Caramel Apple Scones

What do we all need after Halloween and before Thanksgiving? Caramel apple scone! A sweet treat for breakfast, yes, we do need this. Why leave all all the caramel apples behind us? Why wait for another treat until Turkey Day? I think we should all eat good foods that treat us every day!

I actually made these a little over a week ago. Two of the girls were coming home on election day, so I wanted to have some home-baked treats to reward them for making that extra effort to come home to vote. They love apples and they love caramel, so caramel apple scones seemed perfect. And they were!

Caramel Apple Scones

adapted from Recipe Girl

Apples:

1 Tbsp butter

1 large Granny Smith apple

1 tsp cinnamon

Scone Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white sugar

2 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold salted butter, cut into chunks

1 cup Greek vanilla yogurt (creamy style, nonfat is fine)

Caramel Icing:

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp milk, lowfat is fine

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 – 3/4 cup powder sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Prepare the apples: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples, stir and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, until the apples are softened. Stir in the cinnamon and remove the apples from the pan to a bowl to let them cool.

Prepare the scones: In the bowl of a mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and mix (using the paddle blade if you have one) until coarse crumbs form. Mix in the yogurt and apples on low speed until the dough comes together – it won’t really come together, it is too dry. That is ok, you will finish it with your hands.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, bringing the dough together with your hands, form into a flattened 14″ x 4″ log. Use sharp knife to cut it into 12 triangle-shaped scones.

Gently pull the triangles apart and place them on the baking sheet leaving about 1/2″ between the scones.

Bake the scones: Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they are cooked through and no longer doughy in the middle. Let cool for a few minutes, then place them on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet or paper (to catch the icing drippings).

Prepare the icing: In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and milk. Cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a mixing bowl and cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add up to 1/4 cup more powdered sugar to get your desired consistency.

Drizzle the icing over warm scones. Enjoy.

I mean really… enjoy!

Makes 12 scones

Tips: Store in a covered container. If you are making them ahead of time, wait to ice them until right before you eat them – if you can wait, I couldn’t.