maple glazed cinnamon apple scones
A gray and dreary day calls for a batch of warm scones.
It’s Friday! We made it! I mentioned in yesterdays margarita that this week has felt endless, but we’re finally hanging from its coattails and set to spring into the weekend. Which, for me, is just Saturday since I work Sundays. I’ll take what I can get.
A batch of cozy brunch nuggets just sounds splendid for this first September weekend, so we’re baking up these Maple Glazed Cinnamon Apple Scones. The scone requires finesse, for if one isn’t careful, he or she will find themselves with a crumbly, dry, all-in-all unappetizing affair. I’m willing to claim that 80% of scones that I’ve had, even at decent coffee shops, are shit.
These are decidedly not shit. Soft, flaky, buttery, rippled with fresh diced apples and speckles of cinnamon, then finished with a heavy drizzle of maple glaze. They’re as easy as they come and just wonderful for a slow morning accompanied by a steaming mug of coffee or tea.
In other words, they’re basically perfect.
Scone Zone
Two big tips for successful scones that I’ll mention right now so you’re prepared…
One…COLD butter and COLD heavy cream. I always grate a stick of butter and pop it in the fridge until I’m ready to make my dough. Some people recommend freezing it. Since the scones get a second chill after they’re formed, I don’t think freezing is necessary, but it won’t hurt. The heavy cream must also be refrigerated. Don’t freeze that. That just won’t fucking work.
Two…Chilling the scones post-formation and pre-bake. You can even stow them away in the fridge or freezer overnight. The butter needs to harden again or else you won’t get the flaky, lifted texture a scone requires.
Now that you’re armed and dangerous with knowledge, let’s get baked.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Cut your cold, grated butter into the dry ingredients until pieces no larger than a pea remain. Then, stir in your apple pieces.
Dice your apples pretty small, maybe 1/4 inch. I like to use honey crisp but any variety you prefer is just fine.
Measure in heavy cream and stir until the dough forms into a cohesive ball. If the dough will not stick together, add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve a tacky but NOT wet consistency. The dough should hold up well but be dry enough that a few cracks open when you form the scone shapes.
Plop your dough ball onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat into a roughly 1 inch circle. Use a sharp knife to slice 8 triangles from the batter and spread them apart a bit. The scones rise upward more than outward but they do need some breathing room.
Refrigerate or freeze the scones for at least 15 minutes.
When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss together some coarse sugar (turbinado or “raw” sugar are good options here) with a bit of cinnamon. Brush the tops of each scone with cold heavy cream and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake 18-20 minutes until soft, flaky, and poofy. They rise so nicely! Cool the scones about 10 minutes before glazing.
Our garnish is simply powdered sugar whisked with maple syrup and vanilla. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of water or milk to thin. It should drizzle easily from a fork but should not be so thin that it runs right back into the bowl and immediately vanishes into the pool.
Use a spoon, a fork, or a piping bag fitted with a small tip to drizzle the glaze over the scones.
Omnomnomnom.
Scones will stay decent in the fridge for up to 5 days, but the humidity might cause the icing to seep into the scone itself. Tasty, but not as pleasing visually. I enjoy them the most the day of baking. Fresh and hot is where it’s at!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
A scone’s throw away:
Better than Coffee Shop Glazed Pumpkin Scones
maple glazed cinnamon apple scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 stick butter, grated, COLD
- 1 cup diced honeycrisp apple (about 1 medium apple)
- 3/4-1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp coarse sugar (e.g. turbinado)
maple glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- milk or water to thin, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with butter, or line with parchment.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. With your clean fingers, two forks, or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until pieces no larger than a pea remain. Fold in the apples, then stir in the heavy cream until a cohesive, tacky dough forms. If the dough is dry, add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve the desired texture.
- Toss the remaining teaspoon of cinnamon with the coarse sugar. Remove the tray from the freezer. Brush the tops of the scones with additional heavy cream and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake 18-20 minutes until olden brown, puffed, and flaky.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add milk or water one tablespoon at a time to achieve a thick but smooth texture: the glaze should drizzle slowly off a fork or spoon. Swizzle overtop each scones.
