Apple Cinnamon Scones

My Unexpected Baking Adventure: Apple Cinnamon Scones

As a busy professional, my life often revolves around spreadsheets and deadlines, not flour and baking powder. My kitchen tends to be more of a “grab-and-go” zone than a place for elaborate culinary creations. But recently, a strange craving hit me – a yearning for something warm, comforting, and subtly sweet. I found myself unexpectedly drawn to baking, a pursuit I had always considered far too time-consuming for my already packed schedule.

The idea of apple cinnamon scones seemed particularly appealing. I imagined the warm, spiced aroma filling my small apartment, a delightful contrast to the usual scent of coffee and printer ink. The thought of enjoying a freshly baked treat during my lunch break felt like a much-needed dose of self-care in the midst of a demanding workday. The recipe I found online seemed straightforward enough, promising a quick and relatively simple baking experience, which suited my limited free time perfectly.

The Ingredients: A Blend of the Familiar and the Unexpected

Gathering the ingredients proved to be a mini-adventure in itself. I had most of the basics on hand, but the recipe called for oat flour, which I didn’t have. A quick trip to the grocery store later, and I had a bag of oats that I blitzed into flour using my handy food processor (another surprisingly useful tool in my minimalist kitchen). I also opted for stevia instead of sugar, a small change that made me feel a bit healthier about my indulgent baking endeavor. The vanilla whey protein was a little more unusual, and I was curious to see how it would impact both the texture and the flavour.

The Baking Process: A Surprisingly Relaxing Experience

The actual baking process was surprisingly therapeutic. The rhythmic mixing of dry ingredients, the careful cutting in of the cold butter (I used vegan butter, by the way, as I’m trying to reduce my dairy intake), the gentle folding in of the wet ingredients – it was strangely calming. The kitchen, usually a stage for hurried breakfast preparations and quick dinners, was transformed into a haven of quiet focus. I even found myself humming along to my favourite playlist as I worked, a rare moment of peaceful multitasking.

The Result: A Delicious Reward

The scones, once baked, were simply delightful. The warm, cinnamon-spiced aroma filled my apartment, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Their texture was slightly crumbly and moist, thanks to the unexpected addition of applesauce and almond milk. The subtle sweetness of the stevia and the slight nutty notes from the oat flour gave them a unique, wholesome flavor that perfectly complemented the tartness of the apples. Despite my initial reservations about using whey protein, it didn’t negatively affect the taste, and it even provided a subtle creaminess that worked surprisingly well.

More Than Just a Snack: A Moment of Mindfulness

Baking these apple cinnamon scones was more than just a quick way to satisfy a craving; it was a reminder to slow down, embrace the simple pleasures, and discover unexpected joys in the everyday. The process was surprisingly relaxing, and the result was a delicious and rewarding treat. I will definitely be adding more baking adventures to my already busy schedule. It's a wonderful way to de-stress, and having a warm, delicious scone to enjoy is definitely a positive bonus to an already busy week. Who knows? Maybe I'll even experiment with some other flavours in the future!

This recipe is adaptable too, and you can play with the spices to suit your taste, add dried cranberries or other fruits to the mix, or even try different types of milk or protein powder depending on what is available in your kitchen. It’s a blank canvas waiting for your personal touch and creativity to make your kitchen sing!

Step-by-step

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients up to cinnamon.
• Add cold margarine or butter and using a pastry blender or a fork, cut the fat into the dry ingredients to make small crumbly pieces.
• In a separate bowl, add all the wet ingredients.
• Pour the wet into the dry mixture slowly and mix gently with a fork until it comes together (careful to not overmix).
• Lastly, add in the sliced apples lightly until combined.
• Depending on your climate, you may not need all the liquid, 1 Tbsp or 2 Tbsp might remain. The dough will be wet.
• Cover your counter with additional oat flour. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it out a bit. If the dough is very sticky still, keep kneading in a bit of oat flour until it comes together into a ball.
• Flatten out the ball into a rectangle, and using a sharp knife, cut it into 8 triangles, similar to cutting a pizza (first cut a big cross, then each quarter in half).
• Place each triangle on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle each scone with a bit of cinnamon and palm sugar.
• Place in oven and bake at 375 degrees F for 12-14 minutes. They will remain light in color, but will be firm.
• NOTE: These definitely taste best warm. So the next day, lightly microwave each scone for 15-20 seconds. Cutting in half and toasting them in a toaster would also work.