Apple Scones Recipe
This apple scones recipe uses shredded apples to give a light sweet apple-y flavor to traditional homemade scones. These buttery scones make for a perfect special treat on a fall morning.
Equipment
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- silicone baking mat
- pastry cutter
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
- 1 cup shredded fresh apples a mix of sweet and tart apple, for example envy and granny smith apples are nice here, but you can use whatever you have handy
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar or sanding sugar to decorate
Egg wash:
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar) into a large mixing bowl. Stir together.
- Cut cold butter into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold cubed butter into the flour mixture. Cut until butter pieces are no larger than the size of small peas. Don't overdo it. You want to leave some small chunks of butter. The steam created by the melting butter chunks will create the flaky layers in your scone. If you don't have a pastry cutter, you can use two sharp knives, or pulse carefully in the food processor.
- Add wet ingredients (milk and grated apples) to the flour-butter mixture and stir gently with a fork to combine. You should have a sticky, shaggy dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead 3-4 times.
- Divide dough into two balls. Flatten each ball into a circle, roughly six inches in diameter.
- Place the circles of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut each circle into six pieces.
- Place scones in refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
- While the scones chill, combine the egg yolk and heavy cream in a small bowl to make the egg wash. Remove scones from refrigerator and use a pastry brush to gently brush tops of the scones with egg wash.
- Sprinkle tops of scones with sanding sugar.
- Place scones in hot oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy the smell of apples and warm spices wafting from your oven.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to fully cool.
Notes
Leftover scones can be stored wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Warm scones in toaster oven or in a frying pan with a little butter before serving.
Unbaked scones can be frozen on a baking sheet and then stored in a ziplock bag for future baking. Frozen scones can be topped with egg wash and sanding sugar. They will need an extra 5-10 minutes to fully bake.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!