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Enjoy the warm flavors of apple pie in a soft, flaky scone. This recipe gives you a protein boost, making it a great breakfast or afternoon coffee treat.
In our house, weekend mornings are known for “special treat Sundays.”
Each Sunday, we pick a new sweet treat recipe to have for our breakfast. It’s a great time I get to share with my loved ones.
One day, we couldn’t decide: apple pie or scones. I said, “Why not both?”
That is how these apple pie cottage cheese scones came to life.
These scones are flaky, soft, and filled with the comforting spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, plus sweet, grated apple.
But, there is a special twist on these scones. Cottage cheese, which makes them much higher in protein.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItIn fact, each scone contains 8g of protein.
Ingredients and Substitutes
All-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups) – Swap with whole wheat flour or a gluten-free option.
Baking powder (2 tsp)
Cinnamon (1 tsp) – You can also use pumpkin spice for a more festive flavor.
Cardamom (¼ tsp) – Use an equal amount of ground ginger if you don’t have cardamom.
Nutmeg (¼ tsp) – Replace with allspice or add a bit more cinnamon.
Salt (1/4 tsp)
Maple syrup (¼ cup) – Substitute with honey, agave syrup, or a mixture of brown sugar and water.
Cottage cheese, blended (1 cup) – Use ricotta cheese or plain Greek yogurt.
Pure vanilla extract (1 tsp) – You can also use vanilla bean paste or almond extract.
Apples, grated (½ cup) – This is the star ingredient of the dish, but if you want to try other options, you can use grated pear or zucchini.
Butter, cold (1/2 cup) – Swap with coconut oil or vegan butter.
EGG WASH
Egg (1)
GLAZING
Milk (2 tbsp) – Swap for any plant-based milk of your choice.
Powdered sugar (6 tbsp) – You can also use confectioners’ sugar or a sugar-free option like erythritol.
How to Make Apple Pie Cottage Cheese Scones
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 425°F and prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Grab a large bowl and add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt.
Step 2. Give the dry ingredients a good stir.
Step 3. Grab a medium bowl and add the maple syrup, cottage cheese, pure vanilla extract, and grated apples.
Step 4. Give the wet ingredients a good stir.
Step 5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones.
Step 6. Mix them until a thick batter forms.
Step 7. Grate the cold butter and add it to the dough.
Step 8. Start kneading the dough until all the butter is combined. Then, roll the dough into a ball and then place it on a floured surface.
Step 9. Take out your rolling pin and roll out the dough until it forms a circle that is 8 inches wide.
Step 10. Cut the dough into 8 triangles.
Step 11. Transfer the triangles to the baking sheet. Make sure you give them plenty of room since they expand.
Step 12. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Brush the egg wash over the scones.
Step 13. Place the scones in the oven and bake them for 18-20 minutes. While they are baking, mix together the glaze ingredients.
When they are ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool down. Once they are cool enough, drizzle them with the glaze.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItHow I Would Modify This Recipe
- Add Nuts: To add some crunch, mix ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the dough.
- Include Dried Fruit: Add ¼ cup of raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots.
- Make it Zesty: Add 1 teaspoon of fresh orange or lemon zest to the wet ingredients.
Make it Gluten-Free
If you want to make these scones gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free option. Make sure it comes with a binder such as psyllium husk or xanthan gum.
Also, ensure that the blend is designed for baking to maintain the right texture.
While the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free, ensure they are certified gluten-free to avoid any potential cross-contamination.
My Tips & Tricks
- Keep Your Butter Cold: The key to creating flaky scones is cold butter. Grating the butter when it’s frozen creates steam pockets while baking, resulting in a light, airy texture.
- Blend the Cottage Cheese: To have the best texture, blend the cottage cheese until it’s completely smooth. This prevents any lumps and results in a soft scone.
- Grate Your Apples: Make sure you are using grated apples instead of chopped pieces. They are going to help distribute the moisture and have a more even flavor.
My Storage Tips
Store any leftover scones in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you glaze them, make sure you keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days.
If you want to keep them for longer, place them in a freezer-safe container (unglazed) and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Healthy Scone Recipes
Apple Pie Cottage Cheese Scones
Cals: 313 Protein: 8 Carbs: 39 Fat: 14
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup cottage cheese blended
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup apples grated
- 1/2 cup butter cold
Egg wash
- 1 egg
Glazing
- 2 tbsp milk
- 6 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, mix together maple syrup, cottage cheese, pure vanilla extract, and grated apples.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ones and mix until a thick dough forms. It will be dry and crumbly.
- Now, grate the cold butter into the dough and knead it, spreading the butter throughout the dough. Form a ball.
- Flour the counter in the kitchen, and place the ball on the counter. Roll with a rolling pin until the dough forms a circle 8 inches wide.
- Cut the dough into 8 triangles using a knife.
- Place the triangles onto the sheet, spacing them out.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Brush the egg all over the scones and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
- While the scones are baking, mix together the glazing: milk with powdered sugar.
- Once the scones are ready, remove them from the oven, let them cool down and drizzle with glazing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing taste even without the glaze (diabetic here). Great protein source. At 475 degrees I found the butter quickly melted and puddled under the scone. 18 min was too much, 15 at a lower temp will be better. Definitely will make these over & over again!
Hello Elaine, the temperature was supposed to be 425F. I double checked and it’s all correct, so must have been a little misunderstanding on your end! The numbers can look funny sometimes but it’s definitely 425!