Carrot Cake Scones
This carrot cake scones recipe makes soft, buttery, flavorful scones filled with shredded carrots and cinnamon. The scones are topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. They are the perfect, easy Easter and spring dessert or breakfast!
Servings: 8 scones
Calories: 474kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Scones
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour plus more for work surface
- ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold
- ¾ cup shredded carrots about 2-3 medium carrots
- ⅓ cup walnuts toasted then chopped, plus more for topping (optional)
- ¼ cup raisins optional
- ⅔ cup heavy cream cold, divided
- 1 large egg yolk cold
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 ounces cream cheese full fat, brick style, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-1½ teaspoons heavy cream or whole milk
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon heavy cream
Instructions
Carrot Cake Scones
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes. Next, chop the cold butter in half lengthwise. Turn it on its side and cut lengthwise again. Slice the butter into thin slices. Place butter in the fridge to stay cold until you're ready to use it in the recipe.
- If using nuts, I recommend toasting them for best flavor. Toast them in a dry medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Stir as you toast them until they are fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the from pan and set aside. Once cooled, chop the nuts.
- Shred carrots using the small holes on a box grater or food processor. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, stir to combine the egg yolk, vanilla, and ⅓ cup of the heavy cream. Place bowl in the fridge for a few minutes while you continue with the next step in the recipe. (Reserve the rest of the heavy cream to add to the recipe as needed and for brushing on scones before baking).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to cimbine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Add the butter to the flour mixture. Toss the butter a few times to coat it with the dry ingredients.
- Work the butter into the dry ingredients using 2 forks, a pastry cutter or your fingers until the butter is about the size of peas or a little smaller than that. Use a spatula to stir in the grated carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts til just combined. Make a well in the middle of the bowl. Pour the prepared mixture of 1/3 cup of heavy cream, egg yolk and vanilla into the well.
- Use a fork to slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients. If you see some dry spots, add more heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time, as needed. Avoid adding too much heavy cream (you don't want the dough to become sticky). Stir mixture with a fork in the bowl until it's too hard to keep mixing with a fork.
- Turn dough out onto your lightly floured work space. Dough will be shaggy. Lightly fold the dough over itself then rotate it. Do this again 1-2 more times while shaping it into a ball. Do not ovework the dough more than necessary (overworking the dough will make the scones tough). Dough shouldn't be too dry. It should be moist but not wet or sticky.
- Use your hands to pat the dough into a circle between 6 and 8 inches. Use a long sharp knife or bench scraper to slice the dough into 8 triangles. Place scones on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Brush tops and sides with heavy cream.
- Place scones evenly about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 18-22 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top.
- Allow scones to cool before topping with cream cheese frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until completely combined, creamy and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Turn mixer off and add the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Beat on low until powdered sugar is no longer visible. Turn mixer to medium high and beat for one minute.
Video
Notes
Cold ingredients: Be sure to use cold cream and butter. It helps to gather all your materials, chill then slice the butter, toast nuts (optional), measure out and refrigerate the cream before starting the recipe. This will reduce the amount of time the scones dough sits at room temperature.
Carrots: Use freshly grated carrots. Grate carrots using the small holes on a box grater or food processor.
Spices: Substitute extra cinnamon for the ginger and nutmeg. Spices such as ground cardamom and cloves can be swapped in if you prefer.
Nuts: Nuts are optional. In place of walnuts, I recommend pecans or pistachios.
Toasting nuts: Nuts have the best texture and flavor when they are toasted. Toast them in a dry medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Stir as you toast them until they are fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the from pan and set aside. Once cooled, chop the nuts.
Mixing dough together: If dry there are some dry spots, add a bit more heavy cream and if it's too sticky (sticking to your hands a lot), add a little more flour.
Storage:Carrot scones are best the day they are made, but unfrosted scones can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Store frosted scones in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze unfrosted scones for up to 2 months. Top with frosting once thawed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1scone | Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 2866IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 2mg
