Healthy Spiced Chocolate Chip Scones

 

 
A few weeks ago, my grandma and I met for coffee at the Starbucks in our quiet little neighborhood in the early afternoon. With the temperature near 70°F (I love living in Southern California during the winter months — I feel so spoiled with our weather!), we sat at one of the tables outside to chat and catch up.  

Upon arriving, we exchanged small gifts… We had each brought snacks for the other person — something completely unplanned! Grandma passed me a big bag of miniature tangerines from her tree, and I handed her a batch of these incredible chocolate cookies for her to nibble on during her girls’ movie night that evening.
 

 
While Grandma stayed at the outdoor table, I headed inside to order coffee. Even though plenty of people filled the tables and chairs in the store, only two couples stood in front of me in line.

As I waited for my turn, I scanned the menu boards, smiling at the sight of them boasting their new almond milk honey flat white and coconut milk latte, and I also took a peek at what sat inside of the display cases. It looked like very few people had purchased the savory options of sandwiches, salads, and bistro boxes…

But the glass pastry shelves looked nearly empty! Only a small assortment of muffins, cookies, brownies, and slices of coffee cake still lingered after the Sunday morning crowds had finished their weekend coffee dates.
 

 
But before I reached the register to order, one of the people in front of me in line asked for a chocolate chip cookie and the last scone to pair with her chai latte… Which resulted in a cartoon light bulb going off in my head.

What if I combined the three??

I’m a huge chocoholic… I’m obsessed with the cozy spices found in chai… And scones are one of my favorite brunch items to bake…

So of course I just had to try it back at home!
 

 
The result? These amazing healthy chai spice chocolate chip scones! They’re so easy to make. You just need 1 bowl and 30 minutes!

These scones are full of decadent chocolate morsels and rich spice flavors, and they’re supremely moist and tender inside — even with no eggs or heavy cream. Although I’m somewhat biased, I think they taste a thousand times better than the ones sold by many coffee shops too!
 

 

KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY SPICED CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

Let’s go over how to make these healthy spiced chocolate chip scones! Perhaps you’ve noticed… But I’ve been obsessed with one-bowl recipes lately. I love how they usually result in fewer dishes to wash! 😉 And this is the next installment in that growing list of one-bowl recipes!

In your favorite mixing bowl, you’ll whisk together white whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and an assortment of spices. These spices include cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves… aka the spices common found in chai!

Hint: “Chai” is the word for a specific Indian beverage! It’s made from black tea and lots of rich, cozy spices. Therefore, saying “chai tea” is actually like saying “tea tea…” The tea is already included in “chai,” so you don’t need to add the word “tea” afterward! 😉

Yes, I know that’s a long list of spices… But I promise they make these healthy chocolate chip scones taste absolutely incredible. They just might be my all-time favorite scones — and since I’ve shared 50+ different scone recipes on my blog, that’s definitely saying something!
 

 
As for the white whole wheat flour, such a thing actually exists… And it’s not just a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour! Instead, it’s made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits, like extra fiber, but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture… Which lets the moist texture and rich flavors of your healthy spiced chocolate chip scones shine!

Tip: I’ve also included my two favorite gluten-free options in the Notes section of the recipe, if you’d like to make these healthy spiced chocolate chip scones gluten-free!
 

 
Next, you’ll work a small amount of very cold butter into your flour mixture. Traditional scone recipes often call for ¼ to ½ cup of butter (if not more!), but you merely need 1 ½ tablespoons for these healthy homemade scones. That really helps keep your chai spice chocolate chip scones low calorie and low fat!

And yes! The butter must be very cold and straight from the fridge. (Freezing isn’t necessary!) This is because the butter creates tender little pockets in the dough as it melts in the oven. If the butter starts to soften or melt ahead of time while you’re making the dough, then you miss out on that incredible tender texture!
 

 
Whereas traditional scone recipes also tend to call for heavy cream or whole milk for their tender texture, you’ll skip both and use Greek yogurt instead! In this recipe, Greek yogurt adds the same moisture but for a fraction of the calories… And it gives your healthy chai spice chocolate chip scones a protein boost too!

Tip: I’ve actually shared how to make these healthy chocolate chip scones vegan in the Notes section of the recipe too. Since they’re already eggless, it’s very easy to do!
 

 
Instead of the granulated sugar often found in traditional scone recipes, you’ll sweeten your healthy chai spice chocolate chip scones with pure maple syrup instead. That’s the kind that comes directly from maple trees! You can usually find it in clear glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!), and the only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup.”

Hint: Although you’re using a few ingredients not found in traditional scone recipes, I did create this recipe to taste as close to traditional scones as possible… aka they’re not overly sweet! If you prefer sweeter scones, that’s also easy to do. Just see the Notes section on how to modify this recipe to suit your tastes!

Finally, there’s one more key ingredient… The chocolate chips! I used these mini chocolate chips because they taste so rich, and their smaller size ensures that every bite of your healthy chai spice scones contains at least one morsel of chocolate (if not more!). That’s definitely a good thing in my [chocoholic] book!
 

 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY SPICED CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

It’s almost time to bake! First, shape your dough into a ¾”-tall circle. Since the dough is fairly sticky, I use my favorite mini spatula to do this. Next, brush the top and the sides of your dough with milk. This seals moisture into the dough, so the insides of your healthy spiced chocolate chip scones turn out deliciously tender, and it also creates a hint of a crust on the outside. I love that texture contrast!

Before sliding your baking sheet into the oven, slice your dough circle into 8 wedges. I do this by cutting a + into the dough to divide it into quarters, and then I cut each of those quarters in half. And people somebody always asks… I don’t separate them! By leaving them touching, the sides of your healthy chai spice chocolate chip scones turn out just as moist and tender as the insides.

Oh! And I love pressing some of the mini chocolate chips into the tops of the scones just before baking. I think it makes them look even more cute and irresistible, don’t you??
 

 
Time to eat! 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 chai spice chocolate chip scones!

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthy Cinnamon Scones
♡  Healthy Chai Spice Carrot Raisin Scones
♡  Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal Scones
♡  Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones
♡  Healthy Chai Spice Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
♡  Healthy Chai Spice Cinnamon Rolls
♡  Healthy Chai Spice Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy scone recipes!