If you’ve been craving cozy fall baking, start with this apple cinnamon scone recipe. They are filled with tart Granny Smith apples, warm fall spices and finished with a smooth vanilla bean glaze. This recipe is so easy, even your first batch will bake up beautifully.
What Makes These Apple Cinnamon Scones Special
- Tart apples add crisp, fresh flavor.
- Warm fall spices make every bite cozy.
- A silky vanilla bean glaze ties it all together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Butter: frozen butter cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter.
- Apples: Granny Smith for tartness.
- Wet ingredients: heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
- For topping: vanilla bean glaze.
How to Make Flaky Apple Cinnamon Scones
Easy enough for beginners, this apple cinnamon scone recipe is a fall favorite you’ll make again and again.
- Dry ingredients first – Whisk together the dry ingredients to evenly distribute the spices and leavening
- Grate cold butter – Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter, then place it in the freezer to firm up. Then use a pastry cutter, to work it in the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- Fold in apples – Add the chopped Granny Smith apples to the dry mixture and coat with flour.
- Wet ingredients last – In a small bowl, whisk heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour into the dry ingredients and gently fold until the dough just comes together.
- Shape and Cut – Gently press dough into a round disc about 8 in in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Cut into 6 equal pieces.
- Top and Bake – Brush the tops with heavy cream and add a sprinkle of course sugar before baking. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-22 minutes.
Overmixing can make scones tough. A slightly shaggy dough is perfect. As long as no big pockets of flour remain, you’re ready to shape and cut.
Vanilla Bean Glaze for Scones
A silky vanilla bean glaze is the perfect finishing touch for apple cinnamon scones. To get those signature specks of vanilla, slice a vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife, then use the back of the blade to scrape out the seeds.
Whisk them into powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth, and you’ll have a glaze that tastes so good, you'll want to eat it by the spoonful.
If you don’t have vanilla bean, you can substitute vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Want a seasonal twist? Try my maple glaze recipe It pairs perfectly with apples and cinnamon!
Allyson’s Tips: Make-Ahead Scones
Want fresh apple cinnamon scones on a busy morning? Here’s my shortcut:
- Mix and cut the scone dough as directed.
- Freeze wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid.
- Seal tightly in a zip lock bag and store in an airtight container.
- Bake straight from frozen — just add a few minutes to the bake time.
Learn exactly how in my post: How to Bake Frozen Scones Like a Pro!
Variations
One of the reasons I love this apple cinnamon scone recipe is because the base dough is super versatile. This is the same base I use for my mixed berry scones. Once you master it, the flavor possibilities are endless. Here are a few ways to switch things up:
- Blueberry scones – Swap the apples for blueberries and add a handful of white chocolate chips for an irresistible twist on a classic.
- Maple drizzle – Instead of vanilla bean glaze, top with maple glaze for a delicious fall flavor.
- Cinnamon chip scones – Omit the apples and fold in cinnamon chips.
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
- Freeze unbaked scones for later.
- Reheat baked scones in the oven or air fryer for the best flaky texture
Apple Cinnamon Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250g
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter frozen grated
- 1 heaping cup Granny Smith apple peeled and finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream plus more for brushing tops
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 ea vanilla bean Seeds scraped from 1pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg,and salt.
- Add cold grated butter and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until the texture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Fold in the chopped apples
- In a small bowl, whisk together heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour into the dry mixture. Gently stir until the dough just comes together.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a circle about 1 inch thick. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut into 6 wedges.
- Arrange wedges on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with cream and sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla bean seeds until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones.
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