Buttery, tender Apple Cinnamon Scones are packed with apples, pecans, and cinnamon flavor. Finished with homemade caramel glaze, these scones are a breakfast treat. Enjoy one with coffee or tea.
There is nothing more wonderful than a tray of freshly baked apple scones. These fluffy scones are breakfast and coffee-time favorites. They have a tender crumb and golden brown, crispy exterior. Each bite is filled with soft apples, warm flavors, and caramel.
This easy recipe uses fresh, diced apples and chopped pecans. These scones have a rich, buttery taste thanks to cold butter and heavy cream blended into the dough. Like in my cinnamon roll scones, the cream makes the scones fluffy, while the butter makes them nice and flakey.
The apple scone on its own is subtly sweet. The caramel glaze brings just the right quantity of sweet flavor to make each one of these homemade scones a treat. Enjoy a scone with coffee or tea for breakfast or brunch. This is the BEST apple scone recipe, but do not just take my word for it - make a batch for yourself!
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Homemade Apple Cinnamon Scones
These apple-packed scones have a soft, moist interior and golden brown exterior with crumby edges. The mixing process is straightforward, and the dough comes together quickly. This recipe uses simple ingredients and yields DELICIOUS results. Here is why you will love these apple cinnamon scones:
- Moist, flakey texture that melts in your mouth
- Rich and buttery taste
- Crispy exterior and crumbly edges
- Filled with tart apples, crunchy pecans, and cinnamon flavor
- Finished with sweet caramel glaze
- Delicious, fall-inspired scone that everyone will love
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granny Smith Apples (peeled and diced)
- Pecans (chopped)
- Light Brown Sugar (packed)
- Baking Powder
- Ground Cinnamon
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter (cubed and cold)
- Heavy Whipping Cream (cold)
- Milk
- Pure Vanilla Extract
See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.
Instructions
Scones are made with the biscuit method of mixing. This mixing procedure requires cold cubed butter and cold cream.
STEP 1 (DRY INGREDIENTS)- Whisk together the dry ingredients until thoroughly incorporated in a large bowl.
STEP 2 (CUT IN THE FAT) - Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks until pea-sized pieces remain. Stir in the cup of chopped apples and the pecan pieces.
STEP 3 (ADD THE LIQUID) - Pour the heavy cream in slowly, gently mixing until the dough is moist and begins to come together. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough until it comes together and shape it into two equal-sized flattened disks.
STEP 4 (PORTION THE DOUGH)- Portion each disk of dough into 6 wedges with a bench scraper. Place the dough wedges onto a parchment-lined sheet tray and place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
STEP 5 (BAKE) - Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the scones with heavy cream and bake them for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
STEP 6 (CARAMEL GLAZE) - Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat - add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring continually until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 2- 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and the milk in a steady stream while stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the glaze from the heat. Allow the caramel glaze to cool until thickened before drizzling it over the scones.
Substitutions and Additions
- Pecans - Chopped Walnuts, Chopped Almonds, Dried Cranberries, Cinnamon Chips
Variations
- Top the scones with coarse sugar before baking for added texture and sweetness.
- These scones are DELICIOUS with or without the caramel glaze. If you are looking for an apple-free variation of this recipe, try my Brown Sugar Pecan Scones.
Suggested Equipment
- Pyrex Prepware 4-Quart Rimmed Mixing Bowl
- Spring Chef Dough Blender
- Bench Scraper
- Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheets
How long do scones stay fresh?
Stored at room temperature, these apple scones will stay fresh for up to 3 days. If stored in the refrigerator, homemade scones will stay fresh for up to a week.
Freezing Scones
Can you freeze apple cinnamon scones? Yes, you can freeze both baked and unbaked scones.
- FREEZE BEFORE BAKING - After forming the triangles of scone dough, freeze them on a baking sheet for one hour. Transfer frozen dough wedges to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container, and separate layers with wax paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen - add a few extra minutes of baking time. Or thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- FREEZE AFTER BAKING - Transfer the cooled {unglazed} scones to an airtight container. Separate the layers with wax paper. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life. Thaw completely before drizzling with the glaze.
Other Delicious Scones
- Almond Raspberry Scones
- Feta Scones with Dill and Chives
- Goat Cheese Scallion Scones
- Chocolate Chip Scones
- Lemon Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
Expert Tips
- Use Cold Butter – Cold butter is essential for the dough. Warm butter or the warm dough will result in dry, crumbly scones. If your butter has begun to warm, place it in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. You can also use grated frozen butter instead of cold cubed butter.
- Do Not Overwork the Dough – Work the dough as little as possible to prevent tough, dense scones. This is especially important after the fruit has been added.
- Refrigerate Before Baking – It is important to keep scone dough as cold as possible. Allowing the dough to firm and chill before baking prevents over-spreading. You can even chill the dough in the refrigerator overnight to bake in the morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your dough was over-mixed or became too warm before baking. If the butter becomes too soft and warm, it melts too quickly in the oven. To prevent spreading, chill the scones in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking. The cold butter melts slowly in the oven, creating steam, thus, creating pockets of fat in the dough and preventing spreading.
Like apple pie, you want apples that will soften but still hold their shape when baked. I love Granny Smith apples for their tart flavor, lower sugar content, and firm texture. Other firm apples that work well in scones include Gala, Fuji, and Braeburn.
If you make the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #sugarylogic, and share them with me on Instagram or Facebook.
**RECIPE AND POST UPDATED 11/2/22
📖 Recipe
Apple Cinnamon Scones with Caramel Glaze
Ingredients
Apple Cinnamon Scones
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 cup Granny Smith apples peeled and chopped small
- ⅓ cup pecans chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold, plus more for brushing
Caramel Glaze
- ½ cup unsalted butter sliced into pieces
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
Apple Cinnamon Pecan Scones
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt until thoroughly incorporated.
- Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks until pea-sized pieces remain. Stir in the cup of chopped apples and the pecan pieces.
- Pour the heavy cream in slowly, gently mixing until the dough is moist and begins to come together. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough until it comes together and shape it into two round flattened disks. It is essential that you do not over-knead.
- With a bench scraper, portion each disk of dough into 6 triangles. Place the dough wedges onto a parchment-lined sheet tray and place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Brush each scone with heavy cream. Place the scones in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Caramel Glaze
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat - add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring continually until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 2- 3 minutes. Allow the caramel glaze to cool until thickened before drizzling it over the scones.
- Add the vanilla extract and the milk in a steady stream while stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the glaze from the heat.
- Cool the caramel glaze until thickened before drizzling it over the scones. Sprinkle each scone with pecans. Allow the glaze to set before eating the scones.
Notes
- STORE: Stored at room temperature, these apple scones will stay fresh for up to 3 days. If stored in the refrigerator, homemade scones will stay fresh for up to a week.
- FREEZE: Transfer the cooled {unglazed} scones to an airtight container. Separate the layers with wax paper. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life. Thaw completely before drizzling with the glaze.
Nutrition
Did you make this? Leave a review below and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Nourish
These look incredible! That glaze is making my mouth water ?
kryan0911
Thank you! That glaze is the "piece of resistance." So, so good!
cookingwithshy
Oh My ...these scones look just too perfect! Beautiful glaze too!!
kryan0911
Thank you so much! 🙂