store these scones in a sealed container on the counter for as long as 3 days. For longer storage, wrap each one in plastic wrap, place them in an airtight container, and freeze for as long as 1 month.

To reheat, let the frozen scones thaw on the counter for 1 hour, then warm them on a baking sheet at 325ºF for 5-10 minutes.

Halved chocolate chip scone on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Good to Know

The butter needs to be icy cold. Dice it into small cubes or shred it on a large-holed grater.
Once the butter is worked in, the blend should look like small flakes, and a few larger chunks are okay.
Avoid overworking the dough. 4 kneads, or 5 at most, is all it needs.
Line the pan with parchment or a silicone mat, and dust lightly with flour.
Form the dough into a circle roughly 7 inches wide and about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Cut into 8 triangles or 4 larger ones, or use a round cutter for the classic look.
Painting the tops with milk before baking is optional, though it helps them brown nicely.

Common Questions

Do I need a mixer for this scone recipe?

Not really. You only need a few bowls, a spatula, a whisk, a bench scraper, a pastry blender, a baking sheet, and parchment.

Do I need to brush the tops with milk?

No, that step is optional, but it helps the tops turn golden brown.

What is the best way to store chocolate chip scones?

These scones keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Wrapped one by one and frozen in an airtight container, they last up to 1 month.

How do I reheat frozen chocolate chip scones?

Thaw frozen scones on the counter for roughly 1 hour first, then bake them 5-10 minutes at 325ºF on a sheet pan.

If you make these chocolate chip scones or anything else from my site, please give it a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!