A small batch of chocolate scones made with cocoa powder and filled with rich, creamy chocolate and topped with a velvety smooth chocolate glaze.
I can't think of a better breakfast to wake up to than one that includes these rich chocolate scones. Made with cocoa powder and chunks of chocolate and then topped with a velvety smooth chocolate glaze. I like to call them, triple chocolate scones!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Soft and tender scones: These triple chocolate scones will melt in your mouth! The insides are rich and moist and the outsides have crumbly and buttery edges.
- Filled with chocolate: These scones are incredibly chocolatey! They're made with cocoa powder, plenty of chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, and then topped with a decadent chocolate glaze.
- Small batch recipe: This small batch chocolate scones recipe yields four of the best-tasting scones you've ever tried. The recipe doubles well so if you'd like to make a double batch, just double the ingredient amounts.
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes Worth Waking Up To
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour. To make gluten-free chocolate scones, I recommend using King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: This ingredient gives the scones their deep chocolate "fudgy" flavor. You can use natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder (alkalized).
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Both of these ingredients are chemical leavening agents that cause batters to rise when baked.
- Salt, vanilla, and ground cinnamon: Adds wonderful flavor.
- Butter: Butter gives these chocolate scones flavor, crisp edges, and flakiness.
- Egg yolk: 1 egg yolk is all that's needed in this recipe. It adds flavor and structure. See below for ways to use the leftover egg white.
- Milk: Any percentage of milk will work well (whole, skim, 1%, and 2%), or use almond milk, half and half, or cream.
- Chocolate: Use 3 ounces of chocolate (½ cup) in the form of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. I prefer using semi-sweet chocolate but you can also use milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
For the glaze:
- Powdered sugar: Also called confectioners' sugar or icing sugar, this type of sugar is light, fluffy, and dissolves easily. Do not use granulated sugar because it will leave you with a glaze that has a grainy texture.
- Coffee (may use milk instead): Typically a glaze is made with milk but I love the addition of chocolate in this recipe. Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate: 1 ounce of chocolate, melted is whisked into the powdered sugar, and coffee = spectacular!
How To Make Chocolate Scones
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.
- Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
Pro Tip: The secret to making the flakiest scones is using cold butter. Keep all of your cold ingredients in the refrigerator until you are ready to add them.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chopped chocolate.
Pro Tip: As you can see from the picture, I'm using a mix of chopped chocolate and chocolate chips because I had both types of chocolate on hand. Use the type of chocolate you have.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Knead very lightly and form a circle.
- Cut the dough into 4 triangles and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the scones from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- When the scones have cooled, whisk together melted chocolate, powdered sugar, and brewed coffee or milk.
- Drizzle the glaze over the tops.
Expert Tips
Scones are a key component of traditional afternoon tea and they're lovely for breakfast, brunch, and even dessert. With these easy tips, your chocolate scones will turn out perfect every single time.
- Be sure to use cold ingredients.
- The secret to flaky scones is to start with cold ingredients. Make sure your butter, eggs, and milk are all cold. Just like making pastry, the fat has to be cold. If the butter gets warm, it melts and mixes into the flour.
- Don't overwork the dough.
- Once you add in the liquid (eggs, milk, etc.) stir the dough very little to combine. Remember to handle the dough as little as possible. Over-mixing the dough will lead to scones that are rather chewy instead of light and flaky.
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Frequently Asked Questions
You will use 1 egg yolk in this triple chocolate scone recipe. Consider adding the egg white to scrambled eggs or use it in any of the following small batch recipes:
Meringues
Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies
Coconut Macaroons
Two Vanilla Cupcakes
Two Chocolate Cupcakes
Mini Texas Sheet Cake
Yes. If you'd like to make a larger batch of chocolate scones, just double the ingredient amounts.
They can but keep in mind that scones are best when they are fresh and warm from the oven.
Pro Tip: Bake scones right before you want to enjoy them. If you'd like to get ahead, make and shape the dough into scones ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator overnight. Or freeze them on a baking sheet and transfer the frozen unbaked scones to a zip-top bag. Scones can be baked from frozen, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time or thaw the scones in the refrigerator.
They keep well in the refrigerator but are best eaten in a day or so after baking them.
More Small Batch Scone Recipes
If you like these chocolate scones, you might also like these scone recipes:
- Strawberry White Chocolate Scones
- Cream Scones
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Lemon Poppyseed Scones
- Apple Cinnamon Scones
- Ham and Cheese Scones
- How To Make Scones In A Toaster Oven
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy chocolate scone recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Cocoa powder: Hot Chocolate, Mini Devil's Food Cake, Tiramisu, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Rum Balls
- Chocolate: Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Chip Muffin, Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie, 2 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Mini S'mores Dip, Deep Dish Brownie
- Ground cinnamon: Snickerdoodles, Donut Holes, Fried Apples, Apple Crisp, Mini Cherry Pie, Ham Steak
- Vanilla: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana Pudding, Boston Cream Pie, Coffee Cake, Flan, Sugar Cookies
- Powdered sugar: Mini Texas Sheet Cake, Ricotta Cookies, Peanut Butter Pie, Peanut Butter Fudge, Mini Carrot Cake
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
I used a quarter-sized baking sheet to make these scones and a quarter-sized Silpat lining. Both of these products can be found on our bakeware page.
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Recipe
Small Batch Chocolate Scones
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons salted butter , cold and cut into small pieces
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips , or use chopped chocolate (3 ounces). Use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- ½ cup powdered sugar , sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons brewed coffee , or you can use milk
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips , melted (1 ounce)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.
- Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead very lightly and form a circle. (Add a little more flour to the dough if the dough becomes too sticky to handle). The flour circle should measure 5-inches by 5-inches and should be 1-inch thick.
- Cut the dough into 4 triangle wedges and place them on the small baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to continue cooling.
TO PREPARE THE GLAZE
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, coffee, and melted chocolate until smooth. (Add extra powdered sugar if the glaze appears to be too thin OR add extra coffee if the glaze is too thick).
- Spoon glaze over the cooled scones.
Notes
- Be sure to use cold ingredients.
- The secret to flaky scones is to start with cold ingredients. Make sure your butter, eggs and milk are all cold. Just like making pastry, the fat has to be cold. If the butter gets warm, it melts and mixes into the flour.
- Don't overwork the dough.
- Once you add in the liquid (eggs, milk, etc.) stir the dough very little to combine. Remember to handle the dough as little as possible. Over-mixing the dough will lead to scones that are rather chewy instead of light and flaky.
- I am often asked if skim milk or low-fat milk can be substituted for higher fat milk or cream. The short answer is yes, but the scones will be dry and hard. Keep in mind that the higher the fat content, the more tender the scones will be.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Chelsea Forsyth says
The best scones I've made in a long time
Joanie Zisk says
I'm so happy you enjoyed them!
Linda Duval says
Do you have a One Dish Kitchen cook book I can buy?
Joanie Zisk says
Thank you, yes we do. You can read more about our cookbook here - https://store.onedishkitchen.com/