If you make any of the scone recipes on this site (We have quite a few!), make this one. This scone is a light, fluffy biscuit with pieces of juicy, sweet apples and cinnamon throughout, and topped with cinnamon sugar. In other words, delicious!
The difference between this recipe and lots of other recipes with apples is the fact that they are cooked with sugar before being added to the batter. In most recipes, the uncooked apples are added straight in, and they are still rather hard and sour after they are baked. This way, they are still slightly tart, but also soft and sweet and flavored with cinnamon, and don't distract from the scone itself.
This recipe also follows the master scone recipe, but has the extra step with the apples, and decreases the amount of cream a little because of the juice from the apples. Peel and dice two tart cooking apples, such as Granny Smith. Place them in a microwavable bowl, add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and stir.
Microwave it for about 2 minutes, stopping at 1 minute to give it a good stir. They'll look like really yummy cinnamon apples, but don't eat them yet! Let cool while you make the dough.
Follow the same process for making the dough as with the master scone recipe. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt (omit the sugar since you add sugar in the apples). Work in the cold butter with your hands or a pastry cutter. Then mix together the cream, egg, and vanilla. Add in the cooled cinnamon apples, juices and all, and stir.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry, and mix just until the dough comes together.
Shape the dough into a 10-inch circle. Mix together 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle it over the dough, and lightly pat it into the dough. Cut into 12 wedges. (You could also shape the dough into a rectangle like I did for the chocolate chip scones.)
Bake for 15-18 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, let cool, and eat!
While I was taking these photos, I got distracted by all the tourists crossing the street in Harvard Square outside my window. Just so you know. I want you to experience the whole scone-making process and all.
And yes, it was snowing. And yes, it was taken a month or two ago. I'm a procrastinator, okay?
Enjoy!
-Caroline
Cinnamon Apple Scones
Click here for the printer-friendly recipe.
Yields: 12 scones
Ingredients:
For the Dough
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 medium-sized cooking apples, such as Granny Smith or Jonathan, peeled and diced
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, cold
1/2 cup half-and-half, or heavy cream, cold
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes, until the apples are cooked. Let cool.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.. Cut the butter into ½-inch cubes. Make sure it remains cold. Add the butter to the dry ingredients.
Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your hands, cut the butter into the flour. It’s okay if a few lumps remain. Work quickly so that the butter doesn't melt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the half-and-half or cream, the egg, and vanilla. Mix in the cooled apples.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Use a fork or wooden spoon to mix it until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough barely holds together. DO NOT OVER-MIX.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Shape the dough into a circle 10 inches in diameter. Cut the circle into 12 wedges.
For the cinnamon sugar, mix together the sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle it over the dough, and lightly pat it in.
Place the scones onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden. Let cool.
Give yourself a huge congratulations! You just made scones!