Golden brown chocolate chip scones are flaky, buttery, and packed with plenty of gooey chocolate and crunchy pecans! Make sure to use cold butter so that the scones have a flaky texture. A great chocolate scone recipe for breakfast or brunch!

Fave Chocolate Chip Scone Recipe

A few months ago I popped into a coffee shop and spotted the tastiest looking chocolate chip scones in the display window! They were deeply golden brown and loaded with GIANT pecan pieces and lots of gooey chocolate chips.

I didn’t buy one because I had literally just finished lunch. But I made a note in my phone so I could recreate them for us at home. I finally perfected the recipe last week and I honestly couldn’t be happier! They’re flaky yet tender, lightly flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, and loaded with pecans and chocolate.

Key Ingredients: Chocolate Chip Scones

• Flour: For best results, use all-purpose flour. I don’t suggest subbing whole wheat flour or nut flours. A 1 for 1 GF flour may work. Start with the recommended flour amount, then add more if needed.
• Salt: A tiny dash is added to the dry ingredients to help balance sweetness and enhance the other flavors.
• Baking Powder: Our secret ingredient for big bakery-style scones! Baking powder helps the scones rise in the oven. Make sure your baking powder is fresh, and don’t sub baking soda.
• Brown Sugar: I love using brown sugar because it makes the scones a little softer and more flavorful. It also helps the scones bake up extra golden brown. You can substitute an equal amount of granulated sugar if you prefer.
• Ground Cinnamon: This classic spice adds depth of flavor and a subtle cinnamon spice flavor! You could use a small dash of pumpkin spice or ground nutmeg instead.
• Unsalted Butter: Cold butter adds flavor, helps the scones bake up golden brown, and creates a tender flaky texture. Do NOT use room temperature butter. Cold butter is truly the most important ingredient for flaky scones.
• Eggs: Add flavor and create structure for the scone dough. Be sure your eggs are cold, and not at room temperature. Use large eggs.
• Heavy Cream: Aka heavy whipping cream. This ingredient adds fat, flavor, and moisture to the scone dough. Do not sub milk or half and half for the heavy cream.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds rich vanilla flavor and sweetness, while enhancing the other flavors. Always use pure vanilla, not imitation vanilla.
• Chocolate: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but feel free to use chopped chocolate chunks instead. Dark dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips would also be delicious in this scone dough.
• Pecans: You can use finely chopped pecans or whole pecans. If you don’t like nuts, simply leave them out of the scone dough and just add chocolate chips.

For an extra sweet treat, grab some confectioners sugar for dusting on top of the scones! This is optional, but makes an extra pretty presentation!

Cold Butter is Key

• The key to recipe success? You must start and end this recipe with extremely cold butter. I suggest placing the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before you plan on using it in this recipe. 
• You must keep the butter cold the entire time you use it in this recipe. Your need cold butter from the second it’s incorporated into the dough, until the minute the scone dough enters the oven.  Cold butter is the only way you’ll get a fluffy and flaky texture.
• The cold butter melts once it’s in the oven and the water content in the cold butter turns into steam. The escaped steam bursts up and creates tall, flaky, fluffy layers of dough. 
• If your butter is already warm or melted before the scone dough goes in the oven, the layers will never develop. And you’ll have very pale and short scones.

Line a Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper

• You’ll need a large baking sheet for this recipe. I suggest using a quality baking sheet – preferably aluminized steel like this one.
• Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. I don’t suggest baking these scones directly on the baking sheet.
• Place the prepared baking sheet in the freezer while you make the scones. This is optional but will keep the scone dough extra cold.

Grab a Pastry Cutter: Let’s Make Scone Dough

• Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the Cold Butter: Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients use a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dough. Stop when the flour mixture resembles a coarse meal. You wants the chunks of cold butter to be about the size of peas.
• Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a glass measuring cup add the egg, egg yolk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• Dry meets Wet: Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. Then toss in the chocolate chips and pecans. Stir the ingredients until they are evenly combined. And the chocolate chips and pecans look evenly distributed in the scone dough.
• Note: The scone dough mixture will look shaggy, but don’t fret, it will come together after a few kneads.

How to Shape Scone Dough

1. Flour a Work Surface: Dump the scone mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough a few times. If the scone dough is too sticky to work with, lightly flour your hands.
2. Form the Dough: Once the dough is a cohesive ball, use your hands to shape the dough into a disc. Use a large sharp knife to cut it into 8 evenly sized wedges. Place on your baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the scone dough for 15 minutes, or overnight! Briefly chilling the dough helps avoid them spreading too much in the oven.
4. Time to Bake Scones: Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Or until the tops lightly brown and the scones fully bake. You may need to add a few minutes to the bake time depending on your oven and baking pan.

How to Store Pecan Chocolate Scones

For the best taste and texture, these scones are best gobbled up the day they are baked. But if you’d like to make them last an extra day or so, try this trick:

1. Line the bottom of a storage container with a paper towel. Place the fully cooled scones on top of the paper towel, in a single layer. Then seal with an airtight lid.
2. Place the container in a cool area of your kitchen, preferably a place without direct sunlight.
3. When you’re ready to eat them, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and warm for a few minutes.
4. The scones should stay fresh when stored this way for about 3 days.

How to Freeze Chocolate Chip Scones

• Did you know you can freeze scones? Scones freeze great for up to 2 months! I always have a batch in my freezer for last-minute breakfast gatherings or brunch dates.
• To freeze unbaked scone dough, place the wedges of dough on a plate or large tray. Place the plate in the freezer and freeze until solid to the touch, about 2 hours.
• Once frozen, layer the wedges in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Press out as much air from the bag as possible before sealing the bag.
• Label and date the bag. Then place it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake. They’ll keep stored this way for up to 2 months.
• When you’re ready to bake the scones, remove the bag from the oven. Then simply preheat your oven and bake as directed. Since you’ll be baking them from a frozen state, you’ll likely need to add about 3 minutes to the bake time.
• You can also freeze pre-baked scones this way. Simply freeze and thaw at room temperature before enjoying. Or briefly warm them up in the oven or microwave. Just be sure to remove them from the plastic bag or container before heating them up.

More Chocolate Scones

• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Scones
• Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Scones

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Chocolate Pecan Scones

Ashley Manila

Chocolate Pecan Scones are flaky and loaded with chocolate and pecans! Serve warm or at room temperature. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

5 from 16 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Inactive Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 8 scones

Ingredients

 

• 2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY cold and cut into tiny pieces
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounce bag chocolate chips
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

For the egg wash:

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon milk or water
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°(F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar and cinnamon; mix well to combine.
• Cut the butter into small cubes then work it into the mixture (using your fingers, two forks, or a pastry cutter) until it resembles a coarse meal.
• In a glass measuring cup whisk together the egg, cream, and vanilla. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture. Add in the chocolate chips and pecans. Use a fork to stir everything together until just moistened. Don’t worry if the dough looks shaggy! 
• Empty the loose dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough a few times, then  shape it into an 8-inch disc. 
• Cut the disc into 8 wedges and carefully transfer them to the prepared sheet, placing them 2″ apart.
• Lightly brush each scone with the egg wash. 
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light golden brown.
• Allow scones to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving! 

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