Buttery Old-Fashioned Fresh Apple Scones Recipe Is Fall On a Plate (35 Minutes) by Jan Mostrom

Fall is here and so are the great recipes that celebrate one of my favorite fruits: apples! These simple baked apple scones are fantastic and not too sweet. The chunks of apples get nice and soft and the apple pie spice adds a lovely flavor that make these scones seems way fancier than they are! If you like a sweeter scone, you can drizzle or dunk them into the sweet spiced powdered sugar glaze. The buttery old-fashioned fresh apple scones recipe is fall on a plate!

Photo credit (all photos): Jan Mostrom

To make this tender, fall-inspired apple scones recipe, you will need the following ingredients from your fridge and pantry: granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice, salt, butter, vanilla yogurt or sour cream, an egg, milk, vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and crisp apples (check out the health benefits of apples). If you're making the powdered sugar glaze, also grab powdered sugar and milk.

Wondering the difference between vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract? According to MasterClass, "Vanilla paste, also known as vanilla bean paste, is a mixture of vanilla powder and vanilla extract ground into a paste. Vanilla paste includes flecks of vanilla bean pods as well as natural thickeners to hold the paste together. Vanilla extract works well in simple baked goods, while vanilla paste adds a strong flavor and thicker consistency to more complicated desserts." Either work well in this scone recipe. If you're using extract, here's how to make homemade vanilla extract.

Enjoy these fresh apple scones with tea or coffee or serve them as a wonderful fall dessert. They also make a delicious snack and can be served for breakfast or as an elegant brunch.

Cuisine: American / Scottish
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 to 17 minutes
Total Time: 35 to 37 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (you can use gluten-free flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons apple pie spice
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt or sour cream (full-fat)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1 large tart crisp apple peeled, cored and diced into small pieces

Glaze 

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

• 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Here's how to make it: 

1. To get the butter very cold, put the butter into the freezer before starting this recipe. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice and salt. Whisk to combine. (To make gluten-free scones, use gluten-free flour. Use store-bough apple pie spice or make your own apple pie spice with this simple recipe of combining 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg and 2 teaspoons allspice.)
   
3. Remove butter from freezer and, using a box grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture. Using clean hands, combine the butter into the flour mixture until it’s crumbly.
   
4. In a small mixing bowl, add the yogurt, egg, milk and vanilla. Stir to combine.
   
5. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour dough and blend.
   
6. Fold in the apples.
   
7. Place some flour on a clean surface and place the dough onto it. Press the dough into a circle about 3/4 inches thick.
   
8. Use a dough scraper or knife to slice the dough into 8 pie-shaped pieces. Transfer to the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
   
9. Bake the scones for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack.
   
10. If you would like to top the scones with glaze, combine the glaze ingredients starting with 1 tablespoon of milk. Add additional milk, if needed, to get to the desired consistency.
    
11. Let the scones cool for at least 10 minutes and then drizzle or frost the scones with the glaze.
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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