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