These fresh apple cinnamon scones have the best apple flavor, warm spices, and a delicious cinnamon glaze on top. They are perfect for any fall breakfast, brunch, or dessert occasion!
Nothing beats warm scones straight from the oven! These cinnamon apple scones are a twist on a classic apple scone recipe.
With the addition of warm chai spice and freshly grated apples, these scones are a great recipe for first-time scone bakers!
The dough is made in one bowl with no special equipment required and they turn out perfect and soft every single time.
Serve these delicious scones for your next fall-themed breakfast, brunch, or dessert, and get ready for your kitchen to smell like a warm, fall-spiced dream!
For more fall recipes, try Bourbon Pecan Pie Brownies, Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake, Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies, and Apple Cider Donut Cake.
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why you'll love this recipe
- Moist scones: Unlike most scone recipes, these are made with heavy whipping cream and fresh apples, so they stay extra moist and tender for days!
- Best texture: The grated apples give every bite a soft and tender texture!
- Fresh fruit: This apple cinnamon scone recipe uses fresh apples for the best apple flavor.
ingredient notes
- Apples: Fresh apples work best for this recipe. I recommend Gala or Fiji apples for the best taste and texture!
- Chai spice: You can substitute the chai spice for any of your favorite spices like cardamom or just plain cinnamon.
- Heavy cream: Full-fat heavy whipping cream is required for tender and fluffy scones. Make sure you leave it in the fridge until you are ready to use it so it stays cold!
recipe instructions
Here's how to make these homemade apple cinnamon scones! You will need a large mixing bowl and a 6-inch round cake pan to make the dough. Before you start, preheat the oven to 400 F/205 C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP ONE: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, chai spice, cinnamon, and granulated sugar.
STEP TWO: Make a well in the bowl. Using a spoon, create a well in the middle of the flour mixture.
STEP THREE: Mix in the wet ingredients. Pour the apples and cream into the center well of the bowl. Use the spoon to gently mix the flour into the cream, then use your hands to rub the dough together until there are no more dry pockets of flour remaining.
STEP FOUR: Rest the dough. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes so that the cream and apples can hydrate the flour. If after 5 minutes the dough is still dry, add an extra 1 teaspoon of heavy cream to moisten it.
STEP FIVE: Shape the scones. Press the dough into a 6-inch cake pan as evenly as possible, then turn the pan over and shake it so that it falls out.
STEP SIX: Cut the scones. Use a sharp knife to cut the round of dough into 6 triangles, then transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
STEP SEVEN: Chill the scones. Chill the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then lightly brush the top of the scones with a bit of heavy cream.
STEP EIGHT: Bake! Sprinkle the tops of the scones with the chai cinnamon sugar and bake them for 18 minutes, or until the tops and corners start to brown.
expert baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
- Keep the cream cold. I recommend leaving it in the fridge right up until you're going to pour it into the bowl. Cold cream is important for flaky and tender scones.
- Don't over mix the dough. Mix the dough until just combined, otherwise, the scones will be tough and not tender.
- Chill the scones before baking. Don't skip the quick chill in the freezer! This will help the scones keep their shape even after baking.
variations
- Apple scones with maple glaze
- Instead of milk, mix the powdered sugar with a bit of maple syrup until desired consistency.
storage & freezing
- Room temperature: Store the baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also leave them on the baking tray and wrap the tray tightly in plastic wrap.
- Freezer: Once formed and cut into triangles, you can freeze the scones on a baking tray until frozen solid. Then transfer them to a sealable container for up to one month.
faq's
Mixing the dough too much or not letting it rest before shaping can result in tough, dense scones.
If the dough is crumbly even after letting it rest, add more cream to the bowl one tablespoon at a time until it feels hydrated but not sticky.
Absolutely! You can replace it with pumpkin spice, cinnamon, cardamom, or apple pie spice.
You can find it in the spice aisle of most grocery stores, online on Amazon, or you can make the blend at home! I have included a recipe for making it yourself in the recipe card below.
You don't need a round cake pan to shape them! You can easily shape the dough into a round with just your hands. The cake pan just helps the dough stay even amongst all six scones.
more fall recipes to try
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Chai Apple Cinnamon Scones
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon chai spice blend see notes for recipe
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup red apples, grated
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar for the tops
- ¼ teaspoon chai spice blend for the top
Cinnamon Glaze
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk any kind of milk works!
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Making the Scone Dough
- Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, chai spice, cinnamon, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon chai spice blend, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the grated apples and heavy cream.1 cup red apples, grated, ⅓ cup heavy cream, cold
- Use a spoon to gently mix the dough together. Once it starts to clump together, use your fingers to rub the dough together until there are no more dry spots of flour.
- Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes. If the dough is still very dry after resting, add an extra 1 teaspoon of heavy cream. It should feel soft and moist!
- Press the dough into a round 6-inch cake pan as evenly as possible. Then turn the pan upside down and shake it so that the round of dough falls out.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the round into 6 equal sized triangles.
- Carefully transfer the scones onto the parchment lined baking tray, and then place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 400 F/205 C.
- When the oven is ready, lightly brush the tops of the scones with a bit more heavy cream.
- Mix together the extra granulated sugar and chai spice together and generously sprinkle it over the tops of the scones.¼ teaspoon chai spice blend, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Bake for 18 minutes or until they start to brown around the edges and top. Let the tray cool on a wire rack before glazing!
Making the Glaze
- To make the glaze, place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add more powdered sugar if it's too thin.⅓ cup powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoon milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Drizzle over cooled scones and enjoy!
Notes
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¾ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Apples: Fresh apples work best for this recipe. I recommend Gala or Fiji apples for the best taste and texture!
- Chai spice: You can substitute the chai spice for any of your favorite spices like cardamom or just plain cinnamon.
- Heavy cream: Full-fat heavy whipping cream is required for tender and fluffy scones. Make sure you leave it in the fridge until you are ready to use it so it stays cold!
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
- Keep the cream cold. I recommend leaving it in the fridge right up until you're going to pour it into the bowl. Cold cream is important for flaky and tender scones.
- Don't over mix the dough. Mix the dough until just combined, otherwise, the scones will be tough and not tender.
- Chill the scones before baking. Don't skip the quick chill in the freezer! This will help the scones keep their shape even after baking.
- Room temperature: Store the baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also leave them on the baking tray and wrap the tray tightly in plastic wrap.
- Freezer: Once formed and cut into triangles, you can freeze the scones on a baking tray until frozen solid. Then transfer them to a sealable container for up to one month.
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Whitney Snelson says
Do you have a recipe for cinnamon sugar scones?!
Cambrea Gordon says
Hi Whitney! Not for just plain cinnamon sugar, you could easily make these apple ones with cinnamon sugar though! Just replace the chai spice with cinnamon 🙂
Janaya says
These made my kitchen smell like the perfect fall morning like woww I'm seriously addicted. The chai spice blend makes enough for at least 2 batches of these + so I definitely recommend doubling!
Cambrea Gordon says
Yay! So excited to hear that! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review Janaya!
Kristy says
Enjoyed making these scones! Reminds me of fall!
Cambrea Gordon says
Hi Kristy! They are so good any time of year, right? I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Rachel says
These turned out sooo good! I definitely recommend!
cambreabakes says
Yay! So glad to hear that Rachel, thanks so much for making them and coming back to leave a review 🙂 Best, Cambrea
Anthony higuera says
Tasted very good, ate so many i had to take a nap.