I adore the flavors of apple and cinnamon.
I also love scones. Flaky, sweet, soft scones.
And I LOVE baking this time of year. It’s my absolute favorite season, and all of the amazing seasonal baked goods just make it even better. A good fall baking project = a happy me!
Today, we’re making apple pie scones! All the flavors of apple pie in a fluffy pastry bite. Oh, and to make them extra special we’re topping them off with an apple cider glaze that takes literal seconds to whip up.
Excited yet?
I am.
The base for these scones is pretty basic. Flour, sugar, butter, buttermilk, baking powder, etc. Your usual starting place for scones. The cinnamon, vanilla, and fresh honeycrisp apples are really what make these so special.
You can use any good baking apple here. My favorites are honeycrisp, granny smith, or pink lady apples. They’re all firm and crisp with a sweet-tart flavor. The best!
The apples get folded into the batter and then the batter is formed into scones. I just form a large circle with the dough and then cut the circle into thick wedges. You could also do rounded scones, but to me, the triangles are so much easier.
Whenever I make scones, I like to pop them in the freezer for a few minutes before baking, just to ensure that the butter is still icy cold when it goes in the oven. This leads to fluffy, soft scones! Very important.
While the scones are chilling, I whisk together a quick cinnamon sugar topping, which adds awesome crunch and more sweetness. And a scone must be sweet, in my book.
I top them with the cinnamon sugar and bake them until golden and puffed and gorgeous.
THEN! After they’e cooled, I like to drizzle them with a quick and easy apple cider glaze. Just to drive home those amazing cinnamon-apple flavors.
The glaze also adds a touch more moisture to things, and that is never a bad thing when we’re talking scones.
I can promise you two things: one, your kitchen will smell like straight-up heaven when you make these; and two, these are best enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
The perfect fall treat!
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Apple Pie Scones with Cider Glaze
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
These Apple Pie Scones with Cider Glaze are a taste of fall! Fluffy, soft, flaky scones studded with honeycrisp apples and cinnamon and topped off with an easy but flavorful apple cider glaze! The perfect fall baking project!
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- 1 1/2 cups diced apple (I love honeycrisp for this – no need to peel the apples)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- Additional buttermilk, for brushing
- 1/4 cup turbinado or raw sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Apple Cider Glaze:
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Scones:
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until well combined.
- Add the butter and using a pastry cutter or a fork, start to break the butter up a bit and incorporate into the dry ingredients. I like to use my hands after a minute or so, to really help break the butter up into smaller pieces. The dough should look like clumpy, slightly wet sand. Some larger chunks of butter throughout are fine.
- Pour the buttermilk into a measuring cup and whisk in the vanilla.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk. Stir gently with a spatula until the batter just comes together. Stir in the apples. The dough will be sticky – this is okay!
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently knead it together with your hands until you can bring it together. Try not to overwork the dough too much – we don’t want the heat of our hands to start to warm the butter. Pat the dough into a large circle, about 8 inches in diameter and 2 inches high.
- Cut the circle into 8 wedges or 6 larger wedges. Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches of space between them.
- Place the tray with the scones in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
For the Topping:
- Remove the scones from the freezer and brush them with a little buttermilk.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture generously all over the scones.
- Bake the scones for 12-16 minutes or until they are puffed and golden around the edges (larger scones may need an additional 3-5 minutes in the oven).
- Allow to cool before topping with the glaze.
For the Glaze:
- Whisk the cider, cinnamon, and powdered sugar together in a bowl until completely smooth and drizzly. Drizzle over as much of the glaze as you would like on the cooled scones.
- Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes and then enjoy.
- Cooled scones can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a few days.
Notes
- I recommend using a good baking apple here. You want something firm and with a sweet-tart flavor. My favorites for baking are honeycrisp, granny smith, or pink lady apples.
- The apple cider glaze is an optional step in this recipe – the scones are lovely without it. The glaze just drives home that apple flavor!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: scones
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
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