Simplest Chocolate Chip Scones

I miss salad! I just saw my doctor for my 1 month jaw surgery post-op visit and he said I have another month to go before I can start chewing. I knew before going into this that I’d have to be on a no-chew diet for two months, but I guess I hoped he’d say I was healing so fabulously well that I could start chewing already.
Well. I am healing very well (which I am very thankful for, and do not take for granted!) but salad, and other things which need to be chewed, such as pizza, and fruits, are off limits for another month. Sigh.
I have to say though, I have gotten really good at eating things without chewing. I know it sounds crazy. But two months of soup just wasn’t going to cut it for me.
I am pretty much eating what everyone else is. I most definitely had one of these scones. These scones were so lofty and flaky, I just had to try one. Fresh from the oven, with butter and jam, they’re as close to perfect as it gets.

My mom and I made more than 100 of these for Purim- we gave them out for Mishloach Manot- and everyone requested the recipe, so I’m sharing it here. Simplest, easiest chocolate chip scones. Now you can make them too!

Yields: 8-12 scones, depending on size

Why I love this recipe: these scones are so simple, I know the recipe by heart, but their everyday ingredients- butter, baking powder for loft, an egg for richness- work to produce a reliably perfect scone every time. Make sure not to pat the dough down too thin, and to bake these until they’re nice and brown.

Variations: In place of the chocolate chips, use chocolate chunks. IF you want a slightly richer scone, I imagine switching out a part of the milk for heavy cream would yield delicious results.

For the scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
• 4 oz. chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup full fat milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• egg yolk mixed with water, for egg wash
• turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Mix your dry ingredients: in a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
3. Add the cold butter to the bowl and toss to coat in flour mixture. Use your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is well dispersed. The mixture will resemble coarse crumbs- some will be larger, some will be flakes and some will be tiny pebbles.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg and vanilla extract until well blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add milk mixture.
6. Stir just until dough holds together. Don’t overmix- this will make the dough tough. The dough should look shaggy.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press it together gently until it clings together in a ball. Fold it over itself a few times to bring it together. The dough should have barely any dry bits, and should be cohesive.
8. Pat dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cut it down the middle, dividing it in half. Cut each half diagonally into four triangles. (For mini scones, cut each triangle into two triangles.)
9. Transfer the scones to prepared baking sheet, brush tops with the egg wash and sprinkle liberally with coarse sugar.
10. Place the scones on the center rack of your oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F. Bake until they’re golden brown, about 20-25 minutes, depending on how big they are.
11. Transfer scones to wire racks to cool. Serve with jam, more butter, or cream.