Apple Cinnamon Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze
This flaky apple cinnamon scones recipe is made with Granny Smith apples, a hint of cinnamon, and a silky vanilla bean glaze. Simple, cozy, and perfect for fall.
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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.
Notes
Cold butter is key. Grate cold butter and freeze for 15 minutes before mixing it into the flour mixture. Keep it as cold as possible
Make-ahead option. Mix and cut the scones, then freeze raw dough wedges on a baking sheet. Once frozen, place in a gallon sized zip lock bag, then into an airtight container. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time. (See my post on How to Bake Frozen Scones Like a Pro!).
Glaze variations. Swap the vanilla bean glaze for my maple glaze to make these even cozier for fall.
Versatile base. This is the same base I use for my mixed berry scones — try blueberries with white chocolate chips, or skip the apples and fold in cinnamon chips for a fun twist.
