Apple Cinnamon Scones with Cinnamon Crunch Topping
Fresh juicy diced apples are in abundance in these apple cinnamon scones. Fragrant cinnamon flavors the buttery scone dough. A crunchy cinnamon and brown sugar topping contrasts the moist scones. These are the best apple scones!
Ingredients
Scone Dough
- 2 cups flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter frozen and grated
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup heavy cream cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped apples (Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fugi) peeled, ½ inch dice (about 1 large apple)
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter melted, divided
Instructions
Scone Dough
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the cold grated butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is mostly combined and the dough looks craggy, about 20-30 seconds.
- Mix the egg, ½ cup of heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour and butter mixture. Mix for about 30 seconds and then add the chopped apples and mix until just combined. The dough will look lumpy and may not be fully incorporated yet!
- Dump the dough onto a floured surface and use your hands to form it into a disc pressing any dry ingredients into the dough to combine. If the dough seems too dry you can add more heavy cream to help bring it together.
- Shape the dough into a circle, about 1-inch thick and 8 inches in diameter. You should still see small pieces of butter in the dough. Slice the circle into 8 wedges. Place the scones onto the prepared sheet pan.
- Place the sheet pan with the scones into the freezer for 30 minutes or into the refrigerator for 1 hour. After chilling, brush the tops of the scones evenly with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Pile the cinnamon crunch topping evenly over the scones and then press the topping into the top of the scones using your fingers.
- Bake for about 13-15 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the scones look set with the topping browning. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely .
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter in a small bowl until a crumbly paste forms.
Notes
- Scones are usually best when eaten the same day they are baked but you can store these scones in an airtight container for 2-3 days on the counter.
- To make these ahead, you can freeze the scones on the baking sheet as in the recipe but once frozen, transfer the scones to a zip-top bag or other container and freeze until ready to bake. Add the cinnamon crunch topping just before baking. They may require an extra minute or two of baking time due to being completely frozen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sconeCalories: 433kcal
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