These tender, buttery, Fresh Apple Cinnamon Scones are bursting with apple flavor from diced apples and cider. They are super simple fall perfection!
I love fall and the simple treats that fall brings. Food in the fall speaks of comfort and warmth, like a warm hug for our souls. And a perfect match to fall days, where the air is crisp and sometimes still warm from the low, bright sun that melts into early chilly evenings.
Scones are such an easy way to complement these days and bring in the best that fall has to offer. They are loaded with diced apples and flavored with cinnamon. We use all butter for our scones, which only enhances the flavor of the apples. Cider is the liquid, along with a little almond milk. Both add flavor and keep the scones from becoming too dry.
Use a scoop to evenly scoop out balls of this dough. This one is the perfect size for scones, biscuits, and cookies! If you like, feel free to shape these like traditional scones on a generously floured sheet pan. Just be careful not to handle them too much or they will become tough.
Top these pretty little things with cinnamon sugar, then drizzle a cider glaze over the top when they are still warm from the oven. It is so, so good!
It doesn’t get any better than that! You could have these on your plate in less than half an hour. There’s no need to bring anything to room temperature. In fact, you want everything as cold as possible to get the tenderness and lift you want as the scones bake.
So, grab your apples and make these delicious treats today! Your mouth will thank you.
Serve these as an after-school snack – even your big kids will appreciate seeing these waiting for them when they walk through that door. Or serve them for breakfast alongside some Instant Pot Vanilla Yogurt and Maple Almond Granola. Create a whole brunch spread by adding Gluten Free Almond Blueberry Muffins, Strawberry Scones, and an Egg Casserole. All of which are perfect options for when you are hosting.
Let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
And don’t forget to join our email community to get our exclusive free Healthy Homemade Snacks recipe booklet and each of our recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Simply complete the form on this or any page of our blog.
Enjoy!
Fresh Apple Cinnamon Scones
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 9 ounces (2 cups) peeled, cored, and diced tart apple (1/8-inch pieces)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 9 ounces (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 3-3/4 ounces (1/2 cup packed) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2-1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) fresh apple cider
- 1 ounces (2 tablespoons) almond milk (or your favorite milk)
- 1 large egg
For the Topping:
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Apple Cider Glaze:
- 2-1/4 ounces (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh apple cider
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter in a non-stick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the diced apples and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cook, stirring often, until the apples begin to soften but aren’t cooked all the way through, 8-10 minutes. Remove them from the heat and cool completely. (You can speed up the cooling process by placing them in a single layer on a small sheet pan or shallow dish, then putting them in the freezer for 5 minutes.)
- While the apples are cooling, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse a few times to fully mix, then add the butter pieces and pulse again until the butter is broken up into small pea-sized pieces. You can also do this by hand with a pastry blender or fork in a large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the cider, milk, and egg. While the food processor is running, pour in the liquid until barely mixed. The dough will still look crumbly at this stage, but will hold together if pressed. If it won’t hold together, and a tablespoon more cider. Place the dough in a large bowl.
- Add the apples to the dough and gently fold them in with a large spatula or with your hands until they are evenly distributed.
- Using a 1/4-cup scoop or a large spoon, place heaping scoops of dough 1-2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. They will spread while baking and touch slightly, keeping the edges soft. If you prefer crispy edges all around, place your scoops of dough 3 inches apart.
- Make some cinnamon sugar by stirring together your topping ingredients in a small bowl. Then sprinkle it evenly over the top of each scone. Store any leftover cinnamon sugar in a sealed container at room temperature.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. When done, the scones will be golden brown and will no longer feel doughy. The middle of the scones should feel firm when pressed gently.
- While the scones are baking, mix the glaze by whisking the sugar and cider together until smooth. When the scones are done baking, remove them from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Drizzle the glaze over them.
- Cool for 5 minutes more, then remove and enjoy!
