Apple Cinnamon Cherry Scones

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

My life is currently filled with two lists. One list is filled with “have-to-dos” and the other with “want-to-dos”. The first sucks up most of my daylight hours. The latter is filled with all of the things that make me happy: hanging out with my kids, writing, baking, gardening, laying in bed reading. As I read this list it sounds like I should run out and buy a cat. And maybe a Subaru. Perhaps start shopping at a co-op? None of this reads nearly as exciting as I am (or think I am).

I would really like to be one of those people that posts gorgeous photos and recipes on their blog daily. DAILY!! I often wonder if they have an endless supply of porcelain, wood tables of various stains and copious linens. You know who I’m talking about. They infuse things with Earl Grey and lavender. I imagine them all to be incredibly meticulous and chic. Super organized machines that churn out new and inventive recipes in their sleep. The craziest I got over the summer was accidentally growing lime basil and turning it into a cocktail. Which if you knew my affection for vodka this isn’t a stretch.

I’m currently obsessed with five-spice powder, cherries and apples. In pies, galettes, crumbs, scones or whatever. This is going to reach a crescendo as we near Thanksgiving. This borders more on my latent OCD that occasionally rears its’ ugly head than any culinary creativity.

What’s about to happen is my E! True Hollywood Story big reveal. So prepare yourself. In our OCD, obsessive-compulsive, type-A world, what I’m about to say could cause quite a controversy. Here goes: Truth be told, if I could inject a healthy amount of leisure into my day, I would. I’m still sort of dancing around the truth. OK, here goes again: If I could spend half the day lounging (read: laying in bed) I would. If somehow my first to-do list magically disappeared, I would still find myself far too busy to deal with the latter list. Ideally, I would tick off one item on the “want-to-do” list daily. That’s it. Ahh, idle and sloth colliding. Throw in some gluttony for good measure and my life would be complete. Ideal. I’d be peaking. It’d be amazing.

All of this is probably why I’m a pretty big fan of the scone. With minimal time and effort, you have a breakfast treat out of the oven. I get to bake: tick. I get to eat sweets: tick. I get to spend more time laying around: double tick. There is nothing better than when the timer goes off, the house is all warm and yummy smelling and you’re still in your socks and pjs. At this point you grab a paper towel (so you don’t have to do more dishes) throw a scone (or two) in there and walk back to bed. I might suggest reruns of Will & Grace (still funny), a fresh issue of Vanity Fair to read cover-to-cover or, my personal favorite (and the lazy gift of all gifts), when a network decides to run a Groundhog Day marathon all Sunday (and you proceed to watch every showing). I get it. It’s funny. Then you just tuck into a day of said sloth and gluttony. You’re not brushing your teeth or getting out of your pajamas. And seriously, who are we kidding? Those scones are gone by sundown and you’re asleep, belly full, your brain numbed by Bill Murray’s Puxotony routine. Now that’s the kind of Sunday that prepares you for a Monday of “have-to-dos”. Your own little Groundhog Day. Eat…sleep…repeat.

Just be prepared when the next day someone says: “somebody’s got a case of the Mondays”. You have my permission to feign illness and make more scones.

{ apple cinnamon cherry scones }

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour (I love this flour…have it in your pantry at all times)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped apple (I used Granny Smith and I didn’t peel…you make the call)
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup cream (you can substitute with any milk…whatever you have in the fridge)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Mix flour through nutmeg. I use a fork here. You can grab a whisk to use but then your just dirtying up one more utensil…and you’ll need the fork for step four. Say that twenty times fast.
  2. Toss in the apples and cherries and fluff around with the fork until well distributed.
  3. Sprinkle the 2/3 cup of sugar and gently distribute.
  4. Mix the egg and 2/3 cup of cream together in a bowl and then drizzle over the flour and fruit mixture. Using your fork, fluff around a bit more until a dough is starting to form. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. If using the parchment, dust with some flour.
  5. Separate into two equal size lumps on top of the parchment/silpat and mold into two discs, about an inch and a half thick. Don’t overwork your dough. This should be your mantra when futzing with a flour-based dough.
  6. Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon together in a bowl.
  7. Using a pastry brush (or whatever you have on hand), brush the 1 tablespoon of milk on top of the two dough discs. Then sprinkle, with a heavy hand (which is usually my advice for all sugar- or alcohol-based concoctions), the sugar-cinnamon goodness on top.
  8. Pop the discs, uncovered, into the freezer. Set the timer for thirty. You can skip this step if you’re short on time or patience…the freezer just helps them get a little more lift off in the oven.
  9. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  10. When the timer goes off, pull the scones out of the freezer. Using a sharp knife (I love my bread knife for this), cut each disc into four, equal-size scones. Pull the scones out at least two inches…they need room to expand. You can gently loosen the bottoms with a knife if they’re sticking a bit. Some recipes tell you to keep the scones pretty close together while baking as it will help them rise up. However, if they’re too close, the scones will grow back together and be kinda mushy on the sides. It grosses me out and causes me to spend more time in the kitchen and less time horizontal in bed. Watching tv. Get your mind out of the gutter.
  11. Set the timer for 15 minutes…but it should take closer to 17 minutes to cook. Start watching them around the 15 minute mark, just to be sure. These are on the blonder side (which is why I love the cinnamon and cherries for giving them a more interesting complexion). Don’t go over on the time looking for a bronze tinge. They’ll dry out and you’ll never get there. It’s like me trying to get a tan. It. Will. Never. Happen.

Comments

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe

I love your comments, reviews and questions! If you love this recipe, please rate it when you leave a comment. Star ratings 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 help people discover my recipes. Your support means a lot, I look forward to chatting with you!

Rebecca xox

No Comments