Delicious Fresh Apple Cinnamon Scones with chopped apple and cinnamon chips, with crunchy cinnamon sugar baked onto the top! Try with butterscotch/caramel chips too!
Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter, working it until the butter resembles small pebbles. Add chopped apple and cinnamon chips, and toss to combine.
Separately, combine eggs, vanilla, and applesauce. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. If not all of the dry ingredients are moistened, that’s okay. Use your hands to gently turn the damp dough, pressing the remaining flour mixture into it. Knead until the dough just comes together.
Divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a 5-6 inch circle onto a lightly floured surface. (Or, pat all dough into a rectangle, and cut into 12 squares.) Brush each circle with a little milk or water. Combine sparkling sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of the dough.
Cut each circle into 6 wedges and place them separately on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Put pan with scones in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.
Preheat oven to 425F. Bake scones for 18-22 minutes (mine were done at 16-17 in a hot oven). A toothpick will come out clean, and the tops will be nicely browned. Serve warm.
You can use apple butter instead of apple sauce in this recipe if desired.
I only found cinnamon chips at Target in the Halloween aisle. If you can't find them, use butterscotch chips or caramel chips instead.
This recipe is great for making ahead! Freeze the scones after shaping and cutting them. Bake from frozen for an extra 2-3 minutes.
adapted from King Arthur Flour