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Last weekend, we had two of our grandkids spend the night, and I knew they'd be looking forward to a special breakfast (that's what grandmothers do, right?). I decided it was the perfect opportunity to test a new recipe I'd been spinning around in my mind: Carrot Cake Scones.
These two kiddos always make me smile. I love treating them like royalty because I know, from experience, that they'll grow up way too fast, and opportunities to spend time together are precious. So, we have a funny little ritual that happens almost every time we're together.
I look at them and say, "You guys are spoiled rotten!" They retort, with no hesitation, "And proud of it!" Then we all start laughing.
Anyway, back to the scones. They were enjoying a little "screen time" while I mixed up the dough and popped the scones into the oven. It wasn't long before the entire house was filled with the sweet intoxicating aroma of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
Blogworthy!
So when I called them for breakfast, the screens were quickly discarded. They each took a bite, rolled their eyes a bit, and declared, "These are definitely blog-worthy!" Around here, that's the highest of accolades. Everyone in the family takes the "Café taste-testing job" seriously and doesn't hand out praise lightly.
But it's not just kids who love these scones. This past Tuesday, after we finished the photo shoot for these Carrot Cake Scones, Scott had a dentist appointment. I knew these scones were far too dangerous to keep sitting around our kitchen (my willpower is minimal), so he took a plateful along to share with the office staff. He returned home with an empty plate and lots of rave reviews.
Sweet, tender, and warmly spiced, these scones taste like your favorite slice of carrot cake, but in bakery-style scone clothing! The fabulous brown sugar-caramel glaze is the crowning glory, adding rich, buttery sweetness to every bite.
These Carrot Cake Scones feel special enough for a fancy brunch yet they're simple enough for a fun weekend breakfast. That's a win-win recipe to me!
Let's make delicious scones more do-able
If you've ever made traditional scones or biscuits, you know the usual drill: cold butter, a food processor, pastry cutter or box grater, and lots of careful handling to keep everything chilled.
But we all lead busy lives... full schedules, long to-do lists, and very real responsibilities. That means complicated recipes don't usually make it to the table. And yet, sharing something homemade, warm and delicious is a wonderful way of slowing life down and drawing people together.
Here at The Café, that's part of our mission. We believe simple, beautiful food fosters connection and kindness, whether it's breakfast with grandkids, a treat for coworkers or brunch with friends. Hospitality doesn't have to be fancy or fussy.
So because you love things easy (and so do I!), we do things a little differently around here.
The Ridiculously Easy Butter Trick for Easy Scones
These scones are made the Ridiculously Easy way, with a simple little trick that gives you tall, super-flaky, amazingly-tender scones without ever cutting in cold butter.
I learned this technique over 10 years ago from the genius people over at Cook's Illustrated, and I've been running with it ever since. This is how it works:
Instead of cutting or grating cold butter into the flour, you simply melt the butter and let it cool slightly while you pop the heavy cream into the freezer for 15 minutes. When you stir the cold cream into the melted butter, magic happens! Tiny little butter globules form throughout the mixture.
Those small butter pockets mimic the effect of cutting in cold butter, creating flaky, tender layers in the oven without all the extra work. No pastry cutter, no frozen butter, no fuss!
It's the Ridiculously Easy way we make all of our scones (and biscuits!), and our readers absolutely love it. Once you try this method, you'll never go back to those traditional (pain-in-the-neck) techniques again!
Our Ridiculously Easy Recipe Collection
If you're new here at The Café, you might not be aware that we have an entire collection of recipes categorized as Ridiculously Easy.
The Ridiculously Easy collection is an ever-evolving group of well-tested recipes designed to deliver bakery-style or restaurant-worthy results without complicated steps or fussy techniques. Think clever shortcuts, simple methods, and reliable results every single time. I like to describe these recipes as "The ones that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part!"
And these Carrot Cake Scones? They fit right in. And if you don't have the time to shape the dough into wedges, no problem. The scones can be scooped up with a retractable scooper to make the whole process even easier!
What you'll need
One of the things I love about these Carrot Cake Scones is that the ingredient list is simple and pantry-friendly. No specialty items, just everyday baking staples that come together in the most delicious way.
You'll need:
The icing ingredients are pantry staples, including butter, brown sugar, half & half (or cream) and powdered sugar. That's it! Simple ingredients, beautiful bakery-style results!
See How to Make These Carrot Cake Scones
Want to see how these Carrot Cake Scones come together? Lindsay created a quick step-by-step video so you can watch the simple butter trick in action and see just how easy it is to make tender, bakery-style scones, no cutting in cold butter required.
Free Printable Labels for Gifting
These Ridiculously Easy Carrot Cake Scones are absolutely perfect for sharing...whether you're delivering a little breakfast surprise to a friend, thanking a neighbor or sending your husband off to the dentist with a plateful (brownie points practically guaranteed!).
To make gifting extra special, we've created a set of free printable Carrot Cake Scone labels just for you.
You can download the labels instantly and print them at home. Then simply tuck the scones into a bakery box or cellophane bag, add a pretty ribbon and a label for a beautiful finishing touch.
Get your free printable labels
Just enter your first name and email below.
If you use them, we'd love to see! Tag us on Instagram so we can share your beautiful creations!
Give them away... or not!
Whether you're baking for grandkids, friends, coworkers… or just yourself (no judgment here), I have a feeling these easy carrot cake scones might earn a "blog-worthy" stamp of approval in your house, too.
If you give them a try, we'd love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below and let me know who you shared them with, and if they disappeared as quickly as they did around here. And don't forget to rate the recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you loved it, it helps other readers find it and makes our day every single time.
- Chilling the heavy cream for about 15 minutes is what makes the Ridiculously Easy butter trick work. The cold cream helps create those tiny butter globules that give you flaky, tender layers.
- Store-bought shredded carrots are convenient, but the strands are often long. Run a sharp knife through them several times so they distribute evenly throughout the scones.
- You can grate your own carrots, but be sure to press them between several layers of paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Too much moisture can cause the scones to spread as they bake. Overmixing can make scones tough.
- A chill in the refrigerator helps the scones hold their shape and bake up taller with beautiful layers.
- If any of the scones lean slightly to one side after baking, you can gently nudge them back into shape with a bench scraper or flat-sided spatula as soon as they come out of the oven. They're still soft and pliable when hot, making it easy to straighten them.
- The glaze will thicken slightly as it cools, so I like to make it just before using it. If it becomes too thick, simply whisk in a small splash of half-and-half until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- You'll need a half-sheet pan for this scone recipe. I like this Nordic Ware Sheet Pan. It's sturdy, great quality, and holds up well (to the constant abuse I give it).
- If you know your oven runs hot, bake the scones on a double sheet pan (just stack one pan on top of another). This simple trick adds insulation and keeps the bottoms perfectly golden instead of too brown.
- Don't have much time? You can also scoop these scones with a large retractable scooper right onto the sheet pan. (One of our readers calls this the "scoop and plop" method, which is a great description!) Just make sure all of the flour mixture is incorporated before you start scooping. I use this 4-tablespoon scoop.
- Want to make these gluten-free? I tested the recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, and they turned out beautifully. If measuring by volume, be sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it with a flat-edged knife. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and result in dense scones. Another option is to use the metric measurements in the recipe card below and weigh the flour instead.
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Carrot Cake Scones (The Ridiculously Easy Way)
Ingredients
For the Scones
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled in freezer 15 minutes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup shredded carrots, fairly well packed (see note)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
For the Brown Sugar Caramel Glaze
- 1 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar, dark or light
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more as needed
Instructions
Prep
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
- Measure the heavy cream and place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, covered with a slightly damp paper towel, heating in 10-second intervals if needed. Set aside to cool slightly.
- If using pre-shredded carrots, chop them into smaller pieces. If shredding your own carrots, press them between several layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Make the Dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, shredded carrots, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. Make a well in the center.
- Stir the chilled cream into the melted butter until small butter globules form.
- Add the butter/cream mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until mostly incorporated, then use a silicone spatula to gently bring the dough together. The dough will be thick and slightly crumbly. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press together and gently knead a few times to form a cohesive mass.
- Pat into a 6x8-inch rectangle. Cut in half and stack one half over the other. Repeat once more for light layering.
- Shape into a 6-inch round disc.
- Cut into 8 equal wedges, wiping the knife between cuts for clean edges.
Chill & Bake
- Place scones at least 2 inches apart on the prepared pan. Chill 25-30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Bake 18-22 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Transfer to a cooling rack.
Make the Glaze
- Combine butter, brown sugar and half-and-half in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute until melted; whisk. Microwave 1 more minute.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Adjust consistency with more half-and-half or powdered sugar as needed.
- Drizzle over cooled scones.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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This is reputation maker. The only suggestion I have is to dump the shredded carrots into a pan of boiling water for about 10-15 seconds—then drain and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. I’ve been doing this in my recipe for carrot cake for years—easy and maybe if using store bought shredded carrots would also work—maybe a few seconds longer for the carrots. Thank you for all the delicious, gift giving worthy recipes. Marian
Hi Marian, Thank you for the great review and for sharing your experience with making carrot cakes! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe - we appreciate you taking the time to let us know!
I have made several Ridiculously Easy recipes and have loved all of them, but, unfortunately, these carrot cake scones did not fulfill my expectations. The sweetness of the dough was off and I ended up adding some raisins to help. I bought pre-shredded carrots and diced them very small, but there was still a hint of raw carrots in some bites. Thankfully, the glaze was delicious and really helped with the flavor. I will make them again with some tweaks to the recipe.
Hi Julie, thanks for your review! It's always good to adapt recipes to your own taste.
I am not giving these scones a 5 star because I just think they need something more. I am going to make them again and add some coconut and raisins to amp them up a bit. Also, my brown sugar glaze was gritty. I followed the instructions exactly. Then when it was still gritting I microwaved a bit more but didn't want to burn it. I ended up making cream cheese frosting and just keeping the frosting in the fridge and frosting scones as needed.
Thanks, Jackie, for sharing your review.
Not sure why your glaze was gritty - after multiple testings, I never had that issue. I wonder if you didn't add enough of the half and half? That's why I instructed to adjust the ingredients in the glaze, as needed. The brown sugar glaze does make these scones!
Hi Chris,
I just asked if I could add raisins and forgot to ask if I make them with a scoop, do I still form the dough into a disc and then scoop?
Many thanks for any help you can give me; it is greatly appreciated.
Susan
Hi Susan, raisins will be delicious in this recipe!
When you make the scones with a scoop, just scoop them right from the bowl, no need to do any shaping on the counter.
Good morning Chris,
I can’t wait to make yet another great looking recipe but would like to know if I can add raisins in the dough?
Many thanks for ALL your recipes which are so well illustrated with spot-on directions!
Susan
Hi Chris, they look delicious. How long do you think they will keep? I am planning to gift them to a gluten-free friend. Could I kindly have the labels? Thank you ❤️
Hi Dulce (I love your name - one of my dearest friends has the same name 💕)
These scones will keep well for up to 2 days. But you can also make the dough, shape it, either into wedges or scoops, and then refrigerate the unbaked scones until you're ready to bake. This works really well. In addition, you can freeze the unbaked scones until you're ready to bake - then just pop them on a sheet pan and into the oven they go, no need to thaw. Just give the frozen scones a few extra minutes in the oven.
Thank you very much ☺️Chris. I will try your suggestion.
Hi Dulce, These labels can be automatically downloaded in the post above. There's a gifting section where you'll find a box to enter your email to get the labels instantly. Enjoy!
Having read your comment elsewhere that this recipe would be posted today, I cleverly stopped and picked up a nice big bag o' carrots on my way to a pre-blizzard birthday party (to which I brought your maple pecan scones - boy, did they disappear fast!) so that tomorrow I can make these scones inside while the snow piles up outside - it's going to be the best blizzard ever. Just by the way, I think your metric button is accidentally giving the wrong gram equivalence for the 1/4 cup brown sugar in the glaze. I suspect it should be 55g rather than 110g. Thanks again, you good Café people!
Oops. Just noticed that the metric measure for the powdered sugar in the glaze also might need adjustment, It says 1/2 cup powdered sugar equals 120g, but should probably say something closer to 60g.
You are prepared! I have to admit, I'm a little jealous of all that snow! Hope you enjoy this recipe and thanks for the heads up on the metric measurements. I had originally doubled the ingredients for the icing but then realized it was too much. The metric measurements didn't get the update! Corrected now!
Wow ! sounds yummy ! Can’t wait to make these scones 💕💕
Hope you enjoy them as much as we have, Louise!
May I have the labels please?
Hi Dotti, These labels can be automatically downloaded in the post above. There's a gifting section where you'll find a box to enter your email to get the labels instantly.
Please send the labels; thanks
Hi Bradlyn, These labels can be automatically downloaded in the post above. There's a gifting section where you'll find a box to enter your email to get the labels instantly.
Hi! I had requested labels for the cake yesterday. Kindly send the labels for the above scones.
Thank you.
Linda PF Myers
Hi Linda, we will be sending out the cake labels. These labels can be automatically downloaded in the post above.
Your carrot cake scones look so yummy! I love carrot cake with juicy pineapple added. Would this work in this recipe and if so, how much. Please say yes. Lol!
Hi Sue, I haven't tested this recipe with pineapple I'd be concerned that the extra moisture would cause the scones to spread too much.