Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Scones are packed with apples, warm cinnamon, and a sweet glaze. They’re perfect for a quick, flaky fall treat!
If you’re anything like me, fall gets me craving all things cozy and warm. That’s why I love making sourdough scones!
Not only are they quick and easy to make, but there are so many delicious flavor combinations from Maple Pecan, Gingerbread, Pumpkin and now these delicious Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Scones!
They’re packed with juicy apples and just the right amount of cinnamon spice, plus they have this amazing buttery, flaky texture.
And don’t even get me started on the sweet cinnamon glaze—it takes these scones to a whole new level.
Whether you’re whipping them up for a weekend treat or a cozy afternoon snack, I promise these scones will make your kitchen smell like fall in the best way possible.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Flavor
These scones are bursting with fresh apples and warm cinnamon spice, then topped with a sweet cinnamon glaze. They taste just like fall in every bite—seriously cozy and comforting with a cup of coffee.
Buttery and Flaky
The texture is on point. They’re flaky on the outside with crispy edges and tender on the inside, thanks to the cold butter. It’s everything you want in a scone—light, buttery, and a little crumbly.
Easy and Quick
This is one of those great sourdough discard recipes you can throw together quickly. With just a few basic ingredients and some chopped apples, you’ve got warm homemade scones ready to enjoy in no time.
Ingredients Needed
For this apple cinnamon scone recipe, here’s what you’ll need:
Flour: I use all-purpose flour, but pastry flour would be an excellent substitute for an extra flaky scone.
Dark brown sugar: For a touch of caramel-like sweetness to this fall-flavored scone. Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute.
Cinnamon: Is there any better pair than apples and cinnamon? You can substitute the cinnamon for apple pie spice for even more fall flavor!
Baking powder: This will bring a little lift to our scones! Be sure that it isn’t expired.
Salt: Any salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s Unrefined Fine Sea Salt for extra natural minerals.
Unsalted Butter: To get light and flaky scones, it is best to use cold or frozen butter.
Apples: I like to leave on the apple peel, but you can peel the apples if you prefer. Choose a juicy apple for these scones, such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady apples!
Unfed sourdough starter: I prefer using sourdough discard that is no older than a week for sweet recipes like these sourdough scones. Use cold discard to help keep the butter from melting into the dough!
Eggs: Add moisture and bring structure to the scones.
Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, comforting touch that brings out all the delicious fall flavors
Heavy whipping cream: I use heavy cream over milk because the thick liquid brings just the right amount of liquid to these scones. Too much liquid and your scones will be flat and dry.
Cinnamon Glaze
Powdered sugar: Melts perfectly to create a luscious and smooth glaze
Unsalted butter: Just a touch to make it glossy and smooth
Heavy whipping cream: Adds a touch more heavy cream to get the perfect glaze consistency
Cinnamon: The star ingredient that brings out the apple flavor in the scones
Vanilla extract: Brings all the fall flavors together
Supplies
Box grater
Rolling pin
Pastry cutter or sharp knife
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Scones
In a large bowl, combine flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and whisk together.
Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute for dark brown sugar.
Grate the cold/frozen unsalted butter and add to the flour mixture. Cut in with a pastry cutter or mix with your fingers until the small pieces of butter are coated with flour and create pea-sized coarse crumbs.
Chop the apples into ¼-inch cubes. I leave the peel on, but you can peel the apples if you prefer. Stir the chopped apples into the dry mixture. Choose a juicy apple for these scones, such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady apples!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix the scone dough with a rubber spatula until the cream mixture is combined. The dough will be crumbly, but be careful not to overmix the dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for about 30 seconds, then form it into an 8″ disc. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges with a bench scraper or a large knife.
Place the unbaked scones on a baking tray with parchment paper with space in between them. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
When ready to bake, brush the tops of the sourdough scones with more heavy cream and top with coarse sugar, and sprinkle more cinnamon, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the scones for 21–23 minutes, or until the top of the scones are golden brown. Remove and serve warm!
Cinnamon Glaze
In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
Use a spoon to drizzle the tops of the scones with the sweet cinnamon glaze.
How to Serve
Whether you’re hosting a cozy afternoon tea or just want a warm, comforting treat with your morning coffee, apple cinnamon sourdough scones are best served fresh from the oven. The sweet aroma of cinnamon and apples will fill your kitchen, making it hard to resist grabbing one right away. Trust me, there’s nothing like enjoying them warm, with that sweet cinnamon glaze melting into each flaky bite!
How to Store
Store any leftover scones in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days to keep them fresh. This way, you can savor their deliciousness even after the first day!
Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. If you’re craving fresh scones later, try flash-freezing the dough before baking. Just pop the unbaked scones into a freezer-safe bag, and when you’re ready to dig in, bake them as usual but add a few extra minutes to the bake time for that just-baked taste!
Baker’s Tips
Use cold/frozen butter: To get the most light and flakey crust, you need cold butter. When the butter starts to melt while it is baking, it releases moisture, which creates those flakey layers. If you use room temperature or the butter melts before baking, the scones will be flat and dry.
Use cold ingredients: To keep the butter cool, use as many cold ingredients as possible, like cold eggs, cold heavy cream, cold sourdough discard, etc.
Work quickly: You don’t want your butter to melt into the dough, so you must work quickly.
Chill the dough before baking: Chilling the scones before popping them into the oven allows the butter to stay cold, which gives you the best chance for flakey scones.
Variations
If you are craving a little bit more sweetness and bite to your scones, try adding a 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, or caramel chips.
FAQs
What can I use if I don’t have heavy cream?
If you’re out of heavy cream, both buttermilk and sour cream are excellent substitutes. They’ll still give you those tender scones with a slightly different texture. Just make sure to keep your wet ingredients cold to achieve the flakiest result.
Can I long-ferment these sourdough scones?
Yes! You can prepare the scone dough and store it in the fridge for 24-48 hours before baking. This allows the sourdough discard to break down the gluten, which makes the scones easier to digest while still yielding delicious scones.
How do I keep the butter from melting while working with the dough?
To keep the frozen butter from melting, make sure all your ingredients, including the wet ingredients like eggs, sourdough discard and cream, are cold. This will prevent the butter from softening and will help you get a flaky center in your scones. You can also chill the dough before rolling it out to ensure the butter stays cold.
Happy baking!
More Recipes Like This:
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Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Scones with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe
Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Scones are packed with apples, warm cinnamon, and a sweet glaze. They're perfect for a quick, flaky fall treat!
Ingredients
Apple Cinnamon Scones
- 280 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 14 grams (1 Tablespoon) baking powder
- 110 grams (1/2 cup) dark brown sugar
- 3 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) cinnamon
- 3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) salt
- 113 grams (1/2 cup) cold/frozen unsalted butter
- 125 grams (heaping cup) apples, cubed
- 30 grams (2 Tablespoon) heavy cream, cold
- 1 egg, cold
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) sourdough discard, cold
- 8 grams (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
Cinnamon Glaze
- 130 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 gram (1/2 teaspoon) cinnamon
- 60 grams (4 Tablespoons) heavy cream
- 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Instructions
Apple Cinnamon Scones
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and whisk together. Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute for dark brown sugar.
280g (2 c) flour, 110g (1/2 c) brown sugar, 14g (1 T) baking powder, 3g (1 1/2 tsp) cinnamon, 3g (1/2 tsp) salt
2. Grate the cold/frozen butter and add to the flour mixture. Cut in with a pastry cutter or mix with your fingers until the small pieces of butter are coated with flour and create pea-sized coarse crumbs.
113g (1/2 c) cold/frozen unsalted butter
3. Chop the apples into ¼-inch cubes. I leave the peel on, but you can peel the apples, if you prefer. Stir the chopped apples into the dry mixture. Choose a juicy apple for these scones, such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady apples!
125g (heaping cup) apple (I love to use Honeycrisp apples!)
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Make sure the discard, egg and cream are all cold to help the butter from melting.
120g (1/2 c) sourdough discard, 1 egg, 30g (2 T) heavy cream, 8g (2 tsp) vanilla extract
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix the scone dough with a rubber spatula until the cream mixture is combined. The dough will be crumbly, but be careful not to over mix the dough.
6. Turn out the dough onto your work surface, and knead the dough for about 30 seconds, then form it into an 8″ disc. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges with a bench scraper or a large knife.
7. Place the unbaked scones on a baking tray with parchment paper with space in between them. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while the oven preheats. I love using this cover on top of my baking sheets!
8. When ready to bake, brush the tops of the sourdough scones with more heavy cream and top with coarse sugar and a sprinkle more cinnamon, if desired.
9. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the scones for 21 - 23 minutes, or until the top of the scones are golden brown. Remove and serve warm!
Cinnamon Glaze
10. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
130g (1 c) powdered sugar, 60g (4 T) heavy cream, 1g (1/2 tsp) cinnamon, 2g (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
11. Use a spoon to drizzle the tops of the scones with the sweet cinnamon glaze. Enjoy!
Notes
How to Store
Store any leftover scones in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days to keep them fresh. This way, you can savor their deliciousness even after the first day!
Freeze After Baking: Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Freeze Before Baking: If you’re craving fresh scones later, try flash-freezing the dough before baking. Just pop the unbaked scones into a freezer-safe bag, and when you're ready to dig in, bake them as usual but add a few extra minutes to the bake time for that just-baked taste!
Baker’s Tips
Use cold/frozen butter: To get the most light and flakey crust, you need cold butter. When the butter starts to melt while it is baking, it releases moisture, which creates those flakey layers. If you use room temperature or the butter melts before baking, the scones will be flat and dry.
Use cold ingredients: To keep the butter cool, use as many cold ingredients as possible, like cold eggs, cold heavy cream, cold sourdough discard, etc.
Work quickly: You don’t want your butter to melt into the dough, so you must work quickly.
Chill the dough before baking: Chilling the scones before popping them into the oven allows the butter to stay cold, which gives you the best chance for flakey scones.
Variations
If you are craving a little bit more sweetness and bite to your scones, try adding a 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, or caramel chips.
FAQs
What can I use if I don’t have heavy cream?
If you’re out of heavy cream, both buttermilk and sour cream are excellent substitutes. They’ll still give you those tender scones with a slightly different texture. Just make sure to keep your wet ingredients cold to achieve the flakiest result.
Can I long-ferment these sourdough scones?
Yes! You can prepare the scone dough and store it in the fridge for 24-48 hours before baking. This allows the sourdough discard to break down the gluten, which makes the scones easier to digest while still yielding delicious scones.
How do I keep the butter from melting while working with the dough?
To keep the frozen butter from melting, make sure all your ingredients, including the wet ingredients like eggs, sourdough discard and cream, are cold. This will prevent the butter from softening and will help you get a flaky center in your scones. You can also chill the dough before rolling it out to ensure the butter stays cold.
hi! wondering if you could clarify how much melted butter for the glaze? thank you!
Apologies! That was a typo. No melted butter is needed for this glaze.
thank you! these turned out fabulous.