This past Sunday evening, I drove over to visit my best friend. We wandered into the backyard, weaving around their sweetly energetic dog, to settle back into cushioned lawn chairs and soak up the last few rays of spring sunshine before it disappeared behind the treetops.
She talked about her new job at an upscale bakery in town and how they mix up everything from scratch: cupcakes, cookies, scones, muffins, bread, wedding cakes, and even donuts! I must admit, I’m slightly jealous… Baking all morning, then watching as customers walk through the door and point at the case at something I helped create and seeing their eyes light up with delight? My heart would melt all day long!
However… I just don’t know that I could set my alarm for 3 am every morning and collapse into bed at 7 pm when the sunlight still peeked through my curtains. Waking up to the stars and falling asleep with blue skies? My brain would take a long time to get used to that!
My sweet friend figured out a system that works for her, which includes a big mug of coffee on the drive to work (practically a necessity for anyone waking up before the birds start chirping!) along with a healthier portable breakfast to nibble on. She usually sticks with muffins (these and these are two of her favorites!), but…
Because we’re basically two peas in a pod and chocoholics for life, I thought I’d change her muffin monotony by dropping off these Healthy Chocolate Chip Scones! Soft, tender, and packed full of rich chocolate chips… That’s definitely a perfect way for the two of us to start the day!
For step-by-step photos, look beneath the recipe!
Traditionally, scones are one of the least healthy breakfast pastries out there. Chock full of butter and heavy cream, they’re certainly moist… And a calorie bomb to boot! But I have one simple trick up my sleeve that keeps these healthier scones just as tender with just 2 tablespoons of butter in the entire batch. Yes, 2 measly tablespoons! Can you guess my trick?
It’s Greek yogurt! (Did you guess correctly??) Greek yogurt is my favorite ingredient in healthier baking. It’s a true powerhouse: it provides the same moisture and texture as excess butter or oil, and it adds a protein boost too! We’ll use ½ cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt in these, and countless readers have agreed that it makes the scones much better than those dry, crumbly ones offered in grocery store bakeries!
To keep these scones clean-eating friendly, we’ll stick with white whole wheat flour (regular or whole wheat pastry work too!) and sweeten them with maple syrup. Just a touch though! The scones I grew up eating were never overly sweet, so that’s the way I make mine. If you prefer a little more sweetness, add another tablespoon of maple syrup and decrease the milk by the same amount.
And of course… The chocolate chips! I love mini’s because they ensure you get a little chocolate in every bite. (What can I say—I’m a chocoholic!) I save some to press into the tops too for a pretty presentation. All of those polka dot chocolate chips are just begging you to take a scone!
And I completely agree with them. You definitely deserve one! 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy chocolate chip scones!
| Healthy Chocolate Chip Scones | | Print |
- 1 ½ cups (180g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp + 2 tsp (55mL) nonfat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tbsp (35g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla. Fold in 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips.
- Shape the dough into a ¾” tall circle on the prepared baking sheet, and brush with the remaining milk. Slice the circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. Gently press the remaining chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 425°F for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
For a gluten-free version, I recommend the following blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends may be substituted as well, if measured like this.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the maple syrup.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
{clean eating, gluten-free, low fat, low calorie}
Start by combining the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Unlike cookies and muffins, scones only require one bowl—fewer dishes to wash!
Make sure your butter is very cold. The colder it is, the more tender your scones will be. I usually cut my butter into cubes before measuring any of the dry ingredients and place the cubes back into the fridge to chill until I’m ready to mix them in.
Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Since we only use 2 tablespoons of butter, the crumbs won’t be as large as with traditional recipes that use anywhere from 8-16 tablespoons. Then mix in the rest of the ingredients to form the dough.
Turn the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. (Easier clean-up!) Shape it into a large circle, about ¾” tall. Brush the tops with milk to create that characteristic crisp outer crust; then slice the circle into 8 triangles. Press the remaining chocolate chips on top, slide the pan into the oven, and wait as patiently as you can for the scones to turn golden!
I plan to make these next week, but I have a question about cutting the triangles. In my baking experience, it is very difficult to cut a sticky dough, no matter how good and sharp the knives are. When cutting sticky pies (like lemon meringue I have dipped the knife in hot water. Is that an option or will the extra moisture adversely impact the end product? Thanks.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Marlene! I’ve actually never had that issue with slicing this scone dough, and my knives aren’t razor sharp either. However, if you experience difficulties when slicing it, then briefly running your knife under hot water probably won’t have too big of an impact on the texture of the scones. I’d love to hear what you think if you make them! 🙂
HI Amy.
I made the scones and I have a mixed opinion. They are certainly tasty, but they are more cake-like than a traditional scone which is more crumbly. Of course traditional scones are heart attacks waiting to happen and the butter creates the crumbly texture so I can’t have it both ways.
Perhaps it was my technique. I had a hard time incorporating the dry ingredients with the wet and had to work the dough quiet a bit. When I look at the picture of the butter in the dry ingredients above, it seems like a lot more butter than the 2 tablespoons it called for. Also, my dough was very stiff, not sticky at all.
Given how much healthier these are, I’m fine with the compromise on texture. I think I will try the gingerbread ones next.
Thanks!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Marlene! I promise that’s only 2 tablespoons of butter in the photo. I just cut the butter cubes to be very small (between ¼” to ½” cubes), and I have a macro lens for my camera that allows me to zoom in close. I am a little concerned about how hard it was for you to incorporate all of the dry ingredients and the stiff texture of the dough though! How did you measure the flour? Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups? If the latter, can you describe in detail how you measured? Did you make any modifications, including those listed in the Notes section? Once I have all of that information, I’ll have a better idea of what could’ve caused those issues! 🙂
Hi Amy,
I measured the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and then leveling it with a metal spatula. I then sifted it into the bowl. I used all purpose flour. I’m wondering about how I measured the yogurt. I used a dry measuring cup (same set as I used for the flour). Could that “under-measure” the yogurt? I do have a kitchen scale, but I don’t use it much. I can try that when I make the gingerbread version…..
Thanks,
Marlene
Thanks so much for the information Marlene! I don’t think it’s under-measuring the yogurt, but instead over-measuring the flour. For that reason, I highly recommend using your kitchen scale for measuring all ingredients listed with grams in my recipes! A kitchen scale is so much more accurate than measuring cups, and it ensures your baked treats turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time you make them. (It typically results in fewer dishes and measuring cups to wash too!)
However, if you have very strong objections to using your kitchen scale, here’s what I recommend doing for measuring flour (and cocoa powder, oats, etc!): use a fork to “scoop” up flour from the container, and lightly shake the fork back and forth over the top of your measuring cup to transfer the flour into it. Once there’s a small mound of flour extending past the rim of the measuring cup, then place the flat back of a knife against the top of the measuring cup, and gently scrape it across the top to get rid of the excess flour. Never “pat” the flour down with the knife or fork. This fork method acts like a sifter (without dirtying another dish!) and guarantees you’ll add less flour to the dough, so you’ll end up with moist and tender scones. Does that make sense? 🙂
For the peach scones, I used a pizza cutter (greased with a wee bit of butter 😉) and it worked beautifully!
That’s such a great idea, Heidi! Thanks for sharing your tip! I’ve used a pizza cutter to slice brownies before, but I haven’t tried it with scones. I’m definitely going to remember that for my next batch! 😉
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Vanessa! I’ve actually covered this already in the paragraph directly beneath the recipe title in the recipe box. I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these scones!
Is the butter measurement correct? In the picture you posted, it looks like 2 sticks of cut up butter in cubes and not “2 tbsp” as stated in you recipe.
Yes, the butter measurement is correct! I have a macro lens for my camera, so I’m able to zoom in really close in my photos, which makes the butter cubes appear larger. The bowl is actually pretty small, and the cubes of butter are between ¼” and ½”. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these scones Rinku!
What is a good replacement for yogurt? I am vegan and do not consume dairy products and in my area, it is hard to find vegan greek yogurt.
Regular vegan yogurt (not Greek-style) will work just fine, if you’re able to find that! Soy-based, almond-based, coconut-based, even oat-based should all work in place of the Greek yogurt. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones if you try making them Anjani!
I just discovered this recipe recently and I’ve already made it twice! My family is obsessed with these, they are SO delicious and easy. A new favorite for sure. Thanks, Amy!
Oh my goodness — I’m SO honored that you and your family love these scones, Samantha!! That’s the best kind of compliment if you’ve already made them twice. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! You made my entire day!! 🙂
Can I substitute brown or granulated sugar in place of the maple syrup?
Yes! Either one will work. To replace the maple syrup, you’ll need 3 tablespoons plus an additional 1 ½ tablespoons of milk (any type will work!) to compensate for the missing liquid volume. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones (and my mini chocolate cupcakes too!) if you end up making them, Sue!
Hi, if yogurts are not within my reach at all, may I substitute the Greek yogurt with milk instead?
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe, Lavender! Yogurt will produce the best taste and texture in these scones (even if you use plain/non-Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt — these work too!). If you’re completely unable to find any type of yogurt and you’d like to substitute milk instead, then use half the amount since milk is much thinner in consistency than yogurt, but keep in mind that your scones won’t be as moist and tender.
I’d love to hear what you think of these scones if you try making them! 🙂
Thank you! But if I were to substitute yogurt with milk, may I know what steps I can take to ensure that the scones are still as moist and tender? 😄
As am trying to find a lower calorie traditional scone recipe that uses the usual ingredients like flour, sugar, milk, butter, etc., but with lesser butter and without yogurt! So am wondering if I could use this recipe with some minor tweaks?
You’re welcome, Lavender! For the most moist and tender scones with this little butter, yogurt is required to achieve the best texture. You’re welcome to try experimenting on your own using my recipe as a starting point, if you’d like! But for the best results, I recommend using some kind of yogurt (Greek, plain/non-Greek, soy-based, almond-based, coconut-based, etc). 🙂
Hi Amy!
How much sugar should I use in order to compensate for the maple syrup?
Oh my goodness, Sue! I’m truly honored that you’d like to make yet another one of my recipes. You just keep making my day, time and time again! 🙂 If you’d like to use either granulated sugar or brown sugar, you’ll need 3 tablespoons (36g) plus an additional 1 ½ tablespoons of milk to replace the maple syrup in the dough. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these scones!
Hi Amy!
I tried making these scones today and I was disappointed by the way it turned out. The dough was way too crumbly and I couldn’t put it together. I didn’t have a pastry cutter so I tried cutting the butter with a fork but no success ):
Oh no!! That doesn’t sound like how these scones are supposed to turn out at all, Sue. I’d love to help figure out what happened! 🙂 In order to do so, I have some questions for you.
Did you make any modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section, besides the granulated sugar?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons for all of the ingredients, especially the flour, yogurt, and milk?
How did you use the fork to work in the butter? Did it ever get to the point where the butter/flour mixture resembled semi-fine crumbs? (See the step-by-step photos underneath the recipe or watch my recipe video above the recipe for a visual!)
Once I know your answers to all of those questions, I’ll have a better idea of the potential culprit!
Hi Amy
I did use measuring cups for all the ingredients and I used the back of the fork to try to smash the butter in into bite sized pieces
Thanks for sharing, Sue! A few more questions for you. 🙂
Did you make any modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section, besides the granulated sugar?
When you were smashing the cold butter into the flour mixture, did it ever get to the point where the butter/flour mixture resembled semi-fine crumbs? (See the step-by-step photos underneath the recipe or watch my recipe video above the recipe for a visual!)
Can you describe in detail how you used your measuring cups to measure the flour?
In order for me to best help you, I do need to know your answers to all of the above questions, so thank you in advance for sharing your answers to each one of them!
Hi Amy
No I did not and no the mixture did not get to the point of semi-fine crumbs. I used scooper for the measuring cup and flattened it out with a spoon.
Thanks for sharing, Sue — we found the culprit! When measured like that, you can end up with 1.5 times as much flour (aka 2 ¼ cups of flour instead of 1 ½ cups!) as when you lightly spoon and level, and that extra flour is definitely causing the issues that you’ve experienced!
If you don’t own a kitchen scale, here’s what I recommend doing for measuring flour (and cocoa powder, oats, etc!): use a fork to “scoop” up flour from the container, and lightly shake the fork back and forth over the top of your measuring cup to transfer the flour into it. Once there’s a small mound of flour extending past the rim of the measuring cup, then place the flat back of a knife against the top of the measuring cup, and gently scrape it across the top to get rid of the excess flour. Never “pat” the flour down with the knife or fork, and never shake the measuring cup back and forth while filling it either. This fork method acts like a sifter (without dirtying another dish!) and guarantees you’ll add less flour to the dough, so you’ll end up with moist and tender scones. Does that make sense? 🙂
Scones turned out great! I sifted my flour before (used regular unbleached flour) and added about 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice. I made two circles and cut them into 4 pieces each (making 8 total) and baked for about 16 minutes and turned the oven off for another minute and let them sit in there. I randomly brushed them with coffee, because why not. Everything turned out really amazing. My bf and I could eat all of them. They taste delicious with a latte! Easy recipe to follow.
I’m so glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed these scones, Christina! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. That really means a lot! 🙂 I love your idea of brushing them with coffee too. I’ve never tried doing that with scones before, but now I really want to!
I just made these scones and they turned out pretty good! Instead of making 8 large ones, I made 16 mini ones. I only had to bake them for 14 minutes, and I probably should have only done 13 mins as the bottoms are a bit too brown. After brushing them with milk, I also sprinkled on a cinnamon / sugar mix. These will be perfect little scones to accompany a cup of tea 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed these scones, Julia! It means a lot that you’d rate this recipe so highly too. I’m honored that you’d take the time to do that and leave such a kind comment! 🙂