I make quite a few variations of these scones, and they are always wildly popular. My kids love these Mini Scones with Chocolate Chips and tempting speckled Vanilla Bean Glaze icing. They are perfect for a grab and go breakfast or a sweet after school snack. They freeze beautifully after baking, and make a great housewarming gift. They are pretty much perfection in scone form. This recipe is adapted from Kittencal’s Blueberry Sour Cream Scones on Food.com
First, combine your sugar and other dry ingredients in a large food processor. Pulse a few times to combine evenly. Cube or slice your cold butter to make it easier to process. Pulse 10-15 times until pea sized bits of butter remain in the dry mixture.
Next combine the sour cream (or yogurt), egg, vanilla, and baking powder in a measuring cup. Whisk well to combine. Pour into processor and pulse until a shaggy dough forms. Remove to clean surface and knead briefly, just until dough comes together.
Knead in chocolate chips (mini-chips would have been fabulous, but I was out of them and snowed in….).
Next, roll each section into a ball and flatten into a disk. Cut each disk in 4, then cut each section in half again so that you have 8 wedges per disk. Place 1/2 inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet. You can be OCD like me and place them in a back and forth pattern, or you can be normal. That is your call.
Bake scones at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until edges turn slightly golden brown. Do not over-bake. We do not want dry scones! Let cool for few minutes before dipping in glaze.
To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk or half and half, vanilla, vanilla bean specks, a pat of melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Dip the top of each scone in glaze and let set on wire rack until dry to the touch. Serve or freeze for later, as desired.
Enjoy with tea, coffee, or milk. Freeze before glazing in large freezer bags for up to 2 months. Try variations like swapping out the chocolate for blueberries, adding orange zest, swapping cranberries and lemon zest for the chips, and more…This is a very adaptable recipe.
Mini Chocolate Chip Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze
Makes 32 mini scones or 16 larger scones
Dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (or you can just use another cup of AP flour)
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, diced
6 ounces sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips (mini or regular, or any other mix in you would like-nuts, chips, dried fruit, blueberries, etc…)
for the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk or half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (optional)
1/2 tablespoon butter, melted (in microwave is fine!)
Small pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Pulse to combine. Add cold butter chunks to processor, pulsing a few times to combine until butter is pea sized.
In a measuring cup, whisk to combine sour cream (or yogurt), egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Pour into processor. Pulse until a shaggy dough forms. Dump dough out onto a clean surface and knead a few times, just until dough comes together. Knead in chocolate chips quickly and gently. Dived dough into 4 for mini scones, 2 for larger scones. Take each section and form a ball. Flatten balls into 1 inch high discs. Cut each disc into 8 wedges, like you would cut a pizza. Place scones onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 15-17 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Center will still be a tad soft, but will set when cool. Cool for 3-5 minutes on wire rack before glazing.
To make the glaze icing, whisk together powdered sugar, milk or cream, vanilla extract, Vanill bean caviar, melted butter, and salt. Dip top of each scone in glaze or drizzle on top of slightly warm scones. Set on wire rack to dry. Serve or store covered. Scones may be frozen before glazing in zip top freezer bags for up to 2 months.
