We had to test a recipe from the Jurassic World Cookbook and the Raptor Claw Scones looked incredible (but did they taste good?). Here’s how it went.
How to Make Raptor Claw Scones
- Prepare the nuts: Set aside 24 cashew nuts to make claws. Chop the remaining cashew nuts into small pieces.
- Prepare the flour blend: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine. Add the butter. Using a pastry blender, mix until the blend resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Make the dough: Add the chopped cashew nuts, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut to the flour blend and fold in gently. In another bowl, add the egg and heavy cream and whisk to combine. Add the heavy cream and egg mixture to the flour blend and fold everything until just mixed.
- Shape the claws: Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet. Pat the dough into a disc about one and a half to two inches thick and cut into eight wedges. Move four of the wedges to the second prepared baking sheet. Cut two slits vertically into the curved side of each wedge. Spread apart the “toes” and insert one cashew “claw” into each toe.
- Bake: Brush the scones with the remaining egg-heavy cream mixture. Bake the claws for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
Make Ahead and Storing Instructions
To Make Ahead: Scones are best fresh out of the oven, but you can shape the claws the night before and leave them in the refrigerator to bake the next day.
To Storing: Baked scones will stay fresh for about a week in the refrigerator as long as they are stored in a sealed container. You can also freeze them for up to three months to keep them fresh for longer.
Recipe Variations for Raptor Claw Scones
Chocolate-orange twist: Replace the shredded coconut with one tablespoon of orange zest. Fold in one-third of a cup of dark chocolate chunks for a delightful chocolate-orange flavor.
Almond coconut scones: Replace the flour with almond flour and add a third of a cup of chopped almonds and shredded, unsweetened coconut.
Blueberry scones: Mix one-third of a cup of fresh blueberries into the dough. Skip the chocolate chips and coconut. Double the chopped cashews.
Lemon poppy seed scones: Skip the chocolate chips and shredded coconut. Instead, add one tablespoon of lemon zest and one tablespoon of poppy seeds.
Pumpkin spice claw scones: Replace the chocolate chips with a third of a cup of pumpkin puree and one heaped teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Maple pecan claws: Substitute the chocolate chips with one-third of a cup of chopped pecans and add two overflowing tablespoons of maple syrup to the dough.
Cinnamon raisin treat: Remove the chocolate chips and shredded coconut. Mix in one-third of a cup of raisins and one teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a classic breakfast treat.
Gingerbread twist: Replace the chocolate chips with one-third of a cup of chopped crystallized ginger and add one teaspoon of ground ginger to the dough.
Cranberry orange claws: Fold one-third of a cup of dried cranberries and a tablespoon of orange zest into the dough. Skip the chocolate chips and coconut for a tangy-sweet treat.
Honey lavender scones: Omit the chocolate chips and shredded coconut. Instead, add one tablespoon of dried culinary lavender buds and two tablespoons of honey to the dough.
