Craving a taste of autumn? Look no further than these delectable Caramel Apple Scones. These scones are a perfect blend of a sweet caramel coating on the outside and a soft, buttery interior, making them the ultimate Fall treat. These scones are made with real apple pieces and apple pie seasoning, ensuring each bite is a burst of seasonal delight.
Scones are an underrated gem in the world of baked goods. They often don’t receive the attention they truly deserve. Many people, including myself, have had moments of confusion when encountering a scone for the first time. Is it a biscuit, or is it just an exceptionally dry piece of bread? With time and experience, I’ve come to appreciate scones for what they are – a biscuit, much like the way the British savor them.
I have a deep fondness for scones because of their rustic charm and versatility. With a basic scone recipe in your arsenal, you can create a variety of scones with different flavors. On my blog, you’ll find numerous scone recipes, including Maple Pecan Scones, Salted Caramel Scones, Classic Buttermilk Scones, and Citrus Basil Scones. Now, let’s add a new star to the list – Caramel Apple Scones.
Savoring the Essence of Apples
When crafting our Caramel Apple Scones, our priority was to infuse the scones with the delightful taste of apples. While one could opt for the traditional approach of dicing Granny Smith apples into small pieces and folding them into the dough, we decided on a different technique. Instead of apple chunks, we shredded the apples. This method allowed us to maintain a consistent apple flavor throughout the scones. We retained some of the juice, which contributed to the scones’ flavor profile. The result? A scone recipe that truly captures the essence of apples.
Expert Tips for Perfecting Your Caramel Apple Scones
Creating the perfect scone, like any dough-based pastry, hinges on the quality of butter used. The key is to use cold butter – the colder, the better. Chilled butter will coat the flour, yielding a buttery, flaky texture that defines scones. Keep your butter in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
While some recipes call for cutting the butter into small chunks and blending it into the flour mixture using a fork or pastry cutter, we’ve found a more efficient alternative. Consider using a cheese grater to grate the cold butter directly into the flour. This method streamlines the process and saves time. If you’re feeling exceptionally lazy, a food processor can also be used to mix the flour and butter.
For the apples, we employed a similar technique as with the butter. We shredded two small Honeycrisp apples with a cheese grater, placed the grated apple in the center of a heavy-duty paper towel, and squeezed out enough juice to leave the apples only slightly moist. Some moisture should remain to enhance the scones’ texture.
To elevate the flavor of our Caramel Apple Scones, we recommend using Apple Pie Spice, which you can easily find at your local grocery store. While you can make your own apple pie seasoning, the store-bought version adds a unique touch to the recipe. With these tips in hand, you’re on your way to enjoying these irresistible Caramel Apple Scones in no time.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes, you can use your preferred apple variety, but we recommend choosing one with a slightly tart flavor to balance the sweetness of the caramel coating.
Absolutely! You can prepare the scone dough and refrigerate it overnight, then bake them fresh in the morning for a delightful breakfast.
Yes, you can freeze the scones before or after baking. Just ensure they are well-wrapped to maintain freshness.
Store any uneaten scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If you want them to last longer, freezing is the ideal option.
Similar Recipes
If you like recipes like these apple cinnamon scones, you will enjoy the scone recipes below:
- Maple Brown Sugar Scones
- Maple Pecan Scones
- Strawberry White Chocolate Scones
- Cinnamon Chip Scones
- Citrus and Basil Scones
Caramel Apple Scones
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Indulge in the flavors of Fall with these heavenly Caramel Apple Scones recipe. Discover the magic of soft, buttery scones with a caramel coating. Perfect for autumn cravings!
Ingredients
- 2 c. all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp. Sugar
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. Baking powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice
- 2 small Honeycrisp apples, grated and slightly squeezed (You can use whatever apple you want)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and grated
- 1 egg
- ½ c. heavy cream
- Topping
- 4 tbsp. Butter
- ½ c. light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ c. heavy cream
- 1 c. powdered sugar sifted
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice and whisk together.
- Using a standing cheese grater, grate the cold butter and add to the flour mixture. Use a fork or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture until the flour begins to look like large clumps of flour.
- Use the same method and grate two small Honeycrisp apples to the cord. Place the shredded apple in the middle of a clean kitchen towel or heavy-duty paper towel. Lightly squeeze the liquid just until it’s barely dripping liquid, not completely dry. Add the shredded apple and fold into the mixture.
- Finally, add the heavy cream and egg and stir into the dough. The dough will be slightly sticky. Turn the dough onto the floured surface and mold the dough into a circle with about 1 ½ inch thickness. Cut the circle into 6 wedges and place them onto the baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- To make the topping, in a medium saucepan on medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Once melted, add the brown sugar whisk, and allow to boil slightly until it looks like it’s foaming and rising, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat once this happens and slowly pour in the heavy cream and whisk. The caramel sauce will be smooth. Allow to sit cool for at least 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the sifted powdered sugar, and stir vigorously with a whisk until the caramel topping is smooth and not clumpy. Add a pinch of salt. Dip the top of the scones into the caramel sauce and place on a cooling rack to allow the topping to set. You can double dip if there is more caramel left for extra caramel flavor. Serve as desired.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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