Chocolate Banana Scones

Drizzling a glaze over chocolate scones.

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Tender chocolate banana scones made with cocoa powder, mini chocolate chips, and a sweet vanilla glaze. They’re perfect for breakfast or a snack—and they freeze beautifully, so you can keep a batch on hand.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Course: Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana scones with chocoate chips, chocolate banana scones

Servings: scones

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

For the Scones:

2¾ cups all-purpose flour 330 grams
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 28 grams
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup granulated sugar 67 grams
8 tablespoons butter cold; cut into pats, 113 grams
1 cup mini chocolate chips 170 grams
1 banana very ripe and mashed, 113 grams
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk 120 grams

For the Glaze:

¾ cup powdered sugar 85 grams
1½ to 2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your hands to work it in until the mixture is crumbly, with some larger chunks still visible. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
In a separate bowl, mash the banana, then mix in the vanilla and buttermilk until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until most of the dough comes together. It’s normal to see some dry crumbs at this stage.
If the dough feels exceptionally dry, you can sprinkle in a tablespoon or two of milk to help it along, but the next step will help incorporate the dry bits without overworking the dough.
Tip the dough onto a floured counter and gather it into a rough mound. Scrape up any loose crumbs and pile them on top. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the mound in half, then stack the halves and press down gently. Repeat this cut-and-stack process three to four more times, or until the dough comes together and the crumbs are folded in.
Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a 6-inch round. Slice each round into 6 wedges. To minimize spreading in the oven, you can pop the scones in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.
Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about ½ inch apart. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let the scones cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before adding the glaze.

Make the Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Add more milk if needed until the glaze is pourable but not runny.
Drizzle over the cooled scones and let the glaze set for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use Cold Ingredients; Cold butter and chilled buttermilk help create that tender, flaky texture. If the butter softens while you're mixing, pop the dough in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before shaping.

Why the cut-and-stack method? This technique is a gentle way to bring the dough together without overmixing. By cutting and stacking the dough a few times (like a rough lamination), you’re folding in the dry crumbs while also creating layers that give the scones a tender, slightly flaky texture.

Overmixing can develop the gluten too much, leading to dense or dry scones. Stop mixing as soon as the dough mostly holds together, even if you see some dry bits, that’s what the stacking step is for.

For best results, measure the mashed banana. Bananas can vary quite a bit in size and adding too much can make the dough overly wet, which will affect the texture.

These scones freeze well after baking. Just cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze. To reheat, pop one in a toaster oven or microwave

I adapted this recipe from our sourdough banana scones. I wanted to offer a version for readers who don’t keep a sourdough starter. This one leans more chocolatey, with cocoa in the dough and mini chocolate chips throughout.

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