These Apple Scones are deliciously tender and perfectly moist! Studded with sweet, juicy apples and fragrant cinnamon, they are an easy fall treat that’s made with basic pantry ingredients. They bake up golden brown and slightly crisp on the edges, just begging for a generous drizzle of maple glaze!
From sweet treats like this to savory sides, our collection of homemade bread recipes is full of ideas for your next baking spree!
These homemade Apple Scones are the perfect fall breakfast! They’re lightly sweet, super tender in the middle, and full of fresh apple flavor. But my favorite part might just be the creamy maple glaze on top - so good!
If you’re looking for more breakfast recipes, I recommend these Apple Pie Biscuits - like a combo of cinnamon rolls and apple pie scones! This Easy Butterscotch Rhodes Monkey Bread is also delicious.
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What are scones?
Homemade scones mean different things depending on which side of the pond you are from. English scones are usually not sweetened whereas American scone recipes have a bit of sugar in them. Either way, they are perfect with a hot cup of coffee, cup of tea, or even a glass of apple cider.
My favorite basic scone recipe is America’s Test Kitchen cream scones. We based this recipe off of their base, but added apples, cinnamon, and maple glaze for the perfect apple scone recipe.
Why this recipe is great
- Pillowy soft in the middle with slightly crispy, golden brown edges.
- Lightly sweetened and gently flavored.
- Easy to make.
- Great recipe for freezing ahead.
They were perfect! The taste was wonderful and the scones were very light and tender. The ratio of cinnamon and apples was spot on.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Karla
Ingredients for apple scones
- All-purpose flour: Make sure to measure with a light hand to avoid dry, crumbly scones. The spoon and level method works well.
- Baking powder: This is the main lift agent, meaning it will help the scones be nice and fluffy in the middle. Make sure to use fresh baking powder that isn’t expired.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: Just enough to taste like fall.
- Sugar: These are very lightly sweetened, so you just need a little.
- Butter: Use very cold butter. The cold butter will melt during the baking, creating a fluffy center with flaky layers. Room temperature butter just isn't the same.
- Fresh apples: Fuji, Granny Smith, or Honeycrisp would be good choices. I leave the skin on, but you can peel them if you prefer.
- Heavy cream: Cream makes these scones extra soft and moist. Make sure it is super cold before using.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make apple scones
The best part about apple cinnamon scones is that they are easy to make. Just six simple steps is all it takes. Plus, there's no need for a traditional pastry cutter or pastry blender.
1. In a food processor (afffiliate) or stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse (or mix on medium-low).
2. The flour mixture should resemble damp sand.
3. Pour into a large bowl and stir in the apples. Add the cream and mix until the dough begins to form. It will look dry and shaggy, but will come together in the next step.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 seconds, or until the dough forms.
5. Pat the dough into a circle ¾ inch thick and 7.5 inches wide. Cut into 8 equal wedges with a sharp knife or bench scraper (affiliate).
6. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes. Then brush the tops with a little bit of cream and bake on a prepared baking sheet at 425° for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Allow the tender scones to cool slightly. You can eat them on their own, but I highly recommend adding a generous drizzle of this maple glaze recipe to the warm scones! It's the perfect caramely combo of maple syrup and brown sugar.
For a crowd
When making a double batch of apple scones, I suggest making each batch separately to get tender scones. Doubling the batch, even in a large mixing bowl, will cause the dough to be overworked. This is also a great time to make and freeze the dough in advance.
FAQs
The best baking apples are firm and tart. Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith apples are all good choices for this apple scones recipe.
Make sure to use fresh baking powder that isn’t expired. Another key to a good scone is to refrigerate them before baking so that they rise instead of spreading.
Apple scones are crumbly if the dough is not moist enough before baking. It will appear very dry and shaggy at first, but it should come together into a moist dough after kneading. If needed, you can add an additional ½-1 tablespoon of cream as you are kneading it.
Yes! You can make apple scones ahead and store in the fridge in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to one day before baking. You can also freeze the raw scones on a cookie sheet, then store in a zipper bag. Bake from frozen, adding an additional 1-3 minutes.
Tips and tricks
- Avoid over mixing and overworking to keep the scones soft and tender.
- Use very cold butter and cream. This will help the dough rise and make the scones fluffy.
- Don’t skip the chilling time. It really ensures that they stay flaky in the middle and rise tall instead of spreading.
Recipe
Moist Apple Scones with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoon butter very cold and cut into ¼ inch cubes
- ½ cup apples peeled if desired and chopped into ¼ inch cubes
- 1 cup heavy cream + more to brush the tops
- 1 recipe of Easy Maple Glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor (or stand mixer), combine the dry ingredients. Add the cold butter and pulse (or mix on medium-low) until the mixture resembles damp sand.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 3 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoon butter
- Pour the mixture into a large bowl (or leave in the stand mixer bowl). Stir in the chopped apples. Then add the cream and mix with a rubber spatula until the dough begins to form. It will look dry and shaggy, but will together in the next step.½ cup apples, 1 cup heavy cream
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5-10 seconds, or until the dough fully comes together.
- Pat the dough into a circle that is about ¾ inch thick and 7.5 inches wide. Cut into 8 even wedges.
- Refrigerate the scones for 15 minutes. Brush the tops with about 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes.
- While scones are baking, make the maple glaze. Drizzle on lightly cooled scones and serve.1 recipe of Easy Maple Glaze
Notes
- Avoid over mixing and overworking to keep the scones soft and tender.
- Use very cold butter and cream. This will help the dough rise and make the scones fluffy.
- Don’t skip the chilling time. It really ensures that they stay fluffy in the middle and rise tall instead of spreading.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Shawn says
I had trouble getting the dough to come together. I added a little more cream and then it formed a moist dough that stayed together. I’ve made several different scones so I knew what consistency I needed. Ready for the oven now!
Misty says
Hi Shawn, I am glad it came together for you. Depending on how packed the flour is in the measuring cup, it may be slightly more than ideal. Adding a touch more cream is the perfect solution. Thanks!
Wilma says
I have made these scones quite a few times and this has become my favorite pastry to make. Especially for a ladies brunch. I like to split the recipe into two smaller circle and have 16 small scones if I take them to a ladies brunch where there is a lot of food so that it’s a smaller portion.
Misty says
That's so fun to hear, thank you for taking the time to share!
Winter says
i had a few mishaps but somehow they still turned out good. I used one small apple which turned out to be 1 cup. I didn't have have heavy cream nor milk so I used sour cream. there is no extra tanginess that I can detect so that was thankfully a good substitute. i read 5-10 seconds as minutes. I ended up needing to add more flour after that. thankfully the texture is still good. I did a butter sour cream mixture on the top, that was my only mistake- just some butter would have been fine as the sour cream left little clumps in the cracks. because of the higher moisture content it took about 10 extra min in the oven. thanks for the great recipe! very hard to actually mess it up!
Danielle says
Glad you found success!
Karla Workman says
I made these exactly like the recipe said, and they were perfect! The taste was wonderful and the scones were very light and tender. The ratio of cinnamon and apples was spot on. Everyone loved them. There were no leftovers. I will definitely make this recipe again and again.
Danielle says
So great to hear! Thanks for taking time to let us know! Happy baking!
D. Harrison says
First, I'm very critical of my baking so usually have something to change for next time that I didn't like. For apple cinnamon scones, I've been using the recipe from King Arthur's website. It does not use whipping cream, and ends up with a much wetter dough. So much so that I put it in the freezer to allow it to be divided easier.
When I see recipes that have 5 stars and a high review count , I believe they are misrepresenting the results. Yours only had 3 reviews shown, so I took a look. I'M VERY GLAD THAT I DID. These were the best scones I or my wife have ever had, including those from professional bakeries. I added 50% more apple as I had lots and they were perfect! I've never had a scone so light in texture, and a true delight! Thanks very much!
Misty says
This comment made my day! We're so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.