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Carrot Cake Cookies

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

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 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 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 1/2 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: 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

Keywords: carrot cake cookies, carrot cake, easter cookies

Find it online: https://thesimple-sweetlife.com/carrot-cake-cookies/