Oh, friends, let me tell you about my latest obsession: Easy Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze! Seriously, it’s like a warm hug in scone form. I’ve always adored carrot cake, but sometimes you just want something a *little* less fussy, you know? That’s where these beauties come in. They’re SO easy to whip up, and they’re honestly perfect for breakfast with your coffee or as a sweet treat after dinner.
The best part? They’re so much quicker than baking a whole carrot cake! I actually came up with this recipe on a Sunday morning when I was craving carrot cake but didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. Trust me, once you try these easy carrot cake scones, you’ll be hooked!
Why You’ll Love These Easy Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze
Okay, so why should you make these easy carrot cake scones? Let me tell you! They’re:
- Super quick to make!
- Bursting with that classic carrot cake spice.
- Perfect with a cup of coffee (or tea, if that’s your thing!).
Reasons to Bake These Easy Carrot Cake Scones
Seriously, these aren’t your grandma’s fussy scones. They’re simple, flavorful, and totally worth the (minimal!) effort. Plus, that cream cheese glaze? *chef’s kiss*
Quick and Easy Baking
Don’t have all day? No problem! These carrot cake scones are ready in under an hour. Boom!
Delicious Carrot Cake Flavor
All the warm spices and sweet carrots you love, but in a convenient scone. It’s carrot cake, but, like, *faster*!
Ingredients for Easy Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze
Alright, let’s gather our goodies! For these easy carrot cake scones, you’ll need all-purpose flour, light brown sugar (pack it!), kosher salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, grated carrots, raisins, shredded sweetened coconut, chopped nuts (pecans are my fave!), crystallized ginger (optional, but SO good!), heavy cream, one large egg, vanilla extract, and frozen unsalted butter. And for the glaze? Cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and more heavy cream! Don’t worry, I’ll remind you later!
How to Make Easy Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze: Step-by-Step Instructions
Okay, let’s get baking! Don’t be scared; these easy carrot cake scones are seriously simple. Just follow these steps, and you’ll be enjoying warm, delicious scones in no time!
First things first, preheat your oven to 350˚F/180˚C. Grab a big bowl and whisk together your flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Get all those spices mixed up nice and even!
Next, toss in your grated carrots, raisins, coconut, nuts, and crystallized ginger (if you’re using it – trust me, it adds a little *something* special!). Make sure everything gets coated in that flour mixture. This helps prevent the fruit and nuts from sinking to the bottom.
In a separate bowl, whisk together your heavy cream, egg, and vanilla. Now for the fun part! Using a box grater, grate that frozen butter right into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Work it all together gently with a spatula or your hands until the butter’s evenly distributed. Don’t over-mix! You want to see little bits of butter throughout. That’s what makes ’em flaky!
Pour in the heavy cream mixture and gently mix until a shaggy dough forms. Again, don’t overdo it! Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a roughly 10-inch disk with your floured hands. Then, using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 triangle wedges.
Pop those scones onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Now, this is important: chill ’em! Stick them in the freezer for 15 minutes, or in the fridge for 30. This helps them rise properly.
Before baking, brush the tops with a bit more heavy cream and sprinkle with some coarse sugar (turbinado sugar is my favorite!). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until they’re light golden brown on top.
While the scones are cooling, whip up that cream cheese glaze! Just whisk or beat all the glaze ingredients together until smooth and pourable. Drizzle it over the cooled scones. And that’s it! You’ve made easy carrot cake scones! Enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Easy Carrot Cake Scones
Want your easy carrot cake scones to be bakery-worthy? Here’s the inside scoop! First off, that frozen butter is KEY. Seriously, don’t skip that step! It creates those lovely flaky layers. Also, resist the urge to overmix the dough. A shaggy dough is a happy dough! Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with the glaze. A little extra vanilla? A pinch of cinnamon? Go wild!
Variations for Your Easy Carrot Cake Scones
Okay, so you’ve mastered the basic easy carrot cake scones. Now what? Let’s get a little crazy! You can totally play around with the flavors in these. How about adding a pinch of cardamom to the dough? Or maybe some orange zest to the glaze? Trust me, it’s delicious! You could even throw in some chopped apples or cranberries for a fall twist. The possibilities are endless!
Different Nuts for Easy Carrot Cake Scones
Not a fan of pecans? No problem! Walnuts would be amazing in these carrot cake scones. Or try some toasted almonds for a little extra crunch!
Storing and Reheating Your Easy Carrot Cake Scones
Alright, so you’ve managed *not* to eat all your easy carrot cake scones in one sitting (I admire your willpower!). To keep ’em fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. But, heads up, they’re best enjoyed within a day or two! Want to warm one up? Just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds or in a low oven ’til it’s nice and toasty. Careful, though – you don’t want to dry ’em out!
FAQ About Easy Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze
Got questions about these easy carrot cake scones? Don’t worry, I’ve got answers! Here are a few of the most common questions I get asked.
Can I freeze these Easy Carrot Cake Scones?
Yep, you sure can! Just let ’em cool completely, then wrap ’em individually in plastic wrap and pop ’em in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for a month or two. When you’re ready to eat one, just thaw it overnight in the fridge or nuke it for a few seconds.
How do I keep my Easy Carrot Cake Scones from being dry?
Nobody wants a dry scone! The key is not to overbake them. Also, that frozen butter? It really helps keep ’em moist! And don’t forget to store them properly in an airtight container.
Can I make these Easy Carrot Cake Scones ahead of time?
You can definitely prep the dough ahead of time! Just wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, just slice ’em, chill ’em, and bake as directed. Easy peasy!
Nutritional Information for Easy Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Glaze
Okay, quick note: the nutrition info for these easy carrot cake scones can vary *a lot* depending on the brands you use and how big you cut ’em. So, I can’t give you exact numbers, but just keep that in mind, okay?
Bake Your Easy Carrot Cake Scones Today!
Seriously, what are you waiting for? Go preheat that oven and whip up a batch of these easy carrot cake scones! And hey, if you make ’em, leave a comment and let me know how they turned out! Or even better, snap a pic and share it! I can’t wait to see your creations!
Print
Easy Carrot Cake Scones: Irresistible 30-Minute Joy
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Make easy carrot cake scones with a cream cheese glaze. You can bake these quickly and enjoy them with your family.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 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
- Cream Cheese Glaze (optional): 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- Cream Cheese Glaze (optional): ½ cup powdered sugar
- Cream Cheese Glaze (optional): 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
- Adjust sugar to your taste.
- You can add different nuts or dried fruits.
- The chilling step is important for the scones to rise properly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
