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These Pecan Chocolate Chip Scones are the perfect balance of buttery richness, nutty crunch, and sweet chocolate indulgence.

I don’t know if it’s the English blood pulsing through my veins, or just my love of carbs, but there’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked scones wafting through your kitchen! Unless it’s the “eating” of freshly baked scones!

These semi-sweet chocolate and pecan mile-high scones are what breakfast pastries dreams are made of! My husband has had one every morning this past week! It is my new favorite scone recipe!

They are tender, moist, with layer upon layer of chocolaty goodness. To top it off, there’s a lightly sweetened hazelnut vanilla bean glaze that is the perfect finishing touch for these scrumptious scones!

Perfect any day of the week, on any given month, these scones are guaranteed to brighten your Christmas day and satisfy your cravings during the Holidays! You can even toss in a few dried cranberries if you want them to have a little extra holiday cheer inside! Use this recipe as a “basic scone” recipe and take liberties with it by adding any of your favorite flavors and bits. Get creative!

Let’s get baking friends.

Ingredients to gather

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold butter (½ cup), cubed or grated
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 2 Tablespoons hazelnut creamer, or milk-if needed add more cream or milk to reach the desired consistency

How to Make Chocolate Chip Pecan Scones

Preheat the oven to 400°(F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add cold cubed or grated butter. I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted too. Either will work beautifully.

TIP: I prefer to grate a stick of frozen butter to help create flaky layers. It is easier to grate when frozen and makes it easier to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.

Cut the butter into flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I begin by using the pastry blender and then switch to using my fingers to get a nice crumb.

Wet Ingredients

In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients by whisking together the room temperature egg, buttermilk, and vanilla.

NOTE: Most scone recipes call for heavy whipping cream, but this recipe uses buttermilk. It makes the most amazing scone dough!

Instead of a crumbly, dry dough, like most scone dough recipes, this dough is tender and moist, and it creates the perfect scones! I truly can’t express enough how much I love the consistency of this dough and how easy it is to work with!

Stir the wet ingredients into the center of the crumb mixture and mix until just moistened.

Adding in the “Add-in’s”

Now for the fun part…chocolate!! Who doesn’t love chocolate? I love the flavor of the dark semi-sweet chocolate with the nutty flavor of the pecans in this breakfast tea treat.

Stir in the chocolate chips and coarsely chopped pecans! A word of caution to be careful not to over mix the dough. No one wants hockey pucks for breakfast! Not even hockey players!

Gather the dough into a ball, making sure to get all the little crumbs at the bottom of the bowl. This dough really does come together beautifully.

Shaping scones

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently, keyword here…gently, 8 times! Not 9 or 10. ONLY eight times! (Okay fine! I did 9 times…but don’t tell on me!)

TIP: Pssst…little secret…the way to create perfect scones, or biscuits, is to not over work the dough!

Pat the dough into a 6-inch circle. It should be about an inch thick.

Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 equal wedges. I begin by cutting the dough disc in half, then quarters, then eighths. It works great!

Unlike most scone recipes, you do NOT brush the tops with cream…and skip the sprinkle of sugar! We’re going to add a wonderful hazelnut glaze at the end.

Place the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Making sure they are about an inch apart to allow room for expansion during baking.

Bake in a preheated oven for 15–20 minutes. The tops should be golden brown when done.

TIP: I recommend turning the baking sheet around half-way through the baking time for a nice even bake.

Remove the baked scones and place on a cooling rack. Let the scones cool for 5 minutes while you make the glaze.

Please note the glaze is optional, but highly recommended by our taste testing team, also known as myself and my husband. Hey, you get what you get around this nest!

Hazelnut vanilla glaze

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and 2 tablespoons of hazelnut cream. Mix together with a small whisk until well combined.

TIP: Note, you can substitute milk for the cream if you don’t want the hazelnut flavored glaze. However, I highly recommend the hazelnut. It’s SO good and the perfect compliment to this recipe. Using flavored creamers is a great way to infuse flavor into glazes and frostings that call for milk.

Drizzle the hazelnut glaze over the top of each scone with a spoon. Let the glaze set for 5 minutes before serving.

Once your Pecan Chocolate Chip Scones are golden brown, glazed, and ready to serve, the only thing left to do is enjoy them!

Pair them with your favorite cup of tea, coffee, hot cocoa, cider, or a glass of milk for the ultimate comfort experience. These scones are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven but can be easily stored for a couple of days to keep the goodness going.

They reheat beautifully in the microwave on high for 30 seconds! Store them in an airtight container or large zip lock bag.

Favorite Breakfast Bread Recipes

• Swedish Tea Ring Recipe
• Oatmeal Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze
• Bakery-Style Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
• Cranberry Orange Buttermilk Breakfast Cake
• Cranberry Orange Scones with Orange glaze
• Basic Scone Recipe from Allrecipes.com

With the nutty crunch of pecans and the sweet bursts of melty chocolate chips, this recipe perfectly balances indulgence with a hint of rustic charm. Share them with friends, savor them solo, and relish every bite of this simple yet indulgent homemade delight.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Happy Nesting!

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