These Peppermint Mocha Scones are great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert at Christmas! A chocolate dough is flavored with instant coffee, peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes.
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As soon as winter comes, it is peppermint-flavored everything! And one of my favorite flavors to pair up with peppermint is chocolate. These Peppermint Mocha Scones just scream winter and Christmas. Typically peppermint is more of a dessert flavor, not that these scones aren’t dessert-forward, but hey, they also pass off as breakfast! Find more peppermint recipes here!
Scones are really very simple and fast to make. The one key is to not over mix or over knead the dough too much. Just a few turns in a food processor, press the dough into a disc, cut, and bake. I also like to freeze scones when I know I won’t get through them. You can freeze them raw and put them straight in the oven to bake when needed, they just need to cook a little longer. This batch makes 8 rather large scones, unless you choose to cut them smaller.
I love the bits of crushed candy canes in the dough both for the color it gives the scones as well as the little crunch for texture. They melt and re-harden from baking, so if you want some extra crunchy bits, try pressing some crushed candy canes into the dough immediately after they come out of the oven. Use some colored sugars or sprinkles on top for some extra glitz if desired. And while a scone is traditionally considered a breakfast or brunch item, or for things like tea, these Peppermint Mocha Scones are sweet and also perfect as a dessert. I love to eat them with a hot cup of coffee! These scones are just a wonderful way to celebrate the winter season and holidays.
Equipment
- Silicone Baking Mats (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon instant coffee (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar plus more for dusting
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter chilled, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 6 candy canes crushed, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F with the rack in the middle position.
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, sugar, baking powder, and salt together to combine.
- Cut 5 Tablespoons of the chilled butter into 1/4 inch pieces. Place the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter to the side (you will use it later). Scatter the butter pieces across the flour mixture. Pulse again in the food processor until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger butter pieces, approximately 12 pulses.
- Transfer the dough to a medium bowl. Add the heavy cream, peppermint extract, and 4 crushed candy canes (save the other 2 crushed candy canes for later). Combine with a spatula until the dough just comes together.
- Option 1: For a round, clean edge, use a round cake pan. Scatter the remaining 2 crushed candy canes in the bottom of the cake pan. Press the chocolate dough on top of the candy canes into the pan in an even layer. Press firmly to make sure the dough is sticking together. Flip the pan over and forcefully tap the pan against a cutting board or clean counter, and the dough should come out in a clean, round disc.
- Option 2: On a lightly floured cutting board, pour out the dough and press into a disc approximately 9 inches wide. Make it as even as possible. Press the remaining 2 crushed candy canes into the top of the dough.
- Using a knife, cut the disc like you would a pizza into 8 wedges.
- Melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter in a small bowl or cup. Brush it across the top of the scones. Sprinkle the scones with some granulated sugar and/or sprinkles as desired.
- Use the knife under each scone to move them to a parchment or silicone baking mat lined cookie sheet. Leave space between them as they will expand.
- Bake the scones until cooked through, approximately 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool at least 10 minutes. The scones can be served warm or at room temperature.
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