Carrot cake cookies that are soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting, just like mini carrot cakes in cookie form.
These carrot cake cookies combine fresh grated carrots, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for that classic carrot cake flavor in an easy cookie recipe.
Tested to stay soft and moist after baking, this recipe delivers the cozy texture of carrot cake with the simplicity of a homemade cookie.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Carrot cake flavor, cookie format All the warm spices and carrot cake taste you love, baked into soft, chewy cookies.
- Soft and moist texture Fresh carrots and brown sugar keep these cookies tender, never dry.
- Cream cheese frosting on top A smooth, tangy frosting that turns each cookie into a mini carrot cake treat.
Ingredients for carrot cake cookies
- Butter: unsalted butter, very softened or melted and cooled.
- Carrots: freshly grated for the best texture and natural sweetness.
- Flour: all-purpose flour for a soft, chewy cookie base.
- Sugar: granulated sugar and dark brown sugar or light brown sugar.
- Leavening: a mix of baking powder and baking soda to help the cookies rise.
- Egg: room temperature.
- Spices: ground cinnamon and a pinch of ginger or nutmeg for warm, cozy flavor.
- Vanilla & salt: pure vanilla extract and fine salt.
- Nuts: chopped pecans or walnuts add crunch and a nice contrast to the soft cookie.
Tips for this recipe
- Pat the carrots dry: removing extra moisture keeps the cookies soft, not soggy.
- Don’t overmix the dough: mix just until combined for a tender, chewy texture.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: helps the dough come together smoothly.
- Scoop evenly: use a cookie scoop so all your cookies bake the same size.
- Add more spice: a little extra cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg gives them that warm carrot cake flavor.
How To Make Carrot Cake Cookies
These carrot cake cookies are inspired by my classic carrot cake recipe, with the same warm spices, grated carrots, and soft texture — just baked in cookie form.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and creamy.
Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until fully combined.
Pat the grated carrots dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then fold them into the mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices (cinnamon and a pinch of ginger or nutmeg).
Sift the dry ingredients, then add them to the wet mixture along with the chopped nuts. Mix just until the dough comes together — don’t overmix to keep the cookies soft.
Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 13–15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
This frosting is my classic cream cheese frosting recipe, the same one I use on my carrot cake.
For the cream cheese frosting, beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Pipe or spread a layer of frosting on top of each cookie, then sprinkle with chopped nuts for a pretty finish.
Storage
- Store frosted carrot cake cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Unfrosted cookies keep at room temperature for 3 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Recipe Variations
- Sandwich cookies: pipe cream cheese frosting between two cookies.
- No frosting: skip the frosting and roll warm cookies in cinnamon sugar.
- Extra texture: add shredded coconut or raisins.
- White chocolate: fold in white chocolate chips.
- Nut-free: omit the nuts (or swap for more coconut/white chocolate).
Recipe Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, refrigerate the dough up to 24 hours. Let it sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature before scooping.
Do I have to dry the carrots?
Yes, patting them dry helps prevent soggy cookies and keeps the texture soft and chewy.
Can I freeze carrot cake cookies?
Yes. Freeze unfrosted cookies up to 2 months, thaw at room temperature, then frost.
Can I skip the nuts?
Yes, just leave them out. The cookies still bake up soft and flavorful.
Why are my cookies spreading too much?
Butter may be too warm or carrots too wet—chill the dough 20–30 minutes and pat carrots dry.
More Carrot Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!
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Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese frosting
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
Description
Soft and chewy carrot cake cookies made with grated carrots, warm spices, and chopped nuts — then topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting. A quick and easy twist on the classic carrot cake everyone loves! (makes 12 cookies)
Ingredients
Carrot cookies
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, very soft
- ½ cup (90 g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (90 g) finely grated carrots, patted dry with paper towels
- 1 ⅔ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- ½ cup (50 g) chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
For the frosting:
- Follow my cream cheese frosting recipe — make half the recipe for this batch of cookies.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the very soft butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then mix until well combined and glossy.
- Finely grate the carrots and pat them very dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Add the carrots to the mixture and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of nutmeg if using. Sift once, then gently add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined.
- Fold in the chopped nuts until evenly distributed. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each one. If any carrots stick out, press them gently back into the dough for smoother cookies.
- Bake for 13–15 minutes, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prepare half of my cream cheese frosting recipe and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the frosting on top and finish with a few chopped nuts or a light dusting of cinnamon.
Notes
Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze (unfrosted) for up to 2 months.
Tips:
- Weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale for accuracy and consistent results.
- Pat carrots dry to keep the cookies soft and chewy, not soggy.
- Don’t overmix once you add the flour — it keeps the texture tender.
- Use room-temperature ingredients so the dough mixes evenly.
- Cool completely before frosting to keep the cream cheese smooth and thick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: American
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