Carrot cake cookies are the perfect bite-sized treat! They taste exactly like homemade carrot cake, but they’re so much easier to make.
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Pin RecipeSoft-Baked Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe
I’m a big fan of all things carrot cake from classic cake to Carrot Cake Cupcakes. However, these carrot cake cookies might be my favorite recipe yet.
Soft and tender, these cookies feature freshly grated carrots, rich brown sugar, and the perfect amount of cinnamon. Then, we add sweet cream cheese frosting to emulate your favorite cake.
They’re perfect for Easter or as a family-favorite springtime treat!
Ingredients for Carrot Cake Cookies
To print: see recipe card below
For the Cookies
- 1 cup cutter – I always use unsalted butter when baking since there is salt added to the recipe later on. Make sure to let it come to room temperature before you begin.
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar – Light brown sugar keeps the cookies moist and adds a nice molasses taste.
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots – Always use freshly grated carrots rather than the pre-shredded carrots you find in the grocery store. Pre-grated carrots are not nearly as moist and will make your cookies too dry. You only need about 3 large carrots to make these carrot cake cookies, and you can grate them into pieces with a box grater.
- 2 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch – This prevents the cookies from spreading too much, keeping them thick and chewy.
For the Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup cream cheese – Usre regular cream cheese, not reduced fat cream cheese. This is a dessert! You want all the fat.
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk – I like to use whole milk or even half and half to ensure the frosting is rich and thick.
- Chopped pecans – Chopped pecans are a nice garnish for the cookies and they add a little bit of a crunch. You can also use walnuts which are a classic carrot cake nut.
Variations
- Add ½ cup chopped pecans to the cookie dough. Mix the nuts in at the end of the recipe, right before scooping and baking. Nuts are a great, crunchy addition that you may love.
- Use dark brown sugar in place of light brown sugar to make the cookies even richer.
- Add 1/2 cup of raisins to the carrot cake cookie dough when you stir in the nuts.
- Skip the cornstarch to make the cookies a little more crispy. While I love chewier cookies, a crispy carrot cake cookie can be pretty great!
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
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- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat, and set it aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar: Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times to incorporate the butter completely.
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the eggs one at a time, stirring in between. Then, add the vanilla, and mix again. Fold in the grated carrots.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cornstarch to the bowl. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
- Portion the dough: Use a cookie dough scoop to portion the dough into two tablespoon-sized balls. Arrange them on the lined baking sheet, leaving two inches in between each cookie.
- Bake: Transfer the prepared baking sheet to the oven. Bake until the tops no longer look wet and the edges are light golden brown.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, and beat again until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and milk.
- Frost: Spread two tablespoons of frosting evenly over the cookies using an offset spatula or the back of the spoon. Top the cookies with the pecans, and enjoy!
How to Store Carrot Cake Cookies
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Or, keep unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three to four days. Store the frosting separately in the fridge.
Freeze the cooled cookies for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature, and enjoy!
Quick Tip
Try piping the frosting using a piping bag and a small star tip or straight tip. I like to pipe the frosting in a spiral, starting in the center of the cookie and working my way out. This will make the cookies extra fancy for Easter celebrations!
Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot cake cookies are the perfect bite-sized treat when you're in the mood for carrot cake!
Equipment
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Box Grater
- 1 Cookie Dough Scoop
- 1 Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
- 2 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons milk
- Chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set the pan aside for now.
- Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to make sure all the butter is incorporated evenly.1 cup butter, room temperature, 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.2 eggs
- Add the vanilla and mix again.1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Mix in the grated carrots.1 1/2 cups grated carrots
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cornstarch to the bowl and mix until just combined. Once the flour is blended into the batter, stop mixing so you do not overmix (this can make the cookies tough).2 3/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- Scoop the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon sized balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet tray. Make sure to leave about 2 inches between the cookie dough balls.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. The tops should no longer look wet and the edges will be a light golden brown.
- Cool the cookies on a cooling rack.
- While the cookies cool, make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat again until the mix is light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and milk to make the frosting smooth.1/4 cup butter, room temperature, 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 Tablespoons milk
- Spread the frosting on top of each cookie using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Each cookie should get about 1-2 tablespoons of frosting.
- Sprinkle the cookies with chopped pecans, if desired, and then enjoy!Chopped pecans (optional)
Notes
Be sure to use freshly grated carrots. Store-bought grated carrots are too dry and will make the cookies crunchy. 3 large carrots will give you the amount of grated carrots you need.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 2251IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @kasey_allthingsmamma or tag #allthingsmamma!
Did you make these Soft-Baked Carrot Cake Cookies? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
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