These tender Carrot Cake Scones are packed with carrots and toasted pecans, melt-in-your-mouth tender and wonderfully warmly spiced – just like your favorite carrot cake!

Carrot Cake Scones on a piece of parchment with carrots in the background.

But the best part? These carrot scones are slathered with a decadent cream cheese frosting that completes the carrot cake scene.

Carrot Cake Scones are perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, brunch, or teatime – basically anytime you want a special bite to enjoy along with coffee. They’re a unique and absolutely delicious spin on scones – what’s not to love?

Inside of a Carrot Cake Scones on a stack of stoneware plates

Table of Contents

The Story Behind the Recipe

I recently took a Biscuits & Scones class at King Arthur Baking Company and I loved it so much! I was thrilled to learn that King Arthur has a Baking School location near me in Skagit Valley, WA – and I loved taking a class there (can’t wait to take more).

One of the scone-making methods we learned was how to make cream scones. Essentially, cream scones make the use of heavy whipping cream instead of butter as the fat source. You still get wonderfully tender scones, but it’s way less work – no cutting in butter! I fell in love with this method and cream scones after taking the class.

I wanted to use this new-to-me method of making scones, and with Easter coming up, carrots seemed like a natural way to go. I’ve made carrot cake cookies, carrot cake oatmeal, and carrot muffins … why not make carrot scones?!

Several Carrot Cake Scones with cream cheese frosting on a piece of parchment paper with pecans scattered around.

Why You’ll Love Carrot Cake Scones

  • SO tasty – Moist and tender carrot cake goodness, but in scone form.
  • No cutting in butter: These Carrot Cake Scones Utilize the cream scone method – easy!
  • Perfect for special occasions: I love these carrot cake scones for Easter morning and Mother’s Day, though honestly, they’re great for brunch or breakfast just about any time.
Ingredients for Adding the cream to the bowl for Carrot Cake Scones

Ingredients

For the scones:

  • Pecans – You’ll want chopped pecans, and I find they taste best when toasted first. It’s worth the extra 5 minutes!
  • Flour – Regular all-purpose flour
  • Baking powder – Lifts and puffs these scones so they’re soft and tender.
  • Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt in my baking, but kosher salt would work too.
  • Brown sugar – I like the richness of dark brown sugar in these carrot cake scones. Light brown sugar is perfectly fine too.
  • Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves – These warming spices are carrot cake’s best friend.
  • Carrots – Fresh carrots, finely shredded (use the small holes on your grater).
  • Heavy whipping cream – Adds all the fat these scones need, no butter needed.
  • Pure vanilla extract – For an added touch of warm, sweet flavor.

For the frosting:

  • Cream cheese – Tangy and creamy, the perfect accompaniment to carrot cake. I use full-fat cream cheese but a lower fat version would work find, too.
  • Pure vanilla extract – For more vanilla flavor!
  • Butter – Just a touch to add to the creaminess and decadence of the frosting.
  • Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar.

Adaptation/Variation

  • Mini Carrot Cake Scones: Divide the dough into three small discs, then cut them into wedges. Bake for less time than the classic large scones, around 12-15 minutes.

How to Make Carrot Cake Scones

  1. First, you’ll toast the pecans in a skillet for just a few minutes until golden and toasty. Set them aside and let them cool.
  2. Grab a large bowl and mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and spices.
  3. Stir in the shredded carrots and pecans.
  4. Drizzle in 1 1/4 cups of the whipping cream, then use a large spatula or bowl scraper to lift and press the dough together until it forms a shaggy mass without any flour left in the bottom of the bowl.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold it onto itself a couple more times.
  6. Form the dough into a round disc about 2 inches tall and 6 inches around.
  7. Cut the dough into 8 wedges and transfer the wedges onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  8. Brush each scone lightly with more heavy whipping cream.
  9. Bake until puffed and lightly browned on the sides and bottom, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool.
  10. To make the frosting, use a hand mixer and beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
  11. Add a dollop of frosting to each scone and use a knife or offset spatula to spread it out. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Carrots and pecans being added to a glass mixing bowl for Adding the cream to the bowl for Carrot Cake Scones
Adding the cream to the bowl for Carrot Cake Scones
Carrot Cake Scones being cut into wedges before baking
Carrot Cake Scones cooling on a wire rack
A batch of freshly frosted Carrot Cake Scones on a wire rack with carrots in the background.

Tips for Success

  • Toast the nuts JUST until beginning to get golden and smell fragrant. They’ll continue toasting off the heat + can go from lightly toasted to burned in a matter of seconds, so err on the side of less toasting!
  • One life-changing tip I learned in my baking class: Two inches is approximately the same distance from the tip of your thumb to your thumb’s first knuckle for many people (including me!) Measure your thumb and see if you’re one of the lucky ones, because it makes measuring so easy!

I hope these carrot cake scones are a fun and delicious addition to your holiday menu or just a special breakfast for the carrot cake lover in your life!

Carrot Cake Scone with a bite taken out of it

More Scone Recipes

Carrot cake scones on a wire cooling rack
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Carrot Cake Scones Recipe

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 8 scones
Tender scones packed with shredded carrots, toasted pecans, vanilla, and warm spices. Perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, or spring brunch!
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Ingredients

For the carrot cake scones

  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (345 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded carrots (packed)
  • 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (cold; start with 1 1/4 cup and add the additional cream if needed)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the cream cheese frosting

  • 2 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Make and baked the carrot cake scones

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place the pecans in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
  • Stir in the shredded carrots and toasted pecans until well-combined.
  • Add 1 1/4 cup of the heavy whipping cream. Using a large spatula, wooden spoon, or bowl scraper, stir and press the dough together until it forms a shaggy mass without any flour left in the bowl. If the dough is very dry, add the additional 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Fold the dough onto itself a couple more times, then form a round disk about 2 inches tall and 6 inches in diameter.
  • Cut the dough into 8 wedges. Transfer each wedge onto the parchment paper. Brush the tops of the scones with more heavy whipping cream.
  • Bake until puffed and lightly browned on the sides and bottom, 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the cream cheese frosting

  • Place the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth. Spread the cream cheese onto the scones.
  • Keep scones in the refrigerator (to be on the safe side because of the cream cheese frosting) for 3-4 days.

Notes

If you prefer a more uniform, glaze-like consistency, you can microwave the frosting for 30-60 seconds to thin it out, then spoon it over the top or dip the scones in.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1scone, Calories: 481kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 321mg, Potassium: 164mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 2287IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 125mg, Iron: 2mg

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