Description
These Apple Cinnamon Scones are tender, flaky, and bursting with fresh grated apple and warm cinnamon. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat, they’re topped with a sweet cinnamon glaze that adds a delightful finishing touch. Made with cold butter and heavy cream, these scones bake to golden perfection with a soft crumb and Cinnamon Sweet Bits for extra bursts of cinnamon flavor.
Ingredients
Scones
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (frozen & grated)
- 1½ cups grated apple (Granny Smith, Gala, or Pink Lady)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg (cold)
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
- ½ cup cinnamon sweet bits
Cinnamon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Grate butter and apples: Grate frozen unsalted butter, then return it to the freezer while prepping the rest. Grate apples until you have 1½ cups, then gently squeeze out excess liquid using a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt to combine thoroughly.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the cold egg and heavy whipping cream, then stir in the grated apples.
- Coat butter with flour: Toss the frozen grated butter into the flour mixture, breaking up any clumps so that each butter piece is coated well.
- Combine dough: Add the wet apple mixture and cinnamon sweet bits to the flour and butter. Use a wooden spoon to gently combine into a dough.
- Shape and cut: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat into an 8-inch diameter circle about 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges using a knife or bench scraper.
- Transfer wedges: Carefully transfer the wedges onto the prepared baking sheet. Keep them close together to help them rise evenly during baking.
- Freeze and preheat: Place the baking sheet with scones into the freezer. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Bake scones: Once oven is fully preheated, bake the scones for 20-25 minutes until they are lightly golden on top. Remove and cool completely on the pan.
- Make cinnamon glaze: While scones cool, whisk together powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Adjust with more milk or powdered sugar to reach desired glaze consistency.
- Glaze and serve: Drizzle or pipe the cinnamon glaze over the cooled scones before serving. Enjoy fresh for best taste.
Notes
- Using frozen butter is key for flaky scones; grate it finely and keep it cold.
- Squeeze excess liquid from the apples to avoid soggy dough.
- Keeping scones close on the baking sheet helps them rise evenly.
- Adjust the glaze thickness by adding more powdered sugar or milk as needed.
- Bench scrapers make transferring cut scone wedges easier and cleaner.
- Use tart apple varieties like Granny Smith for a balanced sweetness and texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
