Cheddar Apple Scones are buttery, flaky scones filled with sharp cheddar cheese and tender Granny Smith apple chunks. They’re the perfect recipe for fall baking.
There are a lot of apple scone recipes out there, but I wanted something that wasn’t quite as sweet as apple pie. I kept coming back to the combination of tart Granny Smith apples and sharp cheddar cheese because it reminds me of an old-fashioned slice of cheddar served alongside warm apple pie. The result is somewhere between savory scones and biscuits, with just enough cinnamon to bring everything together.
The biggest lesson I learned while testing this recipe was that cold ingredients really do matter. Instead of simply cutting cold butter into the flour mixture, I grated the butter with a cheese grater, froze the grated sharp cheddar, chilled the sautéed apples, and even put the heavy cream in the freezer for about 35 minutes before mixing the dough. It sounds like a lot of extra steps, but they’re easy to do while you prep the other ingredients, and they make a huge difference in the finished scone.
I also skipped baking powder and used self-rising flour instead. It simplifies the recipe without sacrificing the tall, flaky texture I was after. Rather than cutting the dough into wedges like many scone recipes, I used a biscuit cutter to make tall, bakery-style rounds that bake up beautifully.
These scones have buttery, flaky layers with a tender texture that stays moist without feeling heavy. The sharp cheddar cheese pairs beautifully with the tart Granny Smith apples, giving them just enough sweetness without tasting like dessert.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apples
Granny Smith apples
Butter
Granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon
Scones
Self-rising flour
Salt
Unsalted butter
Sharp cheddar cheese
Heavy cream
Egg
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the apple chunks have softened slightly but still hold their shape. Spread them on a plate and place the plate in the freezer until completely cold.
- About 30 to 35 minutes before mixing the dough, place the unsalted butter in the freezer.
- Grate the frozen butter using a cheese grater and return it to the freezer.
- Grate the sharp cheddar cheese and place it in the freezer.
- Pour the heavy cream into a measuring cup and place it in the freezer for about 35 minutes. It should be very cold but still pourable.
- Add the self-rising flour to the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer. Since the flour already contains the leavening, there is no need to measure baking powder separately.
- Add cinnamon and nutmeg to the flour.
- Add the frozen butter to the flour and mix on low speed just until coarse crumbs form.
- Stir in the frozen cheddar cheese.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg and heavy cream to make the wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix the batter.
- Fold in the frozen apple chunks.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together with your hands.
- Pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it into thirds like a letter. Rotate and repeat the folds two more times to create flaky layers.
- Pat the dough to about 1 inch thick and cut the scones with a biscuit cutter. Press straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and keeps the scone from rising as high. You can also choose to cut the scones into triangles.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cut scones on top. Put the entire baking sheet in the freezer for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Brush the tops with a little heavy cream.
- Bake in a 400°F oven for 20 to 24 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Apple Cheddar Scones
Cheddar Apple Scones are buttery, flaky scones filled with sharp cheddar cheese and tender Granny Smith apple chunks. They're the perfect recipe for fall baking.
Ingredients
For the Apples
- 1.5 cups Granny Smith Apples chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Scones
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 butter grated, then frozen
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 laege egg
Instructions
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Cook the apples with the butter, sugar, and cinnamon for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and place in the freezer until cold.
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Freeze the butter for at least 30 minutes. Grate it using a cheese grater and return it to the freezer.
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Grate the cheddar cheese and freeze it.
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Chill the heavy cream in the freezer for about 35 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Add the self-rising flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the frozen butter until coarse crumbs form.
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Stir in the frozen cheddar cheese.
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Whisk together the egg and heavy cream.
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix only until a shaggy dough forms.
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Fold in the chilled apples.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Fold it three times to create layers.
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Pat the dough to about 1 inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter.
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Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes.- This step is optional if you used frozen ingredients while making the dough.
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Brush the tops with heavy cream
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Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until deeply golden.
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Cool on a wire rack before serving.
These scones the perfect recipe for fall baking, brunch with guests, or enjoying after a morning of apple picking.
Storage
Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to five days. They also freeze well. Warm them in the oven for a few minutes before serving to bring back that freshly baked texture.
A Few Tips
- Frozen butter is one of the biggest secrets to tall, flaky scones.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, a pastry cutter works just as well for cutting the butter into the flour.
- You can also freeze the scones before baking to help them keep their shape.
- These aren’t meant to taste like dessert. They’re lightly sweet with a savory finish from the sharp cheddar, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a side to a bowl of soup.
Apples and cheddar cheese belong together! This is the perfect scone to make when you’re not sure whether you want sweet or savory. would love to hear how this apple cheddar scone recipe worked for you! Please comment below this blog post or tag me on social media. You can find me on Facebook or Pinterest.
