Apple scones are a delectable breakfast treat with crisp and crumbly edges and a flaky, tender inside and filled with soft baked apples. Topped with a smooth caramel sauce that complements the apples, they’re perfect for serving on a brisk fall morning. This recipe calls for traditional scone ingredients and is simple to throw together in under an hour. Serve still warm from the oven with creamy yogurt and a few fresh berries. When it comes to a simple, time-honored breakfast, these apple scones hit the mark.
Ingredients for Apple Scones
Dry ingredients:Â For the dry ingredients, you’ll mix together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.
Wet ingredients:Â The wet ingredients, which you’ll add to the dry, include cold butter, half-and-half cream, egg yolk, vanilla extract and apple.
Topping: To top these delicious apple scones, you’ll use caramel ice cream topping. You can purchase it ready-made, or try this homemade recipe that’s absolutely worth the extra effort.
Directions
Step 1: Combine the ingredients and mix
First, preheat oven to 400°F. Then, in a small bowl, combine the flours with the brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a butter knife or your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk together the cream, egg yolk and vanilla; add this mixture to the dry ingredients until just moistened. Gently stir in the apple. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead 10 times.
Step 2: Shape, bake and drizzle
Pat the dough into a 5-inch circle and cut it into four wedges. Separate wedges and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes and then drizzle with caramel topping.
Recipe Variations
- Swap out the extract:Â Almond extract is similar to vanilla, but just different enough, and it’s a tasty complement to apple.
- Change up the fruit: You can either completely remove the apple in favor of another fruit, or mix in pear, peach, or berries with the apple.
- Top with sugar:Â If a caramel drizzle is just too rich, consider dusting the tops of your scones with sparkling sugar. Use an egg white first to paint the top of the scones, and then sprinkle sugar over the top. Add cinnamon here as well for a distinctly fall treat.
How to Store Apple Scones
Store apple scones in an airtight container on the counter for one to two days. They tend to dry out quickly when left out like this, so if you’d like them to last longer you can pop them in the fridge for up to a week.
Can you freeze apple scones?
Yes. Although scones dry out easily on the counter, they do freeze well. You can freeze either unbaked or baked scones. To freeze baked scones, wait until they’re completely cool before freezing. Next, lightly wrap each scone in wax paper and stick them into an airtight container. The wax paper will keep them from sticking to each other. Consume within three months.
Apple Scone Tips
What else should I serve with scones?
Apple scones are a lightly sweet breakfast food, and as such they’re quite tasty when served alongside fresh jam and homemade yogurt. Another option is a simple one: enjoy with a cup of coffee, a few slices of sharp cheddar cheese and some fresh berries.
How do I keep scones from drying out?
There are a few tricks and tips to keeping your scones from drying out. It’s important not to overwork the dough, as air pockets help to keep the scones light and fluffy. Next, don’t overbake. Keep your scones in the oven until they’re just starting to turn golden brown. Any darker, and they’re already beginning to dry out. Another lesser-known trick is to use cold ingredients. While many baked goods call for softened butter and room-temperature eggs, using cold ingredients allows the batter to bind together more fully, letting the scones rise to completion. This results in a moist, flaky scone that’s soft on the inside and crumbly at the edges.
Why did my scones not rise?
Your scones may not have risen for a few reasons. You can try using self-rising flour the next time, which often helps with a more complete rise and a fluffier, airy scone.
