Spiced Chocolate Chip Scones

I adapted this recipe from the one for "Cinnamon Raisin Scones" that appears in the cookbook I wrote with my mother. Chocolate is amazing when accompanied by a few spices. I chose nutmeg and cloves as the focus with cinnamon as an accent.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 "scone cookie"

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups  quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1  tablespoon vegetable shortening
• 1⁄3 cup soymilk
• 1  teaspoon soymilk
• 3⁄4 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If preferred, use a baking stone instead of a cookie sheet. Preheat your stone while making your dough. When time to roll out the dough, do so on parchment paper and place in oven on the preheated pizza stone.
2. Combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a wide-mouthed, large bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the 1/3 cup soymilk and all of the shortening. Using the wooden spoon, mix well until crumbly, add the chocolate chips and knead the mixture with your hands until the dough is combined well and retains the oats, flour, and chips.
4. Roll out onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Pat into an approximately 9 inch round using your hands.
5. Brush with the remaining teaspoon of soymilk or milk. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and slice into 8 pieces!