Perfect for your spring or Easter brunch, these carrot cake scones take the best parts of the carrot cake and reimagine it in an easy-to-make scone! With a fluffy and soft center that crumbles gently, these scones packed with freshly shredded carrot and pecans and topped with a tart cream cheese glaze.
I love to turn classic desserts into scones. Everything can be made in scone form. Take these banana bread scones for example.
I always start with my classic buttermilk scone base recipe which is a recipe I have honed after many tireless nights to perfect for my farmer’s market sales. It will forever be my go-to recipe!
Ingredients
So, how do we make carrot cake scones? You will see many of the same ingredients that make carrot cake so irresistible.
- All-purpose flour. My classic base for scones
- Baking powder. This gives our scones the fantastic LIFT while baking for proud and tall scones.
- Brown sugar. Granulated sugar works as well, but I like the flavor combination along with the spices.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg. These warming spices pair with the carrot beautifully.
- Unsalted butter. Keep the butter cold for soft and flaky scones.
- Shredded carrot. Use freshly shredded carrot for a sweet and soft scone.
- Toasted pecans. You can substitute walnuts or your favorite nut (or remove completely) but pecans pair wonderfully with carrots.
- Egg. This is the main difference between a tender scone and a Southern flaky biscuit.
- Vanilla extract. For flavor!
- Buttermilk. I prefer buttermilk in my scones for the most tender flavor.
Making the Perfect Carrot Cake Scone
Scones are easy and frankly fun to make because you get to play around with dough, skip a mixer, and make the teeniest bit of a mess.
Scones, similar to a biscuit, rely on cold ingredients and are great for making in advance for your brunch table. So, what are some tips for success?
Cold ingredients are key. Use cold butter, buttermilk and eggs for this recipe. Which is different than 90% of baking recipes which calls for room temperature ingredients. Why? Because cold butter will create a steam in a hot oven and provide our flaky scones.
Why not freeze butter first?
I know plenty of people swear by using grated frozen butter for application with these scones. But it’s just not a technique for me. Frozen butter takes a long time to grate, and by the time you’re done, the butter has defrosted anyway.
Plus, rubbing in cold butter to the flour let’s you have a variety of butter sizes which creates wonderful pockets of flakes throughout.
When is this technique useful? Rubbing in the cold butter can be difficult if you have limited abilities in your hands. Using a food processor to grate your cold butter (and even you carrots!) is a great work around.
Use the right amount of buttermilk. There is a range of buttermilk noted in the recipe below. This is because exactly how much you need will depend on a variety of factors like your humidity and water levels in the carrots. Only add as much as needed for a “shaggy” dough. Which means an ever-so-slightly sticky dough without being wet and sloppy.
Bake from frozen. Making these ahead is actually better! Baking from frozen yields the tallest and flakiest scones (see above). This is why you should freeze the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking. But overnight, or longer, is better. This makes these the perfect make-ahead dish for your next brunch.
Baking with Carrots
I love baking with veggies. Like with these zucchini muffins, veggies are subtly sweet, flavorful and keeps the texture soft.
While carrots are available shredded, I would skip the pre-packaged option and grate the carrots at home. First, peel the carrot and remove the tops. Then use a standard cheese grater to shred the carrots.
Why go through the trouble of doing this at home? Because the pre-grated carrots are much more dried out and crunchy once they get home. Grating the carrots yourself will ensure the texture is soft and the carrots nearly melt into the dough.
If you want to keep baking with carrots, also try my spin on a carrot bundt cake with pops of orange, honey and cardamom.
Making Cream Cheese Glaze
Making the cream cheese glaze can be a little tricky to get a super smooth glaze.
- You need very soft cream cheese. And you need to whip it until very light and creamy before adding anything else. Use generic brands for the best outcome. Fancier brands are “creamier” which means “wetter”.
- Sift your confectioners’ sugar. This will ensure there are no little clumps because confectioners’ sugar is notoriously clumpy.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is best with freshly shredded whole carrots.
Yes, you can leave the pecans out if you prefer!
Absolutely! These scones are best when baked from frozen, so feel free to make a batch and freeze until you’re ready for a stress-free brunch.
Scones are best enjoyed the day of baking, so I recommend only making the dough in advance and baking when ready. If enjoying the second day, you can refresh unglazed scones in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
You can make a homemade version of buttermilk by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to whole milk. Let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to lightly sour.
Carrot Cake Scones
Ingredients
Hummingbird Scones
- 40 g chopped pecans
- 375 g all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 53 g brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 150 g unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 175 g shredded carrot
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ to 1 cup buttermilk cold
- egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water)
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 56 g cream cheese very soft
- 56 g confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Spread pecans in an even layer in skillet. Toast on medium-high until fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool.40 g chopped pecans
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.375 g all-purpose flour, 53 g brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt
- Using fingertips, rub in cold butter until texture is sandy and has some larger grape-sized pieces throughout.150 g unsalted butter
- Stir in carrots and pecans.175 g shredded carrot
- Using Danish whisk or rubber spatula, stir in beaten egg, vanilla extract and 3/4 cup of buttermilk. Add additional 1/4 cup of buttermilk only if needed to create a slightly sticky, but not wet, dough.1 large egg, 3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press dough into a ball and divide in two. Shape each half into a 1” thick disc (about 7” wide) and slice into 6 wedges.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425℉ (220℃). Brush the top of the scones with egg wash and bake for 20-22 minutes. Turn pan once during baking for even golden brown.egg wash
- Cream cheese glaze. While scones are baking, prepare glaze. Whip cream cheese until very light and soft with hand-mixer. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar until well mixed.56 g cream cheese, 56 g confectioners' sugar
- Add whole milk to thickness preference, vanilla extract and pinch of salt.1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch salt
- When scones have cooled slightly, drizzle glaze over top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Scones are best served the day before. Unglazed scones can be refreshed the next day in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Unbaked scones can be frozen on sheet pan before transferring to freezer-safe container. Store for up to 3 months.
Disclaimer: We test all recipes using the metric weights shown, we cannot guarantee outcomes when switching to US measurements.