Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe

Overhead view of carrot cake cookies topped with chopped pecans.

Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe

Carrot Cake Cookies, loaded with warm spices, lots of fresh carrot, and crunchy nuts, are a wonderful dessert that’s easy to throw together. Spread a generous amount of tangy cream cheese frosting on top for the ultimate treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 12

Total Time 42

Servings cookies

Calories 202kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Mixing Bowls
Electric mixer
Baking Sheets

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

2¼ cups all-purpose flour (270g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (220g)
½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
1 large egg room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots/ 90g)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (80g)
½ cup finely chopped pecans (optional) (80g)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (226g)
½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
2 cups powdered sugar (240g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Scrape the bowl down.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry mixture and mix until almost combined. Add the shredded carrots, oats, and pecans (if using), and mix on low until just combined.
Scoop the dough into 1½ tablespoon-sized dough balls (about 35g each), and place on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. The centers will still be soft, but you can bake for 2 to 3 more minutes for a crispier cookie. Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until very smooth, about 1 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once combined, scrape down the bowl, add the vanilla, and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minutes.
Spread the cream cheese frosting on top of each cooled cookie before serving.

Video

Notes

Weigh the flour. A kitchen scale is the best tool to accurately measure flour. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour in its container and spoon it into your measuring cup. Use a knife to level off the top.
Use freshly grated nutmeg. Its flavor is so robust compared to the pre-ground kind! Nutmeg’s flavor comes from oils, and once it’s grated or ground, those oils start to lose potency fairly quickly, so fresh will always taste better than jarred ground nutmeg.
Use room temperature ingredients. Set the refrigerated ingredients out about an hour or so ahead of time so they are not completely cold when you start baking. This makes them easier to blend. If you forget, see my post on how to soften butter quickly (the tips in that post work for cream cheese, too!).
Don’t over-mix the cookie dough. This will cause the cookies to turn out tough instead of tender. Mix in the flour just until no dry spots remain, and be brief when mixing in the carrots, nuts, and oats. You can even do that by hand with a rubber spatula if you prefer!
Let the cookies cool completely before frosting them. If the cookies are still warm, the frosting will melt and drip off the cookies.
Frosting style options: I like the rustic look of frosting spread over the top of each cookie with a butter knife. But you can also pipe the frosting on top of each cookie in a swirl or decorative pattern if desired!

Nutrition