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    Home Β» All Desserts Β» Cookies

    Published: Apr 9, 2023 by Claire

    Carrot Cake Cookies

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 2 reviews

    These carrot cake cookies are everything you love about the classic cake in a delicious cookie form - Fluffy, cakey and piled high with vanilla cream cheese frosting.

    Carrot cake cookies with a bowl of pecans, toasted coconut flakes and a bottle of milk in the background.

    I'm dubbing this month the month of the carrot cake. We've made pineapple carrot cake and carrot cake muffins all in the span of a few short weeks and obviously, we're not stopping there.

    In fact, we're going straight through to carrot cake cookie town. These cookies have a fluffy, cakey (but never dry) texture, a spiced, earthy flavor, with the most satisfying smeeear of cream cheese frosting.

    Beep beep! Get in loser, we're making cookies!

    Jump to:
    • Grating carrot
    • Using pre-shredded carrot
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Expert tips
    • Storage
    • Recipe
    • Related recipes

    Grating carrot

    Before we jump into the recipe, let's talk some technique and estimations.

    How many carrots will I need?

    To make one cup of grated carrot, you'll need between one and two carrots - You'll get pretty close to a cup with one really large carrot or a little more than a cup with two medium size carrots.

    Technique

    Start by washing your carrot(s) in warm, soapy water. You can also use a water/vinegar solution to clean your veggies. Wipe to remove any excess water.

    Use a peeler to remove the skin - it has a bitter taste and will add an unpleasant flavor to your cookies.

    To grate your carrots, you can use either the fine side of a box grater or the shredding disc of a food processor. I like to use the latter for ease, but both produce good results.

    Using pre-shredded carrot

    Because pre-shredded carrots lose their moisture and are still rather large, particularly for cookies that are going to be 3-4 inches wide, I recommend grating your carrots rather than buying pre-shredded.

    If pre-shredded is what you have available, I recommend dicing them up with a kitchen knife before adding them to your batter.

    Step-by-step instructions

    Overhead view of a bowl of cookie dough with a white spatula sticking out to the right.

    First, make the cookie dough.

    Stir together the melted butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla, stirring with a spatula until combined.

    Fold in the dry ingredients until nearly combined. Add the grated carrot, folding until all the ingredients are full incorporated.

    Six balls of cookie dough on a parchment paper lined silver baking sheet.

    Scoop 3 tablespoon size balls of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

    Leave about 2 inches of space between each ball of dough to allow for spreading.

    Overhead view of carrot cookies on a gold cooling rack.

    Second, bake the cookies.

    Bake for 350F for about 11 minutes, or until the cookies are no longer shiny on top.

    Allow to cool on the baking sheet.

    Three orange cookies on a small silver cooling rack with two cookies, a bowl of pecans and a bowl of cream cheese frosting around it.

    Third, frost the cookies.

    Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add the vanilla and beat on low to combine.

    Spread a thick layer of frosting over the cooled cookies. Garnish with coconut and pecans.

    Three cream cheese frosting carrot cake cookies on a silver cooling rack with a glass of milk, a white bowl of frosting and a small bowl of pecans in the background.

    Expert tips

    • The importance of leaving cookies on the baking sheet: The goal of taking the cookies out when they’re no longer shiny is to keep them from becoming too browned or drying out. At this point, they’ll be slightly under-cooked, and leaving them on the hot baking sheet allows them to finish cooking through without browning further.
    • Getting round cookies: If your cookies happen to spread unevenly while baking, place a round cookie cutter or small bowl over each cookie and, making a circular motion at the wrist, roll the edges of you bowl/cutter around the edges of the cookie. This should be done immediately after removing the cookies from the oven.
    • Warm cream cheese: Cream cheese is easiest to beat smooth when it's slightly warm. I like to bring mine to room temperature and then microwave it for 15 seconds. You can also place room temperature cream cheese on your oven top while the cookies bake to help it soften.
    Two carrot cookies, one partially eaten, on a blue plate with a bowl of frosting, a bottle of milk and a cake platter of more cookies in the background.

    Storage

    Without frosting, these cookies can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container for up to a week. They can also be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

    Frosted cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Place a layer of parchment paper between each layer of cookies to minimize frosting transfer.

    Print

    Recipe

    Carrot Cake Cookies

    Carrot cake cookies with a bowl of pecans, toasted coconut flakes and a bottle of milk in the background.
    Print Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 2 reviews

    Fluffy, cakey carrot and cinnamon cookies smothered in a vanilla cream cheese.

    • Author: Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 11 minutes
    • Total Time: 26 minutes
    • Yield: 12 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    Carrot cake cookies:

    • 1 ΒΌ cup all purpose flour
    • Β½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ΒΌ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • Β½ cup unsalted butter, melted
    • ΒΌ cup granulated sugar
    • Β½ cup light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 egg
    • 1 cup grated carrot

    Cream cheese frosting:

    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 4 oz full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 1 Β½ cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Optional garnish:

    • Coarsely chopped pecans
    • Toasted coconut flakes

    Instructions

    Carrot cake cookies:

    1. In a bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until the sugar begins to dissolve (there should be no lumps of brown sugar).
    2. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined.
    3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stirring with a spatula until nearly combined.
    4. Add the grated carrot and fold all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
    5. Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Space cookies about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
    6. Bake at 350F for 11 minutes, or until no longer shiny on top.
    7. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet.

    Cream cheese frosting:

    1. Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high until smooth.
    2. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low, increasing to high, until the frosting is smooth and free of lumps.
    3. Add the vanilla and beat on low until just combined.
    4. Using an offset spatula, spread a thick layer of frosting over the top of the cooled cookies, working it out to the edges.
    5. Leave plain or garnish with toasted coconut flakes and pieces of pecan.

    Notes

      • The importance of leaving cookies on the baking sheet:Β The goal of taking the cookies out when they’re no longer shiny is to keep them from becoming too browned or drying out. At this point, they’ll be slightly under-cooked, and leaving them on the hot baking sheet allows them to finish cooking through without browning further.

      • Getting round cookies: If your cookies happen to spread unevenly while baking, place a round cookie cutter or small bowl over each cookie and, making a circular motion at the wrist, roll the edges of you bowl/cutter around the edges of the cookie. This should be done immediately after removing the cookies from the oven.

      • Warm cream cheese: Cream cheese is easiest to beat smooth when it's slightly warm. I like to bring mine to room temperature and then microwave it for 15 seconds. You can also place room temperature cream cheese on your oven top while the cookies bake to help it soften.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cookie
    • Calories: 258
    • Sugar: 25.4g
    • Sodium: 145mg
    • Fat: 11.8g
    • Saturated Fat: 7.2g
    • Carbohydrates: 36.4g
    • Fiber: 0.7g
    • Protein: 2.6g
    • Cholesterol: 44mg

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    Tag @thesimplesweetlifeblog on Instagram and hashtag it #thesimplesweetlife

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    • Pineapple carrot cake
    • Carrot cake muffins
    • Mini carrot sheet cake

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Sue says

      April 09, 2023 at 5:04 pm

      These sound amazing....on my list to make very soon!!






      Reply
    2. Sue says

      April 30, 2023 at 9:07 pm

      I was finally able to make these....totally delicious ! I really recommend these cookies! So good....






      Reply
    3. Elena says

      May 19, 2024 at 7:57 pm

      Thank you πŸ’–πŸ’–πŸ’–πŸ’–πŸ’–πŸŒ πŸŒ πŸŒ πŸŒΏπŸ€©βœ¨

      Reply

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