Description
These Apple Scones are tender, lightly spiced pastries filled with fresh diced Granny Smith apples and topped with a sweet cinnamon glaze. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat, they combine the heartiness of whole wheat flour with the moistness of buttermilk and applesauce, resulting in moist, flavorful scones that are easy to prepare and bake to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (cold)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Butter and Fruit
- 3 tbsp butter (chilled, cut into small pieces)
- 2 cups diced apples (peeled, Granny Smith recommended)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- 2 tbsp cold fat free milk (plus 1/2 tbsp if needed)
Other
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and allow it to fully preheat to ensure even baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cold buttermilk, unsweetened applesauce, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, and egg until thoroughly combined.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Cut in Butter: Add the chilled, small pieces of butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized bits.
- Add Apples: Fold the diced peeled apples gently into the flour-butter mixture, ensuring even distribution.
- Add Wet Mixture: Pour the wet buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until the dough becomes moist and holds together; avoid overmixing.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly about four times with floured hands to bring it together without toughening it.
- Shape Dough: Form the dough into a 9-inch circle about 3/4 inch thick directly on the prepared baking sheet.
- Score Dough: Using a knife, cut the dough into 12 equal wedges all the way through to allow individual scones to separate after baking.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown on top and cooked through.
- Cool: Transfer scones to a cooling rack and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Prepare Glaze: While the scones cool, mix the sifted powdered sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons of cold fat free milk in a bowl. Add an additional 1/2 tablespoon milk as needed to achieve a smooth glaze with the right drizzling consistency.
- Glaze Scones: Place the scones on parchment or wax paper and drizzle the glaze over them using a spoon, or dip the tops into the glaze. Allow the glaze to harden before serving.
Notes
- Use cold butter and buttermilk to achieve tender, flaky scones.
- Dicing apples into uniform small pieces helps distribute flavor and ensures even baking.
- Do not overmix or overknead the dough to keep scones tender.
- Glaze can be adjusted in thickness by adding more or less milk.
- Store scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
