These homemade apple scones are soft, buttery and flaky scones filled with tart apples and cozy spices baked into every bite. Made with simple ingredients and warm seasonal flavor, these easy to make apple scones are the perfect treat for a cozy fall breakfast, weekend brunch, or afternoon coffee break.
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Why Make This Recipe
I absolutely love scones, but if you’re still relying on store bought scones, you are seriously missing out. My homemade Cinnamon Scones, Peach Scones, Blueberry Scones, Buttermilk Scones, Lemon Scones, Strawberry Scones, and Chocolate Scones are some of the best homemade scone recipes you’ll find. These buttery and flaky scones with tart apples and cozy warming spices are another easy scone recipe I know you will love.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the tender and flaky scone filled with chunks of tart, fresh and juicy apples to the fragrant and cozy apple pie spices and creamy maple vanilla glaze, these fall scones will delight your senses.
- Easy to make and bake. These apple filled scones taste bakery worthy, but they’re actually so easy to make. Simply whisk the dry and wet ingredients together, fold in the fresh apple pieces, shape into a thick disk, chill, cut, bake and top with a maple glaze if you like.
- Perfect for fall breakfast or brunch These buttery scones with fresh juicy apples and apple pie spice can easily be made in advance, frozen and baked straight from the freezer. They’re the perfect fall baking.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe for apple and warmly spiced scones requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. If you don’t, take a look at the suggested substitutes.
- All Purpose Flour: Make these scones with apples gluten free, by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off of the weight (300 g) versus cup for cup.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown: Maple sugar would also work well to make these scones refined sugar free.
- Baking Powder: This acts as a leavener in this scone recipe. Make sure it is fresh and in date for the best cinnamon scones.
- Apple Pie Spice: Feel free to use up to 2 teaspoons of your preferred spice blend or even just cinnamon. If you’d like to use apple pie spice, but don’t have the blend on hand, mix 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ginger.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter. Just make sure the butter is very cold or even frozen. Salted butter is fine, just skip the added salt.
- Egg: This recipe has not been tested without an egg.
- Heavy Cream: For soft and tender scones, heavy cream is a must. Substitute with half and half or buttermilk.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Apples: Use apples meant for baking. I personally love using Granny Smith apples. Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples also work well.
How To Make
Learn how to make apple scones in a few easy steps.
- Whisk in the flour, sugar, light brown sugar, apple pie spice, baking powder and salt until well combined. Grate or toss very small cubes of cold butter into the flour. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk an egg to smooth. Then whisk in the heavy cream, and vanilla extract until well combined. Form a little well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Pour ½ of the wet ingredients into the dry and gently incorporate. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients into the dough, followed by the diced apples. Mix until the dough just comes together.
- Transfer the spiced apple scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape the dough into a ball. Gently knead the scone dough by pressing down on the dough from middle to edges to form a disk. Shape into a 7 - 8 inch disk that’s about 1 inch thick. Place the disk onto a parchment lined baking sheet or plate to chill in the freezer for 20 - 30 minutes. While the scones chill in the freezer, preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C).
- Remove the scones from the freezer and cut into 6 - 8 wedges using a dough scraper or long sharp knife. Space the scones about 2 - inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar if you like. Bake in the oven at 425 F (218 C) for 14 - 18 minutes. Allow scones to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
5. To make the maple glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with maple syrup, vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and heavy cream or milk until smooth and well combined. Drizzle the icing on top of the cooled apple scones and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Store baked apple scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Place the frozen unbaked spiced scone wedges in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen in a fully preheated oven. Place the baked, fully cooled and unglazed scones in an airtight container to freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend individually wrap each scone in plastic wrap or wax paper. Do not top with glaze if you plan on freezing the scones.
- Thaw and Reheat: If you would like to bake the unbaked scones straight from the freezer, simply add about 3 - 5 minutes to the baking time. Baked and frozen scones can be heated straight from the freezer in the microwave. I recommend heating the scones in 20 second increments until they reach your desired temperature. If you would like to heat them in the oven, warm them in a 300°F oven for 5 – 8 minutes.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use the right apples. The best apples for these scones are also the best apples for baking other apple desserts. Look for a mix of tart apples like Granny Smith and sweeter apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples.
- Use very cold butter. It’s perfectly fine to pull the butter directly from the fridge, but if you remember, toss the butter in the freezer an hour before you plan to make the scones. Note: If you prefer to use salted butter, simply omit the added salt.
- Use fresh ground spices. Fresh spices of any kind should be very fragrant. These are the best apple scones when made with fresh ground spices.
- Cold is a scone’s best friend. In order to create those beautiful tender and flaky layers, the scone needs to be cold. Keep the ingredients as cold as you can prior to baking. Pop the scones in the freezer while the oven fully preheats. This usually takes about 20 - 30 minutes.
- Don’t overmix. Just like making a pie crust, try to handle the scone dough as little as possible while forming it into a disk. Some kneading is necessary to get those tall layers, but try to touch the dough as little as possible.
- Chill the apple filled scones. It’s helpful to rest the dough in the freezer to help the butter solidify and the flour to hydrate. Use this time to full preheat the oven (which takes about 30 minutes).
- Give the scones some space. Some recipes call for leaving the scone wedges close together. I find the scones need a bit more room in order to have space to fully rise.
- Top with maple glaze. These scones with spiced apples are so good on their own, but really shine when topped with a maple glaze. Alternatively, serve the scones with honey butter, apple butter, maple butter, fruit or clotted cream drizzled with maple syrup or even salted caramel.
FAQs
Why are my apple scones dry?
This typically happens for a few reasons. One, too much flour was added. Make sure to use a kitchen scale for the most accurate result. Another reason is overworking the dough or baking too long. Bring the dough together gently and bake for the recommended time.
Should I peel the apples for apple scones?
Peeling is a matter of preference and can depend on the type of apple you're using. For a softer, more uniform texture, peeling the apples is a good choice. If you enjoy the texture and color of apple peel, you can leave it on for the scone recipe.
What is the secret to making good scones?
Touch the scone dough as little as possible. Gather the dough into a ball and knead just until the dough comes together into an 7 - 8 inch disk that measures about 1 inch thick.
Why didn’t my scones rise?
A few things can cause flatter scones. Old baking powder, warm butter, or overworking the dough can prevent scones from rising properly.
Why do you chill scones before baking?
This serves two purposes. One is to allow the glutens in the flour to rest and hydrate. The other is to help the butter fat resolidify before baking, creating beautiful flaky layers.
Other Apple Recipes to Try
If you try this Apple Scones recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Apple Scones Recipe
These apple scones are soft, buttery, flaky and tender, filled with bites of tart apple and the perfect amount of cozy fall spices. They’re easy to make and absolutely delicious warm from the oven with a cup of coffee or tea.
Equipment
- 1 whisk
- 1 pastry cutter optional
- 1 knife
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 sheet parchment paper
Ingredients
Apple Scones
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 - 2 teaspoons apple pie spice see notes
- 10 tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup diced apples
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) sugar for topping, optional
Maple Glaze
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Whisk in the flour, sugar, light brown sugar, apple pie spice, baking powder and salt until well combined. Grate or toss very small cubes of cold butter into the flour. When all the butter has been added in, use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces. This is similar to making a pie crust.2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 - 2 teaspoons apple pie spice , 10 tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, cubed
- Prepare the apples. Peel, core and dice the apple into ½ inch chunks. Feel free to leave the skin on the apple if you prefer. Set aside for now.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk an egg to smooth. Then whisk in the heavy cream, and vanilla extract until well combined. Form a little well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Pour ½ of the wet ingredients into the dry and gently incorporate. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients into the dough, followed by the diced apples. Mix until the dough just comes together. There should be a few stray pieces of the dough. Try to mix everything in as gently as possible.1 large egg, ½ cup (120 ml) cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , 1 cup diced apples
- Transfer the spiced apple scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape the dough into a ball. Gently knead the scone dough by pressing down on the dough from middle to edges to form a disk. Fold in half. Repeat gently pressing the dough back into a round disk. Shape into a 7 - 8 inch disk that’s about 1 inch thick. Place the disk onto a parchment lined baking sheet or plate to chill in the freezer for 20 - 30 minutes.
- While the scones chill in the freezer, preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C). After 20 - 30 minutes, remove the scones from the freezer and cut into 6 - 8 wedges using a dough scraper or long sharp knife. Space the scones about 2 - inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar if you like.1 tablespoon (12 g) sugar for topping, optional
- Bake in the oven at 425 F (218 C) for 14 - 18 minutes. The scones should be lightly golden brown and will be very fragrant. Allow scones to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- To make the maple glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with maple syrup, vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and heavy cream or milk until smooth and well combined. Drizzle the icing on top of the cooled apple scones and enjoy.1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup , ½ teaspoon vanilla extract , 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or heavy cream
Notes
Store: Store baked apple scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tip: Don't judge the dough by how smooth it looks. Scone dough should be soft and just combined, not kneaded until perfectly smooth. A few visible bits of cold butter and a slightly shaggy appearance are exactly what you're looking for.
Quick Troubleshooting Tips:
- My scones are dry: Check your flour measurement (recommend a food scale) and make sure you're not over-baking the scones.
- My scones are tough: The dough may have been overmixed. Mix only until the ingredients come together.
- My scones spread: Make sure the butter stays cold and chill the shaped dough if it becomes too warm. I recommend chilling for 30 minutes while the oven fully preheats.
- My apples made the dough too wet: Cut the apples into appropriately sized pieces and avoid adding excess moisture. Very juicy apples may need extra attention when preparing them.
- My scones aren't very flavorful: Make sure your apples have good flavor and don't be afraid to add the recommended spices and flavorings in the recipe. Top the scones with the recommended maple glaze.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
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