These carrot cake scones are loaded with all of the good stuff – plenty of shredded carrots, coconut, pecans, raisins and some candied ginger for a fiery kick. They're not too sweet, so they're perfect for breakfast (much more satisfying than a muffin, in my opinion!).
Finished with a crunchy sugar coating (a must for texture) and an easy, but optional cream cheese glaze, these scones will definitely satisfy your carrot cake craving!
If I'm being honest with myself, I'm not usually a savory breakfast person, unless someone makes me a homemade Egg McMuffin. I pretty much always wake up craving something sweet, and these carrot cake scones really hit the spot, especially with a good cup of black coffee.
This recipe is fairly low in sugar compared to other breakfast baked goods, so it doesn't leave you with a huge sugar rush. These scones are hearty and packed with all of the add-ins that make carrot cake so delicious!
If you're not convinced that scones are a breakfast food, Carrot Cake Overnight Oats might be the recipe for you, instead.
PRO TIP: Don't forget to freeze your butter! Cold butter = flaky, tender scones. Plus, it's much easier to grate from frozen.
Step-by-step instructions
The key to a really good scone is to do LESS. By that, I mean you really want to avoid overworking the dough, which can lead to tough, dense scone (versus a deliciously flaky, light scone!).
It's also important to use cold ingredients (butter and milk) and to chill the dough before baking. Keep that in mind and follow the steps below, and you'll have perfect carrot cake scones every time!
PRO TIP: Once you cut the scones, place them in the freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or overnight, if preferred). This will make sure the butter stays chilled and doesn't melt to quickly in the oven for flaky, tender scones.
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: Ideally, for the lightest possible scones, you would use pastry flour instead of all purpose flour. Pastry flour has a lower protein content and is best used when you want a soft, tender baked good, like these Cheddar and Chive Make-Ahead Biscuits.
That said, pastry flour isn't particularly easy to find, so a quick fix is to use equal parts all purpose flour and cake flour instead. (Just make sure that your cake flour doesn't contain a rising agent. Most brands in the US do not.)
Make Ahead/Storage Tips
Make ahead: You can prep the carrot cake scones the night before baking, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake them straight from the fridge.
Or, for longer storage, you can freeze the scones before baking, then transfer to a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Bake the scones straight from the freezer – they just may need an extra minute or two in the oven.
Storage: Once baked and cooled, store the scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you don't add the cream cheese glaze, you can keep them stored at room temperature for 3-4 days.
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Easy Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These carrot cake scones are loaded with all of the good stuff – plenty of shredded carrots, coconut, pecans, raisins and some candied ginger for a fiery kick. Finished with a tangy cream cheese glaze, these scones are not too sweet and they're perfect for breakfast.
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Scones:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed* (see note below)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup grated carrots
- ½ cup raisins (golden or regular)
- ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
- ½ cup chopped nuts (we used pecans)
- 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional)
- ½ cup heavy cream + more for brushing the scones
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, frozen
- Optional: 2 tablespoons coarse (turbinado) sugar for topping
Cream Cheese Glaze (optional):
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened to room temp
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C.
In a large bowl. whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
Add in the grated carrots, raisins, coconut, nuts, and ginger, tossing to coat in the flour mixture.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla.
Using a box grater, grate the frozen butter into the bowl with the flour mixture. Gently work the ingredients together with a spatula or your hands so butter is evenly distributed, but don't over-mix.
Add in the heavy cream mixture and gently mix just until a shaggy dough forms. Avoid over-mixing – you should still be able to see the butter pieces throughout the dough.
Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, shape the dough into a roughly 10-inch disk. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 triangle wedges.
Transfer the scones to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place the scones in the freezer for 15 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
Before baking, brush the tops with more heavy cream, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until light golden brown on top.
To make the cream cheese glaze, whisk or beat all ingredients together until you have a smooth, pourable consistency. Let the scones cool before drizzling the glaze on top.
Notes
*If you prefer a sweeter scone, you may want to increase the brown sugar to ⅓ or ½ cup.
Storage: Once baked and cooled, store the scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you don't add the cream cheese glaze, you can keep them stored at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Note: nutritional information below does not include the optional cream cheese glaze.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 421
- Sugar: 19.6 g
- Sodium: 121.7 mg
- Fat: 22.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.3 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 6 g
Angelica Gray says
Can I use gluten-free flour to make these gluten-free?
Lexi Harrison says
Yes!
Hannah says
Absolutely delicious and very light! I made them without the icing and they were just sweet enough for my liking.
Lauren says
Would you recommend adding a bit of lemon zest or juice to the glaze?
Lexi says
Sure, you definitely could!
Sabine says
Omg. These scones were such a treat, we made a second batch straight away for next weekend!
Lexi says
Thank you so much, so glad to hear that!
Gyatree Tiwari-maharaj says
Can I replace the egg?
Linda Murphy says
Would almond flour work?
Mary says
Can you use gluten free flour in these?
Lexi says
That should work fine!