We’re to that point of the year where bags of freshly picked apples seem to be everywhere I look and I just can’t get enough. Apples are one of my absolute favorite things to bake with and I have lots of delicious recipes up my sleeve the next few weeks starting with these unbelievable scones. Does apple and cheddar seem like a weird combo to you? I have to admit that at first I was a little unsure about this sweet and savory pairing, but man is it amazing! Since these scones don’t have any spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to highlight the apple you really get huge bursts of fresh apple flavor with the most subtle savory saltiness from the cheese. It’s a match made in heaven.
Has the weather turned crisp in your neck of the woods? Here in New York we have had the most glorious weekend of fall-like weather and I just adore it. These scones just scream fall and I plan to make them again for a autumnal-themed brunch once I get to my new place. They are the perfect amount of sweet and savory and warm out of the oven, I can’t think of anything better to cozy up on the couch with, cup of tea in hand with a good book. (Though lately I don’t read much besides books on birth..can you blame me?) Fall is here guys-you heard it here first!!!
- 2 firm tart apples (I used Johnny Macs) peeled, cored and cut into chunks.
- 1½ cups (6.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded (I used white, yellow cheddar would be fine too but may change the color of the scones)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- Position a rack at the center of oven and preheat oven to 375 °F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
- Placed apple chunks in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake them until they are a bit golden and soft to the touch. Let them cool completely. (I tossed mine into a bowl and then stuck it in the freezer while I got everything else ready.) Leave the oven on.
- Sift or whisk flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
- Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment*, along with cooled apple chunks, grated cheese, cream and one of the eggs. Start the mixer on low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix only until the dough comes together- Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough onto a well-floured counter top and use floured hands to form the dough into a 6 inch circle (about 1¼ inches thick) Cut circle into 6 wedges. Transfer them to the baking sheet lined with a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Leave at least 2 inches between each scone.
- Beat remaining egg in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the scones with egg wash and sprinkle them with remaining sugar. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack- eat warm!
These scones are wonderful the day they are made- we had a couple leftover scones the next morning for breakfast and they were great too but best fresh.
Recipe barely adapted from: Smitten Kitchen via The Perfect Finish
Javi Trulove says
September 16, 2013 at 7:10 amLast weeki saw some lovelies muffins with this Apple and Cheese combo.. and i must say that I LOVE IT. Those Scones must taste A-Mazing and i’m not kidding, i need to do this. Well as long i get my payday and get the ingredients… AND i have to fix my oven. anyway.. i have to dream with this and save this recipe for a rainy day… Greetings honey :)
tara says
September 16, 2013 at 7:51 amWhat a great combo! Fall isn’t even close to being in my neck of the woods-it basically doesn’t come until winter. And then we don’t have winter. But I hope I’m still allowed to make these scones! :)
cassie says
September 16, 2013 at 10:32 amI love apple and cheddar together. These are amazing, Audra!
Katie C. says
September 16, 2013 at 10:50 amDo you remember how long you cooked the apple chunks? My guy loves apple anything and cheddar cheese so these are going on my todo list.
p.s. Our week vacation in Vermont begins on Friday. I signed both of us up for a bread making class at King Arthur Flour! I am SO excited. I would have never known it was there if you hadn’t posted about your class. Thank you very much!
Audra says
September 16, 2013 at 10:54 pmShoot- I missed including that info! You want to bake the apples for about 20 minutes.
Enjoy your KAF class! I’m sure you’ll just love it!
Katie C. says
September 17, 2013 at 3:19 pmThanks!
I also like that you can freeze these because when I make them, I’m not eating three in one day! The Smitten Kitchen site mentioned that you can freeze them before you bake them, so I’ll just bake them two at a time.
Audra says
September 18, 2013 at 10:32 amYes! I’ve never frozen them but I’ll definitely follow Deb’s suggestion next time :)
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
September 16, 2013 at 11:52 amApple season is one of my favorites! These look perfect.
Coco in the Kitchen says
September 16, 2013 at 12:43 pmI’m not a breadmaker, but love making scones.
They’re easy!
Love your apple + cheddar combo.
xoxo
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
September 16, 2013 at 6:27 pmDang, these look perfect! I could eat a biscuit with every meal. They’re just so good!
Mary-Clay @ Cooking with the King says
September 16, 2013 at 8:02 pmSuch a great idea! One of my favorite apple + cheese combos is pink lady and gruyere. Gets me brainstorming…
Tracey says
September 16, 2013 at 8:05 pmI was a little skeptical about the apple and cheese combo too, but after I tried it for the first time I was in heaven! I haven’t done it with scones though so these need to happen in my kitchen – and soon :)
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
September 17, 2013 at 9:32 amI’m loving the cooler weather but I’m not ready for 40s in the morning quite yet brrrr. Maybe if I had some warm scones waiting for me in the kitchen that’d help? :)
Jamie@Milk 'n' Cookies says
September 17, 2013 at 9:54 pmIt is definitely feeling like fall around here (we’re in NJ). I’ve made cheddar apple muffins before, but never cheddar apple scones. These look fantastic! I’m looking forward to your upcoming apple recipes; we’re planning to go apple picking in the next few weeks, so we’ll be up to our ears in apples.
bankingonkismet says
September 23, 2013 at 6:44 amOMG!!! i tried baking this yesterday and they are delightful!! i love the sweet and salty combo of apple and cheese and the scones paired great with freshly brewed coffee. and i love the fact that it’s a small batch coz most of the scone recipes i know needed like 3-4 cups of flour! the 6 scones i made out of your recipe were gone 30 mins after i baked them. thank you so much for sharing!
Audra says
September 24, 2013 at 3:11 pmI’m so glad you liked them- I really loved them too :)
Meg says
September 23, 2013 at 1:57 pmI love everything about fall — and these look delicious! My gram got me hooked on scones as a kid, and I still can’t get enough. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never tried baking them myself, though. Must remedy that!
Malia says
October 1, 2013 at 9:16 pmThese are amazing scones. Thanks for the recipe. I do have a question though–can I make the dough ahead of time and then bake at a later time? If so, how long can the dough be stored? 24 hours? A little longer than that?
Thanks!
Malia
Audra says
October 1, 2013 at 11:40 pmYou can freeze them un-baked for a few weeks and then thaw before baking :)
salsa says
February 8, 2014 at 9:16 amI dig this..I’m always up for recipes and this one
looks delish. Always searching for different recipes and this
goes on my list. Thanks
Jen says
July 27, 2014 at 6:55 pmSo yummy!! Thanks for the great recipe :)
amanda says
October 25, 2015 at 9:51 pmYou know you stole this recipe, right?