Homemade Apple Scones fresh out of the oven are a sure way to keep warm this fall! Topped with a delicious crunchy brown sugar crumble, sprinkled with cinnamon, and drizzled with caramel, these fluffy scones are the perfect accompaniment to your morning tea or coffee!
Depending on where you live, you might be in the midst of the apple picking season, and there’s no better reason to stock up on crispy, juicy apples than to try all sorts of new recipes! Other apple recipes that are favorites in our house are these fabulous Apple Rose Puff Pastries and these Apple Oatmeal Crumb Bars.
These apple scones will not disappoint. They are an easy yeast-free pastry and ready to bake in 20 minutes and ready to eat 30 minutes after that.
Filled with diced apple, these tender and buttery scones are impressive enough to create the illusion that you’re a professional pastry chef, but the sweet treats are so simple even your kids can help!
Cozy up with a cup of tea and a scone any day of the week or make them on the weekend for a family brunch. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers you’ll have grab and go breakfast pastries for the week. You can even use any remaining crumb mixture to add to yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal!
There are so many varieties of scones, some sweet, some savory, and of course differing flavor combinations and ingredients. Once you have the foundation of how to make a perfect scone, the possibilities are endless!
How to make Apple Scones
For the crumb topping
Preheat the oven and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix the flour, packed brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and salt together. You can substitute the walnuts for pecans if you’d prefer. They do add a nice layer of crunchy texture but can also be completely omitted if need be.
Mix in the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients and combine until crumbly. Using your hands is sometimes the best way to not over mix!
Spread the mixture onto the prepared sheet and place it in the oven to bake. Remove and let cool.
For the scones
In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, packed brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter pieces into the dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter, a blender, or your fingertips to combine.
Add in the finely chopped apple, milk, egg, and vanilla and gently fold into the dry ingredients with a spatula. You want a gentle fold to avoid too much air escaping during the mixing process which will affect the texture of your scones. No one wants dry, dense scones!
Dust a countertop or cutting board with flour and place dough down to knead, sprinkling a bit more flour on your hands to avoid sticking. Knead a few times and shape into a 9″ pie. Cut the dough into 8 even pie pieces and place them individually on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake on the middle rack until golden brown. You’ll know they are done because your house will smell amazing!
If you choose to add the crumble, caramel drizzle and cinnamon sprinkle on top now is the time to do that. Or you know, eat it by the spoonful, no judgment here!
Pro Tip: You can substitute pastry flour for all-purpose, or a blend of both, as it has a lower protein content which allows for an even lighter and fluffier scone.
What is the difference between a scone and a biscuit?
Depending on who you ask, some people think they are the same! Despite them being very similar in their base ingredients, they are in fact different. There are slight variations in added ingredients as well as in the quantities used. Scones have sugar and eggs while biscuits usually do not. Biscuits are usually flakier and scones are on the crumbly side. But, as with most food, it has adapted over time and place and what is a biscuit to one might be a scone to another!
Why does the butter need to be cold?
Using cold butter means it won’t melt in the oven before the scones are nearly done. The butter will melt and release within the pastry during the baking process and help with a lighter consistency.
How to store them
Scones will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Should be eaten within the first couple of days as they will become hard.
Can I freeze them?
Kept in an airtight container, separated by wax paper so they don’t stick together, they will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Try these other apple recipes too:
Apple Scones with Crumb Topping
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup apple finely chopped
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Crumb Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter room temperature
Toppings:
- Caramel sauce
- Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the Crumb Topping:
- Mix the dry ingredients together
- Mix in the butter and stir until coarse crumbs are created.
- Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12min.
- Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
For the Scones:
- In a mixing bowl, mix the 4 dry ingredients together.
- Add the butter pieces into the dry ingredients.
- Use a pastry blender or a fork to combine ingredients.
- Add in the apple, milk, egg, vanilla, and gently fold into the dry ingredients with spatula.
- Dust a countertop or cutting board with flour for kneading the dough.
- Place the dough on the prepared floured surface and sprinkle more flour on top to prevent sticking to fingers.
- Knead the dough a few times, to form a 9” round piece of dough.
- Slice into 8 even pie-like pieces.
- Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, separating slightly.
- Place scones in the oven on the middle shelf.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove and cool.
Optional:
- Drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with the crumb mixture
- Dust with cinnamon, if desired
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