Clean Mocha Chocolate Chip Scones

Yields: 8 scones

These scones are a coffee- and chocolate-lover’s dream come true. They almost taste like brownies! Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week—if they last that long!

for the scones
½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tsp instant coffee
1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup
3 tbsp + 2 tsp (55mL) nonfat milk, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp (28g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
for the drizzle
1 tbsp (5g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp nonfat milk

Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
To make the scones, stir together the Greek yogurt and instant coffee in a small bowl until the instant coffee has fully dissolved. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, 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 prepared Greek yogurt, maple syrup, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla. Gently fold in 1 ½ tablespoons of chocolate chips.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, and shape into a ¾” tall circle using a spatula. Brush with the remaining milk. Slice the circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. Gently press the remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake at 425°F for 15-18 minutes, or until the tips of each scone triangle in the center of the pan feel firm to the touch. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the drizzle, stir together the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and milk in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped bag, and cut off a tiny piece of one corner. Just before serving, drizzle on top of the scones.

Notes: Do not substitute regular coffee grounds for the instant coffee! This recipe requires instant coffee, which dissolves in liquid. Do not substitute brewed coffee either. Its flavor is too weak, and it would add too much liquid to the scone dough.

For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if they’re measured like this.

Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.

It’s very important to measure both the flour and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. I highly recommend the latter! This is the one I own (it’s the best $20 I’ve ever spent!), and I use it every day. A kitchen scale ensures that the recipes you make will turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time.

Earth Balance buttery sticks are the best substitute for the butter. In a pinch, solid-state coconut oil may be substituted for the butter, but I warn against doing this, if at all possible, because the scones’ texture won’t be quite the same.

Honey or agave may be substituted for the maple syrup.

Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

These scones are meant to taste similar to 72% dark chocolate. For sweeter scones, substitute additional pure maple syrup for some of the milk in either the scone dough, the drizzle, or both.

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2017/01/05/clean-mocha-chocolate-chip-scones/