Cranberry-Chocolate Scones

I have been somewhat obsessed with dried cranberries for the past year. I put them in my granola, in my yogurt, in salads with feta and red onions, or just eat them by the handful. Last week, as we were in the middle of moving (more on that to come), I was desperately low on food and in the mood to munch. I went to grab the jar of dried cranberries and found them sitting right next to the jar of chocolate chips.

With a curious shrug I grabbed a few chocolate chips, snatched up some cranberries, and popped them into my mouth. A light bulb went off, nay exploded, in my head as I savored the mix of sweet, tart cranberries with the bitter, velvety chocolate. How could I combine these? My first thought was biscuits, but that didn’t seem right. A few more seconds of thinking led me to the answer – scones!

So far I’ve made this recipe twice, and each time they have been delicious. This recipe is super easy and infinitely adaptable, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand!

Cranberry-Chocolate Scones

Serves 8-16

• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 c sugar, plus more for glaze
• 1/2 c dried cranberries
• 1/4 c bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1.5-2 c heavy cream
• 3 tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar with a fork.  Add the dried cranberries and chocolate chips and incorporate into flour mixture.
3. Still using a fork, mix in 1.5 c heavy cream just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky, but should not be a batter (add more cream or flour if necessary).
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and knead 8 or 9 times. Pat out into a circle about 10″ in diameter, or divide the dough in half and pat out into two 5″ circles. Cut each circle into 8 triangles and arrange on a baking sheet.
5. Brush each scone with melted butter, making sure to use all the butter. Sprinkle each scone with a pinch or two of sugar.
6. Bake for 15-17 minutes (10-12 minutes if you’ve made 16 smaller scones) until the tops are golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.
7. Serve hot, or let cool to room temperature. Scones keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from “Dried Fruit Cream Scones”, in The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham.