I have a long-standing and intense love of all things tea. From the drink itself, to tea-flavored baked goods and chocolate, to the tea parties of childhood, one of my absolute favorites is British afternoon tea.

While I can’t afford (either monetarily or calorie-wise) to have high tea on a regular basis, I console myself with the occasional scone. Homemade scones are nowhere near as hard to make as a lot of people think, and the result is 10 times better than your average sub-par coffee shop or super market scone.

My personal favorites are chocolate chip scones (my love of chocolate chips has already been documented here) and for this recipe, I’ve added some seasonal spices to the mix to create the ultimate festive treat. I highly recommend eating the scones fresh out of the oven with a warm cup of Earl Grey tea, but they’re also great for a grab ’n go breakfast or afternoon snack.

Spiced Chocolate Chip Scones

  • Prep Time:15 minutes
  • Cook Time:15 minutes
  • Total Time:30 minutes
  • Servings:8
  • Medium

    Ingredients

  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 4 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 5 tablespoon unsalted butter (chilled)
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 1

    Pre-heat the oven to 425°F (220 C).

  • Step 2

    Put the flour, baking powder, 3 tablespoons of sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves in a mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 3

    Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the flour mixture.

    #SpoonTip: Make sure the butter stays cold, it gives the scones the flaky texture.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 4

    Use your fingers to quickly cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is course.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 5

    Add the chocolate chips to the mixing bowl and quickly stir to distribute.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 6

    Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream with a fork and mix until a dough begins to form.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 7

    Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a floured surface.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 8

    Quickly knead the dough until it forms a ball.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 9

    Flatten the ball of dough into a small disk, about 1 1/2 inches thick.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 10

    Cut the disk into 8 wedges.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 11

    Place the wedges on a baking tray.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 12

    Brush the reserved heavy cream on the tops of the wedges and sprinkle with the last tablespoon of sugar.

    #SpoonTip: For this part, use coarse, granulated sugar for the best effect.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 13

    Put the tray in the oven on a middle rack and let cook for 12-15 minutes, turning the tray at the half-way point.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight
  • Step 14

    When the scones are done (they should be golden brown at the edges), take them out of the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Let cool for 15 minutes, and then dig in.

    Photo by Caitlin McCreight