Freshly baked apple & cinnamon scones, there is no better cooking aroma to fill your kitchen! Using my basic Buttermilk Scone recipe as a base, I've added grated apple, ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the scone dough and topped with cinnamon sugar before baking.
Apple and cinnamon buttermilk scones are a delicious treat at any time of the year. But never more so than during Autumn, when the weathers on the turn and we start to look to food that's just a little more comforting.
Apple and cinnamon is a well loved taste combination, one flavour bringing out the flavour of the other. Eaten warm straight from the oven, with butter and some homemade Apple Jelly, is there anything better? I don't think so, and these scones make a delicious treat any time of the day.
I make a good scone and it's something I enjoy baking. However, I have friends who say that they struggle to bake a decent scone. Some complain about the lack of rise, others saying they are too tough.
Scone dough needs a light hand. As with all scones it is essential not to overwork the dough mixture! Most of the problems people tell me about when they are baking scones are the result of too heavy a hand and overworking the dough.
Within this recipe post I will explain the process and give you my top tips for baking the perfect scone!
Why you'll love this recipe
- A change from a plain scone, the combination of apple and cinnamon is the perfect flavour pairing.
- Scones are a quick bake, once prepared they take very little time to bake and can be enjoyed warm, straight from the oven!
- Feed a crowd as this recipe can be easily doubled up.
Recipe ingredients
- Flour - I use self raising flour to make the scones, with a little extra for dusting my work surface.
- Sugar - I like to use light muscovado or soft light brown sugar to make fruit scones as it adds an extra depth of flavour. I also like to mix some demerara sugar with ground cinnamon to sprinkle over the top of the scone before baking.
- Baking powder - I add ½ teaspoon of baking powder when baking scones with added fruit, this helps give the scones a little extra rise.
- Salt - I always add a pinch of salt which helps balance out the sweetness.
- Spices - I use ground cinnamon and nutmeg in the scone dough. Also a little extra cinnamon to dust over the top of the scone before baking.
- Butter - when baking scones I use unsalted butter. If using salted butter leave out the pinch of salt in the dry ingredients.
- Egg - I use a large free range egg to make the scone dough, plus an extra egg to brush over and glaze the scone before baking.
- Buttermilk - I like to use buttermilk when baking scones as I think it results is a better, more tender scone.
- Apple - when it comes to apple, I like to use a firm eating apple, something like a Granny Smith or a Pink Lady. I add 200g of grated apple, which is roughly 2 medium sized Granny Smith apples, once they've been peeled and cored.
How to make apple & cinnamon scones
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°CFan/390F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or baking parchment.
- Place the flour, light brown sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Add 1.5 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon and all of the nutmeg.
- Now add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Work quickly as you don't want the butter to warm up and melt.
- Peel, core and grate the apples. Then take the grated apple into your hands and give it a gentle squeeze to remove some of the excess juice. This step is important as you don't want to have wet scones!
- Now add the apples to the flour mixture and stir through, ensuring all the grated apple is separated and covered in flour.
- In a measuring jug, mix the egg with the buttermilk.
- Add the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix gently with a fork, just enough to bring the mixture together into a dough. DO NOT OVERMIX OR KNEAD THE DOUGH!
- Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface and gently pat down to 2.5cm (1").
- Cut the scones with a scone cutter or knife to the desired shape and size. Cut the first round of scones then gently bring the leftover dough together again before cutting more scones.
- Place onto the baking sheet and brush the top of each scone with egg wash or milk.
- Place the demerara sugar into a small bowl and stir through the remaining ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle a little of the cinnamon sugar over the top of each scone.
- Place the scones into a warm oven and bake for 14-18 minutes until golden. Note that cooking times will vary depending on the size of the scone cutter used. I used a 6cm (2 ½ inch) scone cutter.
- Remove the scones from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
What is the secret to making good scones?
There are a few basic rules that you need to follow if you want to bake light and fluffy scone.
- When rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients, use the tips of your fingers to form a breadcrumb like consistency and work quickly to keep the butter cool. If you use your whole hand it will warm up the butter and melt it, leaving you with something unworkable.
- When bringing the dough together I like to use a fork, or sometimes just my fingers. Take care not to be too heavy handed, you're only trying to pull the ingredients together into a rough ball.
- Once combined into a rough ball, place on a very well floured surface to stop the dough from sticking. Gently press down until the dough is 2.5cm/1" in depth. I prefer to do this rather than using a rolling pin which can flatten the scones too much. If using a rolling pin add a generous amount of flour to that too.
- Do not knead the dough! If you overwork the dough it will not rise, you will be left with flat, hard scones. The less you work the dough the better the rise and the fluffier the scone.
- Cut the first round of scones then gently bring the leftover dough together again before cutting more scones.
Recipe variations
- I like to use buttermilk in scones as it has a nice acidity which balances the sweetness. You could swap the buttermilk for whole milk if you prefer.
- I've added ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the scone dough, but feel free to swap for other spices, like ginger or a pinch of clove. If you prefer, or leave out the spice altogether.
- I like to sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over the top of the scone before baking, but this is entirely optional. I love cinnamon and this really intensifies the cinnamon flavour.
- If you don't want to add cinnamon sugar, you can decorate the top of the scone with a wafer thin slice of apple instead.
- Leave the apple out altogether and you have a delicious cinnamon scone instead.
Serving suggestions
When it comes to scones I love to top them with clotted cream and follow that with some homemade Apple Jelly, Blackberry Jelly (Bramble Jelly), or Blackcurrant Jelly if I have a jar.
Do you put jam or cream on first?
Cream first then jam is the way they do it in Devon, and that's my favourite. However, my daughters firmly disagree and always choose the Cornish method, spreading the jam first and topping it with clotted cream. Whichever method you favour, it's all delicious!
Useful hints and tips
- Buttermilk: buttermilk in the UK is quite thick, if you are using milk, you may need to reduce the quantity.
- Grate the apple: grating the apple allows it to be incorporated throughout the mixture but you can cut it into small pieces if you prefer.
- Remove excess liquid: if grating the apple, give it a gentle squeeze to remove some of the juice, otherwise the dough will be too wet.
- Adapt baking times: baking times will vary depending on your oven, and also the size of the scone cutter used.
- Equipment: If you don't have a scone cutter, use the bottom of a glass or cup to shape the scones. Alternatively use a sharp knife to cut the scones.
- Allergy advice: soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
FAQs
When flavouring scones with anything that might weigh them down (eg fruit, cheese, etc) I like to add a little baking powder to the scone mix to help the dough to rise. However, do not be heavy handed with the baking powder add only the ½ teaspoon asked for in the recipe. Anything more will result in a scone that tastes terrible. Add just enough to get the scones to lift.
I am firmly of the opinion that scones are best eaten when warm and fresh from the oven, the day they are baked. They will keep another day, stored in an airtight container, but past 2 days the start to taste a bit stale. A quick heat up in the microwave or oven does help soften them.
Yes, scones freeze really well, so you can take out and enjoy at a later date. When freezing scones, simply allow to them to cool completely and place into and airtight container suitable for the freezer. When taking your scones back out of the freezer they are best when warmed up a little in the oven before serving.
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Additional recipe suggestions
If you like this recipe then try some of my other scone and easy bake recipes:
- Buttermilk Scone
- Pear & Ginger Scone
- Pumpkin Spiced Scone
- Savoury Cheese Scones
- Traditional Rock Cakes (also known as Rock Buns)
- Spiced Apple Cake
- Eve's Pudding
If you enjoyed this bake have a look at my Fun Baking with Kids post. This guide is full of great recipe suggestions, hints and tips for anyone who enjoys baking.
Apple & Cinnamon Scones
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- weighing scales
- Measuring jug
- measuring spoons
- Fork
- Scone/cookie cutter
- Baking sheet
- Silicone liner or baking parchment
Ingredients
- 300 g self raising flour (plus extra for dusting worksurface)
- 50 g soft light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (divided)
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 1 large free range egg (plus extra egg, beaten to make an egg glaze to pain over the scone before baking)
- 100 ml buttermilk
- 200 g grated apple (from 2 medium sized Granny Smith apples, or similar)
- 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°CFan/390F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or baking parchment.
- Place the flour, light brown sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Add 1.5 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon and all of the nutmeg.
- Now add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Work quickly as you don't want the butter to warm up and melt.
- Peel, core and grate the apples. Then take the grated apple into your hands and give it a gentle squeeze to remove some of the excess juice. This step is important as you don't want to have wet scones!
- Now add the apples to the flour mixture and stir through, ensuring all the grated apple is separated and covered in flour.
- In a measuring jug, mix the egg with the buttermilk.
- Add the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix gently with a fork, just enough to bring the mixture together into a dough. DO NOT OVERMIX OR KNEAD THE DOUGH!
- Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface and gently pat down to 2.5cm (1").
- Cut the scones with a scone cutter or knife to the desired shape and size. Cut the first round of scones then gently bring the leftover dough together again before cutting more scones.
- Place the scones onto the baking sheet and brush the top of each scone with egg wash or milk.
- Place the demerara sugar into a small bowl and stir through the remaining ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle a little of the cinnamon sugar over the top of each scone.
- Place the scones into a warm oven and bake for 14-18 minutes until golden. Note that cooking times will vary depending on the size of the scone cutter used. I used a 6cm (2 ½ inch) scone cutter.
- Remove the scones from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Do not overwork the dough or it will result in tough, dense scones. Use a light touch and only handle the dough enough to bring together.
- Liberally flour your work surface to stop the dough from sticking.
- The buttermilk in the UK is quite thick, if you are using milk, you may need to reduce the quantity.
- Grating the apple allows it to be incorporated throughout the mixture but you can leave in small pieces if you prefer.
- Squeeze the grated apple to remove some of the juice, otherwise the dough will be too wet.
- Baking times will vary depending on the size of the scone cutter used.
- If you don't have a scone cutter, use the bottom of a glass or cup to shape the scones. Alternatively use a sharp knife to cut the scones.
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
Sisley White - Sew White says
So delicious. Apple and cinnamon is one of my most favourite flavour combos.
Lesley says
Thank you Sisley this is one of my favourite scone recipes too.
Chloe says
As we know I'm not a fan of cinnamon but I made these for my nan and they disappeared in record time despite me warning her to go easy!
Lesley says
Thank you Chloe, I do like this scone recipe and I'm glad your nan enjoyed them. You can swap the cinnamon for ginger, that would work in this recipe in place of the cinnamon.
Janice says
Well this is a scone flavour that I hadn't tried and, oh my, it's so good. Beautiful light scones too.
Lesley says
Thank you Janice, they were easily one of my favourite flavour combinations.
Cat says
One of my absolute favourite flavour combinations in scone form. Perfection!
Lesley says
Thank you Cat, I think apple and cinnamon is a great flavour pairing and it works a treat in these scones.
Ivor says
Great recipe, and useful tips, thanks. I've got sourdough discard - any suggestions as to how i can incorporate some into this recipe to vary the flavour
Lesley says
Hi Ivor, glad you enjoyed the recipe, I do enjoy an apple and cinnamon scone. Yes, you can absolutely add sourdough discard to a scone recipe, however have never done this myself. I recommend having a look at the website foodbodsourdough.com as Elaine has lots of recipes on there, not just bread, but other great uses for your sourdough discard. I hope this helps.
Ivor says
@Lesley, Thanks for that
Ivor
Lesley says
No problem, happy to help.
J Daniels says
Unfortunately this recipe doesn’t give the weight of the apples ….apples come in all sizes.
Lesley says
Thank you, you raise a very good point. Next time I bake these scones I'll weigh my apples and amend the recipe.
Catherine says
Hi l made these and they were delicious and soft lovely with blackcurrant jam.
Lesley says
Thank you Catherine I am so glad you enjoyed these. Apple and cinnamon scones are one of my favourite recipes.
Josephine says
I came across your recipe for apple scone I made them they where gorgeous a bit wet but lovely & soft when cooked I loved them especially with cinnamon in them.
Regards Josephine
Lesley says
Thank you Josephine, I'm glad you enjoyed the scones. I will check that recipe when I next make these and adapt the liquids.
Zero says
Very poor recipe. Sopping wet dough that would be more suited to pancakes. Lots of adjustment required which isn't ideal when you have chosen a recipe based on ingredients at hand.
Lesley says
I am sorry that the recipe didn't work for you. We will certainly have a look and test the recipe again.
Choclette says
Ooh yes please. I adore scones, but they really come into their own when the nights draw in and get cooler. And these are just perfect. I can almost smell the cinnamon wafting out of the oven.
Lesley says
Thank you Choclette, me too - I really don't think you can beat the simplicity of a really great scone. Lesley x
Mike says
Hi I made the scones as per the recipe and the mix did seem rather wet and the scones didn’t rise a great deal but they do taste great. Will have to try again
Michelle says
Hi Mike, sorry to hear the scones didn't rise very much for you. I have made a couple more notes on the recipe card to reflect that this is a "wetter" dough. I suggest only bringing it together on a well floured surface. The less handling the better.
Its one I've played about with a few times now and I'm not a huge fan of using too much baking powder as I find it can leave an aftertaste. You could possibly increase the baking powder content to give a better rise, although its not something I've tested.
Are you using buttermilk, again there are variations on brands and possibly the one you used could be more liquid, mine is quite thick.
Also, types of apples could vary and size - next time I make them I will weigh my apple and update to give readers a better idea of the apple size used here to produce these results.
I'm glad you enjoyed the taste of them though and really hope you give them another try. Happy to try and troubleshoot with you as we want our readers to enjoy our recipes. Michelle
David Macleod says
Hi Lesley, thanks for replying.
The scones still worked out and were nice warm with butter, although a lot of the cinnamon flavour was lost, with me putting in too much flour.
I may have another go at this with a tad more flour with less milk.
Thanks
Davy
Lesley says
No problem Davy. We've amended the recipe and plan to retest the recipe again ourselves. However, the base for this recipe is our basic scone recipe which is very well tried and tested. The recipe asks for 1 tsp cinnamon, however if you would prefer a stronger flavour you could add a further teaspoon. As someone who loves the taste of cinnamon, what I sometimes do is mix some ground cinnamon in a bowl with some demerara sugar. Then just after I've brushed the top of the scones with the egg wash, I sprinkle on a pinch of the cinnamon sugar and then pop into the oven. It adds a lovely hit of cinnamon.
David Macleod says
Total nightmare. Followed your recipe to the letter and the mixture was far too wet to work with. As it resembled batter, I had to add another 50g of flour.
There are many people like me out there, with arthritis in their hands, but they love baking. Sorry, but this was an unfriendly recipe.
Davy
Lesley says
David I am really sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. I’ve had a look at the recipe and the amount of flour doesn’t appear to be right compared with other scone recipes on our blog. I’ll amend this and thank you for bringing it to our attention.
Kim says
How many eggs?
Michelle says
Hi Kim! Thanks so much for pointing that out! It’s one medium sized egg. I’ll go and amend the recipe! Cheers, Michelle
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Oh my - these sound AMAZING!!! Drooling a little bit now... Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
Lesley says
Thank you Eb, these are delicious, particularly with some apple jelly! Lesley x
Laura - Mummy Lauretta says
These sound lovely, I've never tried to make any flavoured scones apart from cheese. I will Pin for later x
Lesley says
Thank you Laura, like you I love a cheese scone, my absolute favourite. However these make a lovely change as they’re not too sweet. Lesley x
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
Such a delicious flavour combination. These scones look fantastic.
Michelle says
Thanks Cat, I love these too - a classic but never tiring combo!
Cheers
Michelle x
Donna says
Oh these look good! Apple and cinnamon is one of my favourite combinations.
Lesley says
Thank you Donna, this is a favourite combination that makes the perfect scone. As for the smell in your kitchen when they’re baking, heaven! Lesley x
Michelle says
Thank you so nice to hear.