Chocolate-chip orange scones and homemade chocolate-chip cookies are quick treats for busy college students. | All photos courtesy of Bethany Linnenkohl

Chocolate-chip orange scones

Through my junior high years, my dad and I would often get up before the rest of the family on Saturday mornings and make scones for breakfast. We enjoyed enriching the dough with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, nuts, or whatever else inspired us that morning.

My signature scone is the chocolate-chip orange scone. Fresh from the oven, these scones break in half perfectly and the melted, oozing morsels of chocolate are scattered throughout. The accompanying citrus aroma fills the kitchen and refreshes the palate of those partaking. Scones are easy to make and can be perfectly paired with tea, coffee, orange juice, or just by themselves as a dainty treat, breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:

-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1/4 cup granulated sugar
-1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 unsalted, cold butter
-1 cup chocolate chips
-1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
-1 tablespoon orange juice
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2/3 cup buttermilk
-Granulated sugar for coating

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Cut the butter into teaspoon size pieces. With two forks blend the butter in with the flour mixture until there are no large clumps of butter and the consistency is crumbly.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips. Grate the orange peel and juice the orange. Combine orange zest, orange juice, vanilla and buttermilk with the dry mix and stir until the dough is completely mixed and sticky but do not over mix.
5. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough four or five times. Flatten the dough into a rectangle, about half an inch thick.
6. Cut the rectangle lengthwise into two or three inch wide strips. With a sharp knife make diagonal cuts in each strip to make triangle-shaped scones. Dip each scone in sugar and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 20 mini scones

Home-made chocolate-chip cookies

Last week, I mentioned the unappetizing nature of prepackaged, pre-cut squares of cookie dough bought from the grocery store and a reader asked me for my cookie dough recipe in order to contend with this common default. This cookie dough recipe is one of the best, with crisp edges and a soft center, but still thick in form.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt butter in a microwave or on a stove top. Cream together melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat in vanilla, egg and egg yolk.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter mixture. Stir until well blended and make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add in chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.
4. Drop one-inch balls of cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets and bake or 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet until they set and then transfer to a wire rack in order for them to cool completely.

Makes about three dozen two-inch cookies.