Apple Cheddar Sage Scones

Updated 20th September 2023

These apple cheddar sage scones are irresistible. I always love a good sweet and savoury combo and apple and cheddar is bit of a classic combo - maybe not as well known and as accepted as peanut butter and jelly but it’s definitely one I love. These scones are a fun take on apple pie with Cheddar. Apparently that combo has been around since the 17th century. Sage goes wonderfully with apples and so the trio of flavours had to come together in these scones. These scones scream fall and are irresistibly crumbly, slightly savory from white Cheddar yet interspersed with tender, sweet apples. They smell heavenly when they are baking and are so good warm with a little bit of butter or a lot of butter, and always better with a piping hot coffee or tea. Enjoy!

A lot of recipes I looked at involved roasting or cooking the apples before adding them to the scone dough. This most definitely adds to the flavour intensity of the apples and if you wanted to do that you could. I thought I would share a simple and quick recipe that includes them just as they are - chopped but not roasted. You get a nice sweetness in every bite from the apples with a savoury salty bite from the cheddar. They are so good! They are delicious just as they are but if you wanted a more intense flavour in the apple - go ahead and peel, core, chop your apples into chunks and then roast them on a sheet pan until they are half baked. Allow them to cool and then chop into smaller pieces and add them to the batter as called for in the recipe. Lets talk more about each ingredient in this recipe below.

Apple-Cheddar Scones Recipe Ingredients (detailed measurements in recipe card below)

• APPLES: I like to use tart apples for this recipe but any variety of apple is fine for this recipe
• FLOUR: All-purpose flour is what I use for this recipe
• SUGAR: I use granulated sugar for these but brown sugar works too. All you need is a couple of tablespoons of sugar for a hint of sweetness
• SALT: Adds flavor. Just a pinch of salt is all you need
• BAKING POWDER: Adds lift.
• BUTTER: Besides flour, butter is the main ingredient in scones. It’s responsible for flakiness, flavor, crisp edges, and rise. I use unsalted butter - and it is critical to keep it chilled or frozen. Either Cubed or grated is fine for this recipe
• CREAM: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk. Thinner liquids change the flavor and appearance - and can create dry, bland, and flat scones. I use cream instead of eggs (for egg wash) for a light wash on the scones that gets brushed on to give them the most perfect finish. If you prefer to use and egg wash feel free to use a large egg whisked to brush over the scones with instead
• CHEESE: I always use a sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe for best flavor - whether it is white cheddar or yellow cheddar that is up to you.
• SAGE: I used Fresh sage for best flavor - with just the right amount of flavor that doesn’t over power but enhances the scones
  
  

For the most delicious tender but flaky scones you must keep a few things in mind apart from having very cold butter and cream. The best scones are the ones that are handled the least. That means try not to over process the dough in the food processor. I usually don’t process them non stop - I always pulse instead because there is less chance of over working the dough. I pulse just until I see some areas of the dough starting to come together. You don’t want a mass of dough forming around the blades - chances are if that happens it might be overworked. Messy and crumbly is a good thing! When it’s a shaggy dough it’s easier to add other ingredients to it before patting it into a disc too.

Once you have tossed your add in ingredients in with the dough you can gently knead the dough together (very messily as the dough is usually sticky) once or twice just enough to have a more uniform mass of dough. Again don’t over work it with your hands either. I also almost always pat my dough out into a disk gently as opposed to rolling it out. Patting the dough out gently with my hands yields a much more tender scone. I also love to chill my scones for a few minutes before baking them. This helps them avoid over-spreading, I usually recommend chilling the shaped scones for at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator before baking while you preheat the oven. In fact, you can even refrigerate overnight for a quick breakfast in the morning! Lets talk about the specific steps required to make these scones.

Apple Cheddar Scones Recipe Instructions (full details in recipe card below)

1. PROCESS in a food processor or whisk flour in a large mixing bowl together with sugar, salt and baking powder.
2. PULSE in the butter or use a pasty cutter to cut butter into the flour mixture
3. PULSE on low speed or stir in the cream until you have a shaggy dough
4. EMPTY dough into large bowl (or leave in the same bowl If not using food processor)
5. TOSS in the apple chunks, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped sage
6. EMPTY onto clean work surface lightly dusted wth flour and knead a few times to bring dough together
7. PAT dough and shape into flat round disk
8. SLICE into wedges
9. BRUSH with remaining cream in a small bowl with a brush, top with fresh sage and some shredded cheddar
10. CHILL scones while preheating the oven
11. BAKE scones
12. ENJOY warm - I recommend with a generous schmear of butter
    
    

Tips for the Perfect Scones

• Use Cream or Buttermilk: Avoid thinner milks which yield a flatter, less flavorful scone. Canned coconut milk works well as a wonderful non dairy option!
• Refrigerate Before Baking: Remember, cold dough is a successful dough. To avoid over-spreading, I recommend chilling the shaped scones for at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
• Use COLD butter! If you’re making these in a very warm climate, I suggest popping your butter in the freezer
• Do not overwork the dough: knead it a few times for it to come together but a shaggy messy dough is best for buttery layered flaky scones with a good rise - instead of dense dry over worked scones. And only add a little extra cream if you absolutely need to - you don’t want to be working with wet dough.
  
  

How to Freeze Scones

Scones are easy to freeze and make a great make ahead treat because of this. There are several ways to go about freezing scones. You can even shape this scone dough into wedges and refrigerate overnight before baking. Here are two ways I freeze my scones:

• Freeze Before Baking: Freeze scone dough wedges on a plate or baking sheet for 1 hour. Once relatively frozen, you can layer them in a freezer-friendly bag or airtight container. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time in the recipe below. Or thaw overnight, then bake as directed.
• Freeze After Baking: Freeze the baked and cooled scones. I usually freeze in a freezer-friendly bag or container. To thaw, leave out on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds or on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
  
  

How To Serve These Scones

These scones are super versatile because they are not overly sweet yet their hint of sweetness can be played up a bit. I love them warm with butter - savoring each bite on their own. But they can easily be served for breakfast or brunch with jam or jelly - a great sweet savory combo with coffee or tea. They are not too sweet or fruity to serve with a bowl of soup or chili either so go ahead and serve them that way as well. Whatever you decide to serve them with I’m sure you will enjoy!