You’re going to love this carrot cake cookies recipe! Indulge in the perfect blend of spices, fresh carrots, and cream cheese frosting.
Carrot cake has always held a special place in the hearts of dessert lovers everywhere, myself included. It’s that perfect blend of sweetness, spices, and the undeniable comfort of home-baked goodness that brings a smile to our faces.
But what if we could take this beloved classic and spin it into something even more magical, more bite-sized, and just as delightfully satisfying?
Today I’m showing you how to make carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting – a creation that promises all the joy of the traditional cake but in the palm of your hand.
These aren’t your average cookies; they’re tender, moist, and filled with the rich flavors of spices and freshly grated carrots. And we can’t forget that irresistible cream cheese frosting that crowns each cookie like a dollop of fluffy clouds.
In a world brimming with chocolate chip and peanut butter blossoms, carrot cookies stand out as a unique contender for the best cookie ever.
As I’m sure you can imagine, these are perfect for an Easter dessert. If you make them with our carrot cake whoopie pies and carrot cake cupcakes . . . talk about heaven!
Tips for Making Delicious Cookies
Before you dive into this recipe, I’ve got some tips for you on making the best (and tastiest) cookies. If you’re interested, check them out. Otherwise scroll to the bottom for the carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting.
Use Quality Ingredients
Use high-quality, fresh ingredients for the best cookie flavor and texture. You’ll for sure want to get fresh eggs, good quality butter, and pure vanilla extract (instead of imitation).
Measure Precisely
Flour is often the main dry ingredient in these cookies. Measure using the scoop-and-level method, as adding too much flour can result in dry baked goods.
Bring Cold Ingredients to Room Temp
Bring ingredients like butter, and eggs to room temperature before mixing. They will incorporate better, resulting in smoother batter and soft cookies. They don’t need to be warm; slightly cool to room temp is fine.
Avoid Overmixing
Mix the batter just until ingredients are combined, or the dry disappears into the wet. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.
Chill the Dough
Chilling the cookie dough in the fridge for the specified time (or even overnight) before baking allows the flavors to meld and the fats to solidify. This results in cookies with better flavor and texture. It also prevents them from spreading too much during baking.
Look for Golden Edges
Unless the recipe says otherwise, the edges of the cookies should turn a golden brown while the center remains slightly soft. This balance ensures a chewy texture without overbaking.
Cool Before Transferring
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and avoids them becoming too fragile and crumbling apart.
Remember, practicing and experimenting will help you perfect your baking skills over time. Have fun and enjoy the process of creating delicious baked goods!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup finely grated carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Tips and Thoughts for This Recipe
Feel free to omit the nuts and/or raisins from the recipe. You can also substitute with other chopped nuts such as pecans or dried fruit.
Make smaller cookies and sandwich them together with a dollop of cream cheese frosting in the middle to create adorable mini-sandwich cookies.
To make oatmeal carrot cake cookies, simply replace half a cup of the all-purpose flour with old-fashioned rolled oats.
To store: Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 – 4 days.
To freeze: freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 2-3 months. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze initially, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw the cookies in the refrigerator overnight before frosting and serving.
Get the printable recipe card below:
Carrot Cake Cookies
These soft, spiced cookies are bursting with carrot cake flavor and are topped with a creamy dreamy cream cheese frosting. This is a great recipe if you are craving carrot cake but don’t feel like baking and frosting a whole cake.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup finely grated carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a medium-sized bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating well until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry and wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in the grated carrots, nuts, and raisins until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator (covered) for 30 minutes to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (if your baking sheet is too small, you can bake them in 2-3 batches).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread a dollop of cream cheese frosting onto the flat side of each cookie. You can use a knife or offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly.
- You can decorate the cookies with ground cinnamon, some finely chopped walnuts, or grated carrots.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 299Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 192mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g
Do you love these cookies? Let me know in the comments! I’d also love for you to check out these other cookie and dessert recipes:
Cheesecake Eggs • Cotton Candy • Creme Egg Brownies • Easter Bark • Easter M&M • Funfetti • Italian Easter • Lemon Blueberry Thumbprint • Lemon Cookies • Lemon Cream Cheese • Lemon Curd Pavlova • Lemon Meringues • Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf • Lemon Shortbread • Mini Egg Cupcakes • Vanilla