Thanks to a commenter on my Facebook page, I was reminded of this wonderful Peppermint Scone recipe that I’d created back in 2016 (according to my notes). As I’ve mentioned before, when I switched website hosting services, I, unfortunately, lost a great deal of my recipes. Some probably have disappeared forever, while others were in my personal notebook where I develop recipes.

However, when someone mentioned that they’d like this recipe, I was shocked and slightly dismayed to find that I had no digital record of it. *gasp*

So what’s a girl to do? Well, my physical notebook was my last resort. I often find it easier to scribble down notes and add ingredients with a pen I don’t mind dirtying with flour rather than my iPad while in the kitchen, and so I probably have half a dozen recipes that I haven’t transcribed in that scone notebook of mine.

But, after searching my notebook, to my joy, I found the recipe! Dated 14 December 2016, this recipe was a colorful recipe to photograph to say the least! (At least, it’s been a header on my FB page for a while!)

Really, it’s a fortuitous thing that someone wanted this recipe, so thanks, David, for mentioning that you’d like this recipe. It was one that I needed to be reminded about, and one that I am glad to have needed to looked up. 🙂

Ingredients:

Scones:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup coconut flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted (special dark Hershey’s cocoa)

1/3 cup honey

8 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed

1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain & unsweetened

1-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup half & half

1 tsp peppermint extract

2 tsp instant coffee grounds in 2 tbsp hot water

1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch “chips”

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3-5 tbsp half & half

1/2 to 1 tsp peppermint extract (to taste)

Topping:

1/4 to 1/2 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch “chips”

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Combine the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder), whisking to mix well.

3. In a small bowl, combine the hot water and instant coffee granules, then set aside.

4. In a measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup of the heavy whipping cream and the 1/2 cup Greek yogurt. Add the peppermint extract, then whisk to mix and set aside.

5. Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients and work in with a fork, your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Some larger, pea-sized chunks are fine.

6. Add the Andes Peppermint Crunch “chips” to the dry ingredients and toss to mix.

7. Add the instant coffee liquid and the honey to the yogurt-and-cream mixture and give it a stir or two. Then add to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed. Note: it will not be enough liquid.

8. Add the 1/2-cup half & half to the dry ingredients and give a stir or two. Then add heavy cream until the dough just comes together. A few dry bits on the bottom of the bowl are not only okay but wanted. You want to add the cream in drizzles so that you do not add too much—chocolate scones have a tendency to spread out more than others, so add additional liquid sparingly until the dough doesn’t quite come together and you have some dry bits on the bottom of the bowl.

9. Give the dough 1 or 2 kneads in the bowl to bring it together, then lightly press out into circles or logs and cut into your desired number of scones. (Unaltered recipe makes about 32 small scones. Cut in half for 16 small scones or 8 large scones.)

10. Bake @400F for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are darker brown and the top of the scones looks dry. If uncertain about the scone’s doneness, remove from the oven and gently lift to look at the bottom of the scone. It should be firm all the way through and lightly browned on bottom as well. Check them in 2-minute intervals to avoid over-baking.

11. When done, remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool.

12. After the scones are cool, prepare the glaze. Combine the ingredients to a thickness you want (add more or less half & half, remembering that it will set and harden a little on the scones). Drizzle the scones with the icing and immediately sprinkle the remaining Andes Peppermint Crunch “chips” atop them so that they stick to the glaze. Enjoy immediately or within the next day for optimal freshness.

Substitutions for this recipe:

You can, of course, substitute all-purpose flour or normal white pastry flour for the whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe. If you do, please note that you will need less liquid and your scones will have a different texture, probably lighter. (C’mon, I’m trying to give some healthy options here!)

You can likewise use granulated sugar as a substitute for honey if you prefer. However, you will need more liquid if you do. To sub sugar for honey, use 2/3 cup granulated sugar and omit the honey, then add additional heavy cream or half & half as needed.

You can also substitute mint chips or even chocolate chips for the Andes Peppermint “chips” if you can’t find those. You can experiment with adding extra peppermint extract to the dough to bring out a stronger peppermint flavor if you do so.

Scone baking tips:

* You can always stop after you cut the dough into scone shapes and freeze on the baking tray, then transfer to a plastic bag. Keep in the freezer for 2-3 months, then bake frozen at the same temperature as the recipe requires, simply adding additional time in the oven and checking for doneness. (Likewise you can make the night before, refrigerate or freeze overnight and bake in the morning.)

* If you accidentally added too much liquid and have sticky dough when you turn it out onto the baking sheet, add additional flour by sprinkling it atop the scones and pressing into the dough. Do not knead additional dough into the flour.

* If your dough has become sticky and overworked, you can freeze or refrigerate for 30 minutes prior to baking to relax the gluten and help prevent tough scones and help them rise better.

* Keep a close eye on the scones as they bake. If you over-bake them, they will be dry and tough.