Jump to recipe
Cheese and apples has been a pairing I’ve been familiar with for a long time. Growing up, we loved meals of odds and ends (we called it a Smörgåsbord). We would buy various kinds of crackers, cheeses and apples and try them in different combinations. My dad insisted on having his favorite Jarlsberg cheese along with slices of pink lady apples.
Cheddar and apples is a classic union of flavors, and I thought they’d be lovely together in scones. And so they are. The apples lend a tart sweetness, while the cheese puts these scones slightly on the savory side. My toddler adored them and wouldn’t stop asking for more. They satisfied my pregnancy craving for baked goods … until they were gone.
Let’s dive in and see how these are made.
Peel, core, and finely chop half of a Granny Smith apple.
Melt some butter in a skillet.
Add the apple and sauté until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Scatter some butter pieces over the dry ingredients.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture. Of course you can do all of this in a food processor if you prefer.
Add some shredded (extra) sharp cheddar cheese and give it a good stir.
Whisk together the wet ingredients: egg white, maple syrup, applesauce and buttermilk.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. I used a stiff spatula for this.
Now generously flour your work surface. Pat the dough out to a rectangle that’s about 11×7 inches.
Spread the cooled apple pieces on top, but don’t go right out to the edge on one side.
Roll the dough up crosswise. As you can see, I didn’t flour my surface enough, so the dough stuck a bit.
Slice the log into triangles or squares—whatever you prefer! Triangles feel fancy to me.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the scones with extra cheese.
Bake at 425ºF for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.
These scones are ever so moist and tender. I know this sounds sacrilegious, but they don’t really need butter. They’re great with a glass of cold milk. I think they would be a wonderful accompaniment to butternut squash or chicken noodle soup.
