Apple Pie Scones
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These homemade Apple Pie Scones are buttery, so easy to make, filled with perfectly spiced apples and topped with crunchy raw sugar!
I usually prefer eating pumpkin recipes in the fall, but these Apple Pie Scones blew me away! They’re tender, buttery and full of my favorite fall spices. To give these scones their apple pie flavor, I cooked the apples with brown sugar, cinnamon and a little bit of nutmeg before mixing them into the dough. They’re so perfect for cozy fall mornings!
Looking for more apple recipes? Try my Apple Crumb Cookies, Chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookies, Apple Crumb Donuts or Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes!
Ingredient Breakdown
All-purpose flour – gives the scones structure.
Granulated sugar – provides sweetness.
Baking soda & baking powder – both leaveners are needed to help the scones rise.
Cinnamon, nutmeg and salt – enhances flavor.
Butter – provides flavor and structure. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Make sure to keep the butter cold!
Half and half – makes the scones so flavorful and fluffy. Make sure to keep the half and half cold! You can also substitute with buttermilk or heavy cream.
Apples – Granny Smith is my go-to but you can whatever kind of apple you prefer. See below for more apple suggestions.
How To Make Apple Pie Scones
1. Cook the Apples: place apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small pot. Cook on medium stirring occasionally until bubbling and apples are tender.
2. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Add the slurry and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Make the Apple Pie Scones: in a mixing bowl combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Place bowl on a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
4. Add the cold cubed butter and mix on low until the butter is pea sized.
5. With the mixer on low, gradually add the half and half to the mixture then add in the cooled apples. Stop mixing once the dough is just combined.
6. On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a rectangle then fold onto itself (this helps to create layers). Shape the dough into an 8 inch disc then cut into 8 triangles and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the freezer then preheat the oven to 400°F.
7. If desired brush the tops of the scones with half and half (or milk) and sprinkle with raw sugar then bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Store Apple Pie Scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Pro Tips For Apple Pie Scones
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate; baking is a science after all!
- Don’t over mix the dough! After adding the half and half, and apples, only mix until the dough just begins to come together. Over mixing = more gluten development which means your scones will be tough.
- Keep the dough cold! If your dough is too warm your scones won’t turn out tall and fluffy. If you begin to notice your scone dough starts to get too warm, put it in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Keep your butter and half and half cold! When making scones you don’t want warm ingredients or dough because it will throw off the texture of your scones!
- Make sure the cooked apples are completely cool before mixing them into the scone dough otherwise you may melt the butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind of Apple Should I Use?
Granny Smith apples are my go-to for baking because they hold up well in the oven. I also like the contrast between the tart apples and the sweet blondies.
Some other great apples for baking are Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or Cortland. It’s important not to use soft apples like McIntosh because they get really mushy when baked.
Can Apple Pie Scones Be Frozen?
Yes, unbaked Apple Pie Scones can be easily frozen! Place the unbaked scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet then freeze until solid. Once the scones are frozen, transfer them to a zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer at 400°F for 18-20 minutes. You may need to add a few extra minutes of baking time.
More Scone recipes You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Maple Scones
- Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones
- Fresh Fig Scones
- Maple Oat Scones
- Blueberry Drop Scones
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Apple Pie Scones
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Apples
- 1 apple peeled and diced small
- 13 g (1 tbsp) brown sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp water
Apple Pie Scones
- 330 g (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 66 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 113 g (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 120 g (1/2 cup) half and half
- raw sugar for topping (optional)
Instructions
Apples
- Place apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small pot. Cook on medium stirring occasionally until bubbling and apples are tender.
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Add the slurry and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Apple Pie Scones
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Place bowl on a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the cold cubed butter and mix on low until the butter is pea sized.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the half and half to the mixture then add in the cooled apples. Stop mixing once the dough is just combined.
- On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a rectangle then fold onto itself (this helps to create layers). Shape the dough into an 8 inch disc then cut into 8 triangles and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the freezer then preheat the oven to 400°F.
- If desired brush the tops of the scones with half and half (or milk) and sprinkle with raw sugar then bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, just be sure to omit the 1/4 tsp salt.
- Store Apple Pie Scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Unbaked Apple Pie Scones can be frozen for up to 3 months in a zip-top bag.
- Nutrition: the provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Please read my Nutrition Disclaimer for more information.
I have always loved scones. Now I am making them for myself and friends. Always had trouble with apple flavor, not anymore. This will be my go to recipie. Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that, Wayne! Thank you for trying my recipe. 🙂