HALFWAY HOMEMADE: DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK SCONES
Ah, the holidays! There are definitely more than a few reasons why this is the most wonderful time of the year, but in my humble opinion, it's the food I look forward to the most. Recently, I had to throw together something quick for a little holiday get together with my friends, so I grabbed what I had in my pantry and the result are these scones. These treats are so easy to make, especially if you're in a hurry, and they were big crowd pleasers (just ask any of my friends). Keep on reading to find out how to make them!
Gather all of your ingredients and set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a pounder to break apart 2 large pieces of dark chocolate peppermint bark.
Add the water to the scone mix and once the batter consistency is sticky, add in the crushed peppermint bark.
Use a tablespoon to scoop the batter onto a medium sized pan sprayed with baking spray. Bake them for about 14-16 minutes or until light golden brown.
After baking these scones my kitchen smelled AMAZING!! I have had many a dry scone in my life, but I've got to admit that these guys turned out pretty moist. Even if yours come out a bit on the dry side, just remember that a little hot chocolate goes a long way (I might suggest pairing these treats with the peppermint hot chocolate pops we made a while back). :) Now here's the recipe for these halfway homemade spirit-filled scones.
Ingredients:
1 bag of plain scone mix (I used this one from Sticky Fingers Bakeries)
2/3 cup + a tablespoon of cold water (according to the scone mix directions)
1/4 cup crushed dark chocolate peppermint bark (William's Sonoma makes the best by far)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
White sanding sugar (for garnish)
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two medium sized flat pans with baking spray.
2. Crush about 1/4 cup worth of peppermint bark.
3. Make your scone batter according to the directions on the bag. The one I used only called for water! Stir the mix until the consistency of the batter is super sticky to a point where it's almost too hard to stir.
4. Add the peppermint and vanilla extracts to give the plain batter some pizzazz. :)
5. Mix the crushed peppermint bark into the scone batter.
6. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the batter onto the sprayed pans. Each scone should be about 3-4 inches. Top them off with sanding sugar before you put them in the oven (this is optional).
7. Bake each batch for about 14-16 minutes or until they look light golden brown.
8. Take them out of the oven and place them on a rack to cool down.
Recipe makes about 12 scones.
I don't know about you, but my favorite holiday activity is definitely baking. There is something about making homemade treats while listening to old-timey Christmas music that just gives me such a magical feeling. Honestly, add holiday spirit to the ingredient list because I'm pretty sure that's what makes these scones taste ever better. Happy holidays everyone! :)
xoxo,
Emma