Scones with cheddar, pretzel bits, chai spices, and caramel deliver a sweet-salty bite for mornings or snacks.
# Components:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 tablespoon chai spice blend (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper)
06 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
→ Cheese & Pretzels
07 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
08 - 3/4 cup mini pretzel twists, roughly chopped
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
10 - 2/3 cup cold buttermilk
11 - 1 large egg
→ Caramel
12 - 1/3 cup thick caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling
→ Topping
13 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
14 - Flaky sea salt (optional)
15 - Extra caramel sauce (optional)
16 - Extra pretzel bits (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chai spice blend, and brown sugar until evenly incorporated.
03 - Add cold, cubed butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or fingertips to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Fold in grated cheddar cheese and chopped pretzel twists to distribute throughout the mixture.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together cold buttermilk, egg, and thick caramel sauce until smooth.
06 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Gently combine until just incorporated; do not overmix.
07 - Transfer dough to a floured surface, pat it into a 1-inch thick round, and slice into eight wedges.
08 - Place wedges onto prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and extra pretzel bits as desired.
09 - Bake in the center of the oven for 16 to 18 minutes until the scones are golden brown.
10 - Allow scones to cool slightly, then drizzle with additional caramel sauce before serving.
