Buttermilk Scones with Chocolate Chips

For my next Sunday morning breakfast I wanted to make scones. I had some butter and eggs that needed to be used as well (specifically the butter: I had half a stick, which is one of my pet peeves). So I searched Pinterest, my hard copies, and the internet for a good recipe, finally deciding on some peanut butter chocolate chip scones.

And then I forgot to buy the sour cream that's on the ingredient list. And I couldn't use/make any of the substitutions that I found.

So I searched for a chocolate chip scones recipe and decided on a buttermilk scones recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. While it didn't use the eggs that I had (which was OK because I worked overtime the following Saturday so I was able to make some cookie bars), it used up all the butter I had. Granted, this recipe called for cinnamon chips but it none of the other ingredients indicated that the scones would be affected by substituting chocolate chips. It also seemed pretty easy to make.

Buttermilk Scones with Chocolate Chips (source)

Ingredients

•  3 1/2 cups (17.5 ounces) all-purpose flour (I ended up running out of flour so I used old-fashioned oats for the last 1/2 cup. I discovered that using up to 1 cup of oats to replace flour is OK)
•  1/3 cup (2.75 ounces) sugar
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) cold butter, cut into tablespoon-sized chunks
•  1 cup cold buttermilk
•  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  3/4 cup (5 ounces) cinnamon chips (I just used the chocolate chips I'd purchased. I used the remaining for the cookie bars)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside (a cookie sheet with a silpat worked).
2. In a food processor (or pastry blender/two knives. Since it was Sunday morning I didn't want to make too much noise. Plus I don't think my processor is big enough for 5+ cups of ingredients), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is cut into smaller pieces - don't overprocess here; the butter should be no smaller than pea-sized pieces.
3. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and pulse a couple of times until the dough starts to come together; don’t overmix - it’s ok if there are dry, crumbly spots here and there. Remove the blade and add the chips, using your hands to knead them in a bit. Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with 1-2 tablespoons flour and combine the dough and chips together with your hands, kneading briefly, just 2-3 times, until it comes together (decided to keep the dough in the bowl since I had no flour. Still kneaded it with my hands). Pat and lightly press the dough into a long rectangle, about 15x3-inches (since I have very little room I had to adjust the measurements).
4. Cut the length of dough into triangular wedges, about 12-14 (I think I got more than that. Didn't cut them the way the blogger did) and place on the baking sheet, about an inch apart.
5. Bake at 400℉ for 15 minutes until just lightly golden brown and no longer doughy in the center.

These turned out very well and ended up being delicious. Nice and soft on the inside even after being warmed in the toaster oven.