These buttery and flavorful Carrot Cake Scones with cream cheese icing are loaded with shredded carrots and yummy spices to make them taste just like carrot cake!
As you may be able to tell from my collection of homemade scone recipes, I'm a big fan of tasty and fun scone recipes! From classic Currant Tea Scones to literal tea-flavored Earl Grey Scones, fruity Blueberry Brown Butter Scones, or even savory Jalapeño Cheddar Scones; I've got a scone recipe for almost every occasion and season!
This Carrot Cake Scone recipe was, of course, developed for a yummy Easter brunch or tea recipe! Serve these yummy scones alongside my Carrot Spice Bread or Simple Carrot Muffins at brunch. For good measure, be sure to finish Easter dinner with some Carrot Cupcakes with brown butter cream cheese frosting. After all, carrots are good for you!
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⭐️ Why You Need to Make This Recipe
- Flavor - Classic carrot cake spices of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg come together alongside the shredded carrots and brown sugar for a tasty scone that is very reminiscent of carrot cake!
- Texture - Plenty of finely shredded carrots give these scones a tender and buttery texture.
- Method - Scones might seem a little intimidating if you have never made them, but I promise they are super easy and very quick to make!
🧈 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make these carrot cake scones with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredient Notes
- Spices - A flavorful mixture of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg gives these scones plenty of cozy carrot cake flavor!
- Butter - Scones require a lot of butter to achieve their rich and yummy flavor and texture!
- Carrots - This recipe requires carrots that have been shredded with the smaller grater attachment to help them incorporate into the dough better and ensure the shreds of carrot cook through entirely in the oven.
- Cream Cheese - Make sure the cream cheese softens to room temperature before making the icing to help whisk it into a smooth icing.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with measurements.
📃 Instructions
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the cold cubes of butter.
Step 2: Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the pieces of butter are the size of peas using a pastry cutter.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the whipping cream, egg, vanilla, and shredded carrots.
Step 4: Add the flour/butter mixture and mix just until a loose dough begins to come together.
Step 5: Gently knead and press the dough until it comes together. Separate the dough into 3 equal pieces and form each into a round 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.
Step 6: Slice each round into quarters and arrange on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake the scones in a preheated oven for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown and risen. Let cool slightly while you whisk together the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough cream to make a spreadable icing. Top the slightly cooled scones with the icing.
💡 Top Tip
If you don't like cream cheese frosting or don't have cream cheese on hand to make it, you could top these scones with butter icing instead. Reference the icing recipe within my Mini Chocolate Chip Scones recipe for the instructions.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, simply replace the salted butter called for in this recipe with unsalted butter and add about ⅓ teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients.
While I have not tested this recipe with gluten free flour, I think you could try it out with a good cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
Scones are best served fresh out of the oven but you may store any leftover scones covered at room temperature. If they are topped with cream cheese icing, store in the refrigerator.
🌸 More Easter Recipes
Looking for other great recipes to make this Easter? Try these:
If you tried these Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and write a little note telling me how it went in the comments below. Thank you!!
📖 Recipe
Carrot Cake Scones
Equipment
- large baking sheet
- parchment paper
- measuring cups & spoons
- mixing bowls
- pastry cutter
- grater
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup cold salted butter * (cubed)
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup finely shredded carrots
For the Icing:
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (softened)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Add the cubes of cold butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter in until the pieces are the size of peas.¾ cup cold salted butter
- In a small bowl, whisk together the whipping cream, egg, vanilla, and shredded carrots. Add to the flour/butter mixture and mix until a loose dough begins to form.¼ cup whipping cream, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ cup finely shredded carrots
- Gently knead and fold the mixture until the dough comes together. Separate the dough into 3 equal pieces. Form each piece into a round around 3-4 inches in diameter and 1 ½ inches thick. Cut each round into quarters. Arrange all 12 scones on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown. While the scones are cooling slightly, make the icing by briskly whisking together the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough cream to make a spreadable icing. Spread over the slightly cooled scones. Enjoy!2 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream
Notes
- You may replace the salted butter called for in this recipe with unsalted butter and add about ⅓ teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients.
Rosie
Absolutely delicious!!!