These roasted pear and cranberry chocolate chunk scones are the perfect seasonal scone to accompany a hot cup of coffee.
When I eat these, it immediately takes me to cozy winters sitting by the fire and family holidays.
Jump to:
Why you will love these roasted pear & cranberry chocolate chunk scones
This winter scone recipe is decadent and delicious, without being overly sweet. I love the richness that the chocolate chunks bring, and I think you will too.
This recipe is perfect to bring to a gathering of friends and it will be a hit!
One thing I love about scones is that they are imperfect and have a rustic vibe to them. The dough is always crumbly and so is the finished product.
They usually turn out asymmetrical, partly crunchy and partly melt in your mouth.
It’s a mixture of what life is, imperfect, unpredictable and delightful all at the same time.
Tips
I will say this whenever I make scones, or any type of batter or dough that is on the dryer side, always use cold butter!
To cut out all the work of using a pastry cutter, you should definitely use a food processor for this recipe. LIFE SAVER!
If you don’t have a food processor, I recommend you consider investing in one. I use mine very often.
Ingredients
The ingredients in these lovely chocolate cranberry and pear scones are wonderfully seasonal and remind me of windy Fall days and Winters sitting by the fire.
It is the perfect blend of bitter-sweet chocolate and tart earthy fruit.
When it comes to pears, you don’t want a pear that is too ripe, otherwise it will yield a lot of liquid that can change the consistency of your batter.
Make sure to use pears that are firmer, but still have a slight give to them.
I know I always talk about the fruit trees I had growing up, maybe because I loved them, just like I loved my childhood. They bring back good memories.
But we did have 2 pear trees, and they were the juiciest, most flavorful pears you could ever imagine. They were so good that I really have a hard time eating store-bought pears to this day.
If you are using homegrown pears, pick them just shy of full ripeness for this recipe.
These are the ingredients for roasted pear & cranberry chocolate chunk scones:
- Pears
- Dried cranberries
- Chocolate chunks (semi-sweet or dark)
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons
- Baking powder
- Salted butter (2 sticks cold)
- Whole milk
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Heavy whipping cream or half and half
- Raw sugar
How to make roasted pear & cranberry chocolate chunk scones
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel the pears and dice them into ½ inch squares.
Toss them with 2 tablespoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the pear pieces in a single layer on top of it.
Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes, giving it a little mix halfway through.
Pull the pears out of the oven and let them cool to room temperature. If they are rendered liquid, pat it dry with a paper towel.
While the pears are cooling, take a food processor and add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into it. Take the cold butter and cut it into small chunks.
Turn the food processor on and add the chunks of butter a few tablespoons at a time. As soon as all the butter is added, turn the food processor off.
The butter/four mixture should look like the texture and consistency of sand. There shouldn’t be any large chunks of butter left. If there are, give it a few more pulses, but don’t overwork it.
You don’t want the butter to get warm and melt.
Pour the mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl. With a spoon, mix in the lightly beaten egg and the milk. Gently fold in the cranberries, roasted pears and chocolate chunks until just combined.
The batter will be dry and might be slightly crumbly, this is what we want.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and dump the scone batter onto it. With your hands, shape the batter into a circle about ¾” thick.
With a knife, cut the scones into wedges, almost like you would cut a pizza. Carefully separate the wedges and place them at least 2 inches apart. They will expand and rise as they bake, so leave enough room in between each scone.
Take a few tablespoons of either half and half or heavy whipping cream and brush the tops of the scones with it. Generously sprinkle the raw sugar on top and bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool before serving. Serve with coffee and enjoy!
Variations
I personally like these scones with raw sugar on top, but if you are glaze type of person, that would also be delicious on these cranberry and pear chocolate scones.
Just mix 2 ½ cups of powdered sugar with a few tablespoons of milk and drizzle on top of your scones.
Substitutions
You may substitute apples for the pears in this recipe if you cannot find pears or if you prefer apples over pears.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Parchment paper
FAQ’s
What is the secret to good scones?
The best way to ensure that your scones turn out perfectly, is by using COLD ingredients (butter and milk) and not overworking the dough.
The dough should be on the dry and crumbly side.
Is it better to make scones with butter or oil?
I always recommend using cold butter when it comes to making scones. Butter is more natural than seed and vegetable oils and I personally think it tastes better.
The texture of your scone depends on using real butter.
Why did my scones turn out dense?
It is possible that your scones turned out dense if you overworked the dough, or if your ingredients were not cold enough. Scones also need a leavening agent like baking powder.
📖 Recipe
Roasted Pear & Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Scones
Equipment
- Food processor
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 pears not too soft
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chocolate chunks semi-sweet or dark
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar + 2 tablespoons
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks cold
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or half and half
- Raw sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Peel and dice the pears into ½” chunks and toss them with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon.
- Spread them out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes, tossing them halfway through.
- Remove them from the oven and let them come to room temperature before adding them to the batter. If they render liquid, pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder to a food processor and cube the cold butter.
- Pulse the food processor while you add butter cubes, a few at a time, until all of the butter is incorporated into the flour mixture. There shouldn’t be any large chunks of butter left.
- Transfer the flour and butter mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the milk, vanilla and the beaten egg to the flour mixture and mix it with a fork or a spoon until just combined. The batter will be thick and crumbly.
- Fold in the roasted pears, cranberries and chocolate chips.
- Dump the scone batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and shape it with your hands into a circle that is about ¾” thick.
- Cut the batter into wedges, kind of like you would cut a pizza, and separate all of the scones from each other leaving several inches between each. They will rise significantly in the oven while you bake them.
- Brush the top of each scone with either heavy whipping cream or half and half and generously sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Let them cool before serving. Enjoy!
Comments
No Comments