These cranberry chocolate chip scones are perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or as a sweet snack any time of day. The golden, flaky exterior with a soft, tender interior is irresistible, especially with the burst of cranberries and chocolate in every bite.
Why I Love Making Scones
After experimenting with making scones in the air fryer, I quickly became hooked on the results.
The air fryer does an excellent job of creating a golden, crisp exterior while keeping the inside soft and tender.
However, there’s one downside: with a small air fryer, I can only make a small batch at a time. Of course, you can always bake multiple rounds, but this time I wanted to bake a larger batch all at once, so I decided to turn to my oven.
Over time, I’ve made these scones several times and fine-tuned the process. I’ve learned some helpful tips that have made all the difference, and I’m excited to share them with you.
Tips for Success
- Freeze the butter: One of the most important steps for achieving that light, flaky texture is to make sure the butter is cold when incorporated into the dough. I recommend cutting the butter into small cubes and placing it in the freezer for about 30 minutes before using it. This prevents the butter from fully incorporating into the flour and creates little pockets of fat that will melt during baking, giving you that ideal flaky texture in the scones.
- Don‘t overwork the dough: It’s tempting to knead the dough more than necessary, but the key to perfect scones is to handle the dough gently. Over-kneading will develop the gluten and result in dense scones. Simply mix until everything is just combined, and stop there.
- Chill the dough: Once you’ve mixed the dough, pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before rolling it out. Chilling the dough helps the scones hold their shape better and gives them a lighter, fluffier texture when baked.
- Use the right baking temperature: Preheat your oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat) and make sure to bake the scones for about 20 minutes or until they’re golden brown on top. This ensures the scones cook evenly and develop a crispy, golden exterior.
- Brush with egg wash: Brushing the scones with egg wash (a beaten egg) before baking gives them that beautiful golden, glossy finish that makes them extra appetizing.
With my step-by-step guide, I’m confident you’ll be able to create scones with the perfect texture and flavor, every time.
Ingredients:
- 90g butter
- 300g low-gluten flour
- 50g white sugar
- 7g baking powder
- 50g dried cranberries (soaked and drained)
- 2 eggs (1 large egg for the dough, about 60g; 1 egg for egg wash)
- 60ml milk
- 25g heat-resistant chocolate chips
Instructions:
Mix Dry Ingredients: Cut the 90g butter into small cubes and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes. Place the butter in a bowl with 50g white sugar. Add the 300g low-gluten flour and 7g baking powder. Using your hands (preferably with gloves), rub the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs, similar to rough cornmeal. This step helps evenly distribute the butter throughout the dough, creating small fat particles that will melt during baking, making the scones flaky and tender.
Add Wet Ingredients and Knead: Add 60ml of milk and 60g of beaten egg (about 1 egg) to the bowl. Stir with a spatula until the mixture forms a crumbly texture, then use your hands to knead the dough until it is smooth. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this could make the scones dense instead of light and flaky. Knead just until the surface is smooth.
Add Cranberries and Chocolate Chips: Add 50g dried cranberries and 25g heat-resistant chocolate chips to the dough. Gently knead the mixture again until the cranberries and chocolate are evenly distributed.
Chill the Dough: Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Chilling the dough helps it hold its shape better while baking and makes it easier to roll out.
Roll Out and Shape: After chilling, remove the dough from the fridge. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle about 1.5–2 cm thick. Using a round cutter (about 5–6 cm in diameter) or any other shape you prefer, cut out the scones. Gather the remaining dough, re-roll, and cut again until all the dough is used up. Arrange the scones on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving 2–3 cm of space between each scone.
Egg Wash and Bake: Brush the tops of each scone with a thin layer of egg yolk. Preheat your oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat), then place the scones on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. If the scones begin to brown too quickly, you can cover them loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the scones from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack. After cooling, the scones will have a crisp, golden exterior and a soft, tender interior.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen butter for this recipe?
Yes, you can use frozen butter for this recipe. It will help create an even flakier texture. Just grate it into the flour mixture instead of cutting it into cubes.
Can I substitute the cranberries?
If you don’t have cranberries, feel free to substitute them with other dried fruits like raisins, currants, or chopped dried apricots. You can also skip the fruit entirely if you prefer just the chocolate chips.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the dough in advance and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the unbaked scones for up to a month, then bake directly from frozen—just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Easy Cranberry Chocolate Chip Scones
Ingredients
- 90 g butter
- 300 g low-gluten flour
- 50 g white sugar
- 7 g baking powder
- 50 g dried cranberries soaked and drained
- 2 eggs 1 large egg for the dough, about 60g; 1 egg for egg wash
- 60 ml milk
- 25 g heat-resistant chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Cut the 90g butter into small cubes and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes. Place the butter in a bowl with 50g white sugar. Add the 300g low-gluten flour and 7g baking powder. Using your hands (preferably with gloves), rub the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs, similar to rough cornmeal. This step helps evenly distribute the butter throughout the dough, creating small fat particles that will melt during baking, making the scones flaky and tender.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Knead: Add 60ml of milk and 60g of beaten egg (about 1 egg) to the bowl. Stir with a spatula until the mixture forms a crumbly texture, then use your hands to knead the dough until it is smooth. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this could make the scones dense instead of light and flaky. Knead just until the surface is smooth.
- Add Cranberries and Chocolate Chips: Add 50g dried cranberries and 25g heat-resistant chocolate chips to the dough. Gently knead the mixture again until the cranberries and chocolate are evenly distributed.
- Chill the Dough: Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Chilling the dough helps it hold its shape better while baking and makes it easier to roll out.
- Roll Out and Shape: After chilling, remove the dough from the fridge. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle about 1.5–2 cm thick. Using a round cutter (about 5–6 cm in diameter) or any other shape you prefer, cut out the scones. Gather the remaining dough, re-roll, and cut again until all the dough is used up. Arrange the scones on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving 2–3 cm of space between each scone.
- Egg Wash and Bake: Brush the tops of each scone with a thin layer of egg yolk. Preheat your oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat), then place the scones on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. If the scones begin to brown too quickly, you can cover them loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
- Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the scones from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack. After cooling, the scones will have a crisp, golden exterior and a soft, tender interior.
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