Vegan Apple Jack Scones
Apple Jacks cereal used to be part of the daily rotation at home together with boxes of Froot Loops (my mom’s favorite) and Rice Krispies (my favorite). Now, we buy them less often. Most likely since our tastes and definitely sugar preference has changed. But every now and then, one of us gets a craving and we’ll head to the nearest grocery searching for the cereal of the moment. Sadly, these brands are a bit hard to find since not all local groceries carry imported cereals.
Obviously, as if I jinxed myself, I couldn’t find Apple Jacks anywhere when I needed them. I decided to curb my craving in the only way I knew how which is to make them myself. For those who aren’t familiar with Apple Jacks, they’re crunchy green and orange cereal o’s that taste like apple and cinnamon. Also, when you pour milk over it, the milk gets this subtle hint of apple cinnamon which is so good. (Cereal milk will always be nostalgic)
Back to these vegan Apple Jack Scones. They’re buttery soft, tender and have that quintessential apple cinnamon flavor that we love so much. It did take a few trials to get these right so make sure to read through all the tips before baking so your scones come out perfect. Scones are always a hit or miss for me but mostly a miss. Often, they’re dry and taste like nothing. Very sad. These are the total opposite. I made sure to pack in lots of flavor while still making it the perfect vehicle for a myriad of toppings.
My favorite way to eat these scones is with a dollop of cream, an extra slather of apple jam and a cup of tea on the side. It’s even better if you happen to have clotted cream which is the traditional pairing with scones. Apparently there’s also a right way to eat them as they are a common pastry for afternoon tea.
How to Make Your Favorite Scones
I say your favorite because recipes at the end of the day should later become your own. Although, I don’t recommend changing the main ingredients (flour, fat or leavenings) or you risk altering the end results and not in a good way. But, changing up the flavors, fruits and mix ins are great ways to discover your favorite combination. Feel free to use this as a master scone recipe for other kinds of scones.
Lemon & Blueberry: Follow the recipe below but replace the cinnamon with the zest of 1 lemon and change all the apples to fresh blueberries.
Chocolate Chip: Follow the recipe below and omit the cinnamon. Replace the apples for 250g (1⅓ cup) chocolate chips or chunks. Feel free to add more chocolate as you wish.
Raspberry Chocolate: Follow the recipe below, leaving out the ground cinnamon. Replace the apples with 135g (1 cup) raspberries and 215g (1 ¼ cup) chocolate chips/chunks. Keep in mind that raspberries tend to burst when baked so go easy on adding more.
Mixed Herb: Follow the recipe below, reduce the sugar to 25g (⅛ cup) and omit the cinnamon and vanilla. Add 4 minced cloves of garlic, 1 tsp of ground black pepper and ¾ cup chopped fresh herbs. Basil, rosemary and oregano are favorites. Another optional but yummy add on is to mix in 85g (¾ cup) of shredded cheese into the dough.
Just A Few More Tips
- Use a weighing scale. I can’t stress this enough. For example, 125g of flour will always be 125g but a cup of flour can range anywhere from 115g t0 155g! That’s a huge difference. If you plan on baking more often or you haven’t had success with baking before, I suggest you invest in a weighing scale and see how it goes.
- I like using a variety of different apples when I bake, usually whatever is in season. I would recommend using Granny Smiths, Honey Crisp or Pink Lady. I also left the skin on because I wanted to see pops of color (plus a lot of nutrition is in the skin). However, if you don’t like the extra texture, feel free to peel the apples before chopping.
- Make sure to not overmix your dough. Just like making pie crust, you should be able to see pea-sized chunks of butter embellished throughout the dough. If you’re unsure about the size, err on the side of larger butter chunks. These chunks of butter is what makes the scones tender and flaky.
- Chill your scones before baking. This gives the chance for the butter to firm up, yields a flakier texture and prevents the scones from spreading too much in the oven.
Let me know if you tried making these Vegan Apple Jack Scones by leaving a rating/comment down below! Can’t wait to hear all about it!
Vegan Apple Jack Scones
Ingredients
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar ,plus extra for sprinkling
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 460 g (3⅔ cup) self-raising flour ,sifted
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 100 g (7¼ tbsp) vegan butter ,chilled, cubed
- 350 g (2⅓ cup) 2 large apples* ,skin on, cubed to 0.5-1cm thick
- 50 mL (3⅓ tbsp) coconut cream
- 145 mL (½ cup + 2 tbsp) soy milk ,or oat
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze (optional)
- 150 g confectionary sugar ,sifted
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Scones
- Preheat your oven to 392°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg to infuse the spices into the sugar. Add in the flour and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
- Throw in the chilled butter and use your hands or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Aim to see chunks of butter (the size of green peas) and avoid overmixing. When in doubt, stick to bigger chunks of butter. Add in the apples and toss lightly.
- Grab a large measuring cup, mix the cream, milk, vinegar and vanilla together. Pouring the all the liquid ingredients in the flour mixture. Use your hands to gently incorporate all the ingredients until a crumbly dough is formed.
- Transfer the dough to a clean surface lightly dusted with flour and form into a disc. Flatten to about 1-inch thick and dust the surface with a little flour. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out the scones then transfer to the prepared pan. Brush the scones with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until scones are golden brown. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Glaze (optional)
- Meanwhile, if making the glaze, whisk together the confectionary sugar with vanilla until it turns to a thick yet runny glaze. If the glaze is too thick add a splash of milk. Alternatively, add more confectionary sugar if the glaze is too runny.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm scones and serve immediately with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
