3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, two butter knives or your fingers. The mixture will be crumbly. In a small measuring cup, stir together the half-and-half or cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined, adding chocolate chips at the very end. Do not over mix. Alternatively (my preferred method), add all dry ingredients to a food processor and pulse. Add the butter and pulse until mixture is evenly crumbly. Slowly add the wet ingredients through the food processor chute, pulsing to combine. Pulse just until the dough forms a large ball, adding chocolate chips at the very end.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, knead gently a few times and then pat into a circle that is about 3/4 in. thick. Use a 2 1/2-in. round biscuit cutter to cut the dough into rounds. Re-roll/pat out the scraps as needed. Place the rounds on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing a few inches apart.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned.
Makes about 10 2 1/2-in. round scones.
***To make an orange-cranberry version, omit the chocolate chips and add 2 tsp. of orange zest or 2 tbsp. of frozen orange juice concentrate at the same time as the liquid ingredients and add 1/2 cup dried cranberries at the end.
Now for the BS. A friend asked me to try to recreate Costco bakery's bisconies, which are sort of a cross between a scone and a cookie. (I don't know why they say a cross between biscotti and scones, because biscotti cookies are hard as a rock, and these are soft, but whatever, Costco.) I figured the primary differences between cookies and scones are the amounts of sugar and baking powder (and obviously scones have liquid that cookies don't). I played around with the sugar, first doubling it to 1/2 cup and then trying 3/4 cup. The more sugar, the denser, and more cookie-like they are. I also cut the baking powder in half, again to try and make them less puffy and more cookie-like. I think it worked! Both the orange-cranberry and the chocolate chip versions came out well. I look forward to trying this with other add-ins, maybe dried cherries and slivered almonds...?
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