Yield: 8 dirty chai latte scones // Total Time: 1 hr. 15 min. // Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links.
Flaky yet tender scones, filled with espresso & chai, topped with an espresso chai glaze.
dirty chai scones with a dirty chai glaze
If you can’t help but order a starbucks dirty chai latte, these scones are for you. They’re made with espresso and chai directly in the scone dough, and with espresso and chai in the glaze. To get that delicious flavor, we brew a chai tea bag directly in hot espresso. It’s a technique I think I’ll have to implement into my own lattes to be honest! But anyway – these scones are ridiculously light and fluffy and so so flavorful and delicious.
what is a dirty chai latte?
A dirty chai latte is just a regular chai latte that has had coffee added to it. It’s really a delicious pairing and is especially delicious when made into muffin form!
recipe tips
weigh your ingredients
Weighing your ingredients is important for getting the recipe perfect and getting consistent results. I do provide cup measurements but please note that I test all my recipes in grams and can not guarantee that your bake will turn out like mine. This kitchen scale is super cheap and a great starter scale!
keep the dough and ingredients cold
I know, I know – I’m always saying you need room-temperature ingredients. But with scones, it’s the opposite! The trick to getting those flaky layers and butter pockets is to keep the dough cold. If you notice the butter getting too warm at any point while making the scones, just pop the dough into the freezer for 5-10 minutes to harden it up again. You will want to keep your butter, eggs and sour cream in the fridge up until the last second that you need to use them!
freeze the dough before baking it
I know, I know, it’s annoying to wait. This step is super important because it ensures that the scones will not spread much in the oven, and will bake up nice and tall! Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight before baking them off.
how to cut butter into the scones
There are multiple different ways that you can incorporate butter into your scones. I find it’s easiest to cube up the butter and then smush it into the flour with my fingers until the pieces are fairly tiny. You can also use a pastry blender, or two forks to kind of cut the butter up into the flour. If you wanted to prep the night before, you could use a cheese grater to grate the stick of butter and then freeze it until you’re ready to make the scones.
american scones vs. british scones
These are very much American scones. British scones are more akin to American biscuits and likewise, do not contain any egg (while British biscuits are more like shortbread in America!) These scones contain one egg which helps make them light, fluffy, and moist.
ingredients and substitutions
For the espresso chai scones:
All purpose flour: for structure.
Baking powder: for helping the scones rise.
Salt: to help balance and bring out the sweetness of the scones.
Chai spice: to amp up the flavor a little. You can buy a pre-made blend or just blend together your favorite chai spices. I used a blend of: 1 tsp. ground cinnamon & 1/4 tsp. of ground allspice, ground cardamom, ground cloves, and ground ginger
Unsalted butter: for tenderness and making those delicious flaky layers. You can substitute in salted butter, just be sure to remove the excess salt from the dough!
Light brown sugar: for lightly sweetening and for moisture. You can easily substitute in granulated or dark brown sugar.
Egg: for binding and for moisture.
Sour cream: makes these scones nice and tender and keeps them from being dry. I recommend full-fat sour cream for the best texture.
Espresso & a chai tea bag: you’ll need your favorite espresso and favorite chai brand here.
For the espresso chai glaze:
Powdered sugar: the base of the glaze.
Espresso & a chai tea bag: you’ll need your favorite espresso and favorite chai brand here.
how to make dirty chai latte scones
Here are some photos of the process of making these delicious chai scones. The full recipe can be found at the end of this blog post.
dirty chai latte scones q&a
can I make these chai scones ahead of time?
Yes, you can! There are two ways you could go about this.
- Prepping the night before: After making the scone dough and shaping it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and leave in the freezer overnight. In the morning you can bake these scones off as stated in the recipe.
- Prepping further in advance: After making the scone dough and shaping it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze the dough for up to 1 month before baking. You can bake the scones right from frozen, they will just need a couple more minutes in the oven!
can I double this recipe?
Of course! Simply double all of the ingredients in the recipe and divide the dough into even circles. I (even more) strongly recommend measuring by weight if you are going to double the recipe for the best results.
how to store chai scones
Like most baked goods, these scones will definitely taste the best on the day that they are baked. They will last for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
why do you measure in grams?
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
a note on oven temperature
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and aren’t always at the temperature they claim to be. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
tools and ingredients
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
chai scones troubleshooting
why aren’t my scones light and fluffy?
The #1 reason for baked goods coming out super dry is not measuring the flour properly. I seriously can’t recommend using a scale enough for the best baking experience and outcome! They may also turn out dry if you over-kneaded the dough (only knead until it comes together.) If they’re not fluffy because they didn’t rise that much, your baking powder is probably expired.
my scones spread a lot in the oven
I would say there are three main reasons that this might have occurred. The #1 reason would be that the scone dough was not chilled for long enough. Freeze the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This allows all the ingredients to get cold again, which leads to les spreading in the oven. Another reason could be that your oven isn’t getting to the right temperature. I recommend getting an oven thermometer, you might be surprised to find out that your oven runs too hot or cold! If those two reasons don’t apply to you – your baking powder might be expired. You can test if your baking powder is active by dropping some in a small amount of water. If it bubbles, it’s active, if not, it’s expired.
did you make these chai scones with espresso chai glaze?
If you made these chai latte scones I would love to see them and know your thoughts! Please leave a comment and review down below, and tag me on Instagram @freshbeanbakery. If you have any questions about the recipe I will gladly do my best to answer them in the comments below!
Dirty Chai Latte Scones
Ingredients
Espresso Chai
- 60 g freshly brewed espresso (2 oz.)
- 1 chai tea bag
Dirty Chai Latte Scones
- 1 egg
- 60 g sour cream (¼ c.)
- 30 g espresso chai
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 240 g all purpose flour (2 c.)
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 35 g light brown sugar (3 tbsp.)
- 113 g unsalted butter cold, cubed (½ c.)
Dirty Chai Latte Glaze
- 150 g powdered sugar (1 ¼ c.)
- 1-2 tbsp. espresso chai
Instructions
Espresso Chai
- Add the chai tea bag to a small cup, then brew or pour the hot espresso directly over it. Let the mixture steep for 5 minutes, then discard the tea bag.
Dirty Chai Latte Scones
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, 30g (2 tbsp.) of the espresso chai mixture and vanilla until well combined. Set the mixture in the fridge.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cube up your cold butter stick and add it into the dry ingredients.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are quite small.
- Make a well in the center of the ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients mixture. Lightly mix the ingredients together in the bowl until you have a shaggy dough.
- Use your hands to lightly knead the scone dough together until it comes together.
- Form the dough into a circle that is 6" in diameter. Cover the dough and let it rest in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Slice the scones into 8 equally sized triangles. Evenly space them apart on the lined baking sheet.
- If desired, you can brush a little bit of heavy cream on top of the scones to encourage the tops to brown. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the scones start to turn golden brown on top.
Espresso Chai Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar into a small mixing bowl. Add in the remaining espresso chai one tablespoon at a time, until you get your desired glaze consistency.
- Once the scones have cooled to room temperature, top them with the glaze. Serve and enjoy!