Carrot Cake Cookies

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Soft and chewy Carrot Cake Cookies smothered in silky Cream Cheese Frosting for individual bites of carrot cake bliss!

These Carrot Cake Cookies are perfectly portable, perfectly tender, and perfectly melt-in-your-mouth addicting. They encapsulate everything you love about Carrot Cake with its aromatic fragrant spices, carrots and pecans rolled into easy-to-make chewy cookie form. And of course, Carrot Cake wouldn’t be Carrot Cake without tangy, rich and luscious Cream Cheese Frosting.

Up close of moist carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting on a white plate

Today is officially the first day of spring which means it’s time for everything carrot cake! Carrot Cake is definitely a spring dessert I look forward to all year round; so much so that I’ve already made Layered Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese Stuffed Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake Crepes, and now these Carrot Cake Cookies!

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Carrot Cake Cookies

These irresistible Carrot Cake Cookies got an “oh wow” from Patrick. Who proceeded to devour 1, 2, 3,… and I had to send them to work with him because I have no self control when it comes to these cake-like morsels…and neither did his colleagues.

These easy Carrot Cake Cookies are tender and soft from the carrots and wonderfully chewy from the oatmeal. They are bursting with just the right amount of sweet aromatic spices. They are delicious on their own but exponentially more delicious with the Cream Cheese Frosting as the juxtaposition of the hearty cookies with the silky, sweet frosting is nothing short of divine – so please don’t skip it!

Carrot Cake Cookie on metal spatula on baking rack

TIPS FOR MAKING CARROT CAKE COOKIES

Let butter soften at room temperature TO room temperature. As in all cookies (unless they call for melted butter) never microwave your butter or your cookies will spread too much when baked. The butter should be slightly softened at room temperature and will soften as needed while you beat it.
Use the small holes on a box grater to grate the carrots.

Showing How to make Carrot Cake Cookies by mixing carrots, oatmeal, cinnamon and all wet and dry ingredients together

Do NOT use pre-grated matchstick carrots. These carrot are too thick for our cookies and don’t release moisture like freshly grated carrots.
Use quick oats or make your own. Old-fashioned whole rolled oats will not work in this recipe, but that’s usually what I always have on hand. You can make you own quick oats by pulsing whole oats in your food processor 5-8 times or until they resemble the consistency of quick oats.
Use a cookie scoop. This makes your life easier and ensures the cookies are all the same size and bake in the same amount of time. I used a 1 1/2″ or 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop. If you have a different size, that is totally fine, just adjust baking time accordingly.

Showing How to make Carrot Cake Cookies by scooping Carrot Cake Cookie Dough onto nonstick mats

Bake the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets or use a non-stick mats. Your cookies will definitely stick otherwise and parchment/non-sick mats make for easy cleanup.

Showing How to make Carrot Cake Cookies by rolling cookie dough into balls on cookie sheet

Flatten Cookies. These cookies won’t flatten very much when baked (unless your butter is too soft), so give them a little help and press down a little with your fingers to help flatten.

Showing How to make Carrot Cake Cookies by flattening cookies on cookie sheet with palm of hand

Bake cookies just until edges are golden. The key to soft, chewy cookies is to not overbake them. Take care to remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are slightly golden and the center is set but slightly underdone. They will continue to bake to perfection as they cool.

Showing how to make Carrot Cake Cookies by taking out of the oven when edges are just golden

Do NOT microwave butter or cream cheese for Cream Cheese Frosting. Let butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature or it will be too runny. If it is runny for whatever reason, place it in the refrigerator to set a bit.

Showing How to make Carrot Cake Cookies by making Cream Cheese Frosting by beating cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar together

CAN I FREEZE CARROT CAKE COOKIES?

Yes! You can freeze frosted or unfrosted Carrot Cake Cookies.

Place frosted or unfrosted completely cooled cookies on a baking sheet without touching.
Place baking sheet in the freezer and freeze cookies until solid.
Wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap and add to a freezer bag and seal.
When ready to eat, remove desired amount of cookies from freezer bag then remove from plastic wrap so condensation doesn’t form.
Let Carrot Cake Cookies thaw on the counter for 15-20 minutes.

Happy spring, Happy Easter and Happy Carrot Cake Cookie eating!

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Carrot Cake Cookies

Soft and chewy Carrot Cake Cookies smothered in silky Cream Cheese Frosting for individual bites of carrot cake bliss! These Carrot Cake Cookies are perfectly portable, perfectly tender, and perfectly melt-in-your-mouth addicting. They encapsulate everything you love about Carrot Cake with its aromatic fragrant spices, carrots and pecans rolled into easy-to-make chewy cookie form. And of course, Carrot Cake wouldn’t be Carrot Cake without tangy, rich and luscious Cream Cheese Frosting!

Servings: dozen cookies

Total Time: 37

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 12

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Ingredients

COOKIES

1 cup butter softened to room temperature*
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups quick oats not old-fashioned whole oats
1 cup finely chopped pecans

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

4 oz. Cream Cheese at room temperature****
4 tablespoons butter at room temperature****
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
Milk as needed

Instructions

COOKIES

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
With a stand or handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugars together at medium speed until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time and beat just until incorporated followed by vanilla, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. The dough will be thick and you will have to finish mixing by hand. Stir in carrots, oats and pecans by hand just until incorporated – dough will be very thick.
Scoop dough using a 1 ½ inch/1 ½ tablespoon scoop, roll into balls and drop 2” apart. Flatten the tops slightly. If you don't have a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, use what you have and adjust cooking time accordingly.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until cookies are lightly golden around the edges (take care not to overcook or they won’t be as soft). Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

In a large bowl beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Beat in powdered sugar on low until combined then increase speed to medium-high and beat until thick and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
Frost cookies once completely cool and garnish with chopped pecans if desired.

Notes

*Do NOT microwave butter or your cookies will be too soft and spread when baked. Let butter soften at room temperature until slightly softened.

**Use only freshly grated carrots. Use the small holes on a box grater to grate the carrots. Do NOT use pre packaged matchstick carrots as they are too thick.

***Old-fashioned whole rolled oats will NOT work in this recipe, but if that’s what you have on hand, you can make your own quick oats by adding whole oats to food processor and pulsing 4-6 times or until they resemble the consistency of quick oats.

****Do NOT microwave butter or cream cheese to soften for frosting or it will be too runny. Let soften at room temperature.

HOW TO FREEZE CARROT CAKE COOKIES

You can freeze frosted or unfrosted Carrot Cake Cookies.

Place frosted or unfrosted completely cooled cookies on a baking sheet without touching.
Place baking sheet in the freezer and freeze cookies until solid.
Wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap and add to a freezer bag and seal.
When ready to eat, remove desired amount of cookies from freezer bag then remove from plastic wrap so condensation doesn’t form.
Let Carrot Cake Cookies thaw on the counter for 15-20 minutes.

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