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These decadent carrot cake cookies are a dream come true with a sweet, soft, and nutty cookie topped with a rich, velvety cream cheese icing. They are irresistible and taste just like an old-fashioned carrot cake in a tasty cookie form. Add a cute carrot icing decoration to make it extra fun for the kids.
If you would like to try carrot cake in a cupcake form, try our Carrot Cake Cupcakes or if you want to go all out and these cookies make you crave a classic cake, try our Carrot Cake Recipe.
MORE CARROT RECIPES:
Carrot Cake Cheesecake | Carrot Bread
ingredients for Carrot Cake Cookies
You will need:
FOR THE COOKIES
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 1/4 cups (4 medium-large) finely shredded whole carrots
FOR THE FROSTING
- 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- green and orange food coloring, optional carrot decoration
Substitutions and Additions
Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese is the best choice for the frosting but a reduced-fat version could be substituted instead.
Raisins: If you want to replace the pecans in the cookie, you could add 1 cup of golden or sultana raisins in their place. If you would like to reduce the number of nuts, you could add 1/2 cup of golden or sultana raisins and 1/2 cup of pecans instead.
How to Make This Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
FOR THE COOKIES
STEP ONE: Using a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer and medium mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
PRO TIP: When softening the butter, only soften slightly or the cookies will spread out too much.
STEP TWO: Add both the granulated sugar and the brown sugar to the butter and continue mixing for 1 more minute.
STEP THREE: Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the vanilla and 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each egg.
STEP FOUR: In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, spices, and baking soda.
STEP FIVE: With the mixer speed still on low gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until the ingredients are incorporated.
STEP SIX: Keep the mixer on low and add the finely shredded carrots and chopped pecans to the batter, mixing only until well incorporated.
PRO TIP: To grate the carrots quickly, use your food processor with the shredding blade attachment.
STEP SEVEN: Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Each cookie should be spaced 2 inches apart.
PRO TIP: If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use either a measuring spoon or an ice cream scoop, keeping in mind that standard ice cream scoops tend to be about 3 tablespoons per scoop.
STEP EIGHT: Bake in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
PRO TIP: Pull the cookies out of the oven when the centers are slightly underdone. This will give you a chewier cookie.
FOR THE FROSTING
STEP ONE: With either a stand mixer or handheld mixer and medium-sized mixing bowl on medium-high speed, cream together the cream cheese and butter for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
STEP TWO: Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the vanilla and powdered sugar, keeping the mixer on low until the powdered sugar is incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue mixing for another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until the cream cheese frosting is smooth.
STEP THREE: Using a small offset spatula or silicone spatula, frost the tops of the cookies, smoothing as you go. Make sure to frost right to the edge of the cookies.
STEP FOUR: Sprinkle the finely chopped pecans onto a plate. Gently roll the edges of the cookies in the pecans.
PRO TIP: To easily chop the pecans, place them in a bowl and using a handheld pastry cutter, gently press down on the nuts to break them into smaller pieces.
STEP FIVE (optional): If you would like to decorate your cookies with piped carrot decorations, reserve two 1/2 cups of frosting, in 2 separate small mixing bowls. In the first bowl, add green food coloring adjusted to however light or dark green you would like for the carrot tops. In the second bowl, add orange food coloring to however light or dark orange you would like for the carrot body.
STEP SIX: Spoon each color into 2 separate quart-size Ziploc bags with a small snip in one corner, or in 2 decorator bags with a small decorator’s tip. Using even light pressure, form the body of the carrot using a zig-zag pattern with the orange icing. Using even light pressure, form the top of the carrot with the green icing. Repeat for each cookie.
PRO TIP: If you want, you could sandwich the cookies with the icing in the middle like a carrot cake whoopie pie. Frost the outer edges as well and then roll in the pecans.
STORAGE
IN THE FRIDGE: Since the frosting is dairy-based, store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
IN THE FREEZER: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to one month. Allow dough to thaw completely before baking. The baked cookies can also be frozen for up to one month before decorating. Allow dough to thaw completely first.
The sweet and spiced taste of carrot cake is such a traditional and cozy flavor. These delicious and easy carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting are the best way to sneak in a serving of veggies while enjoying an indulgent treat.
more recipes you’ll love
Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter softened (2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 2 1/4 cups whole carrots finely shredded (4 medium-large)
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup salted sweet cream butter softened (1 stick)
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans finely chopped
- green and orange food coloring optional carrot decoration
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Using a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add the granulated and brown sugars to the butter and continue to mix on medium-high for 1 more minute.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, add the vanilla and 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each egg.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, spices, and baking soda.
- Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Keeping the mixer speed on low, add the finely shredded carrots and chopped pecans to the batter. Only mix until the carrots and pecans are well incorporated.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie batter onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to completely cool.
Frosting
- Using either a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the cream cheese and butter for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- Lower the mixer speed to low. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Keep the mixer speed on low, until the powdered sugar is incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue mixing for another 1 to 1/2 minutes, until the cream cheese frosting is smooth.
- Using a small offset spatula or a silicone spatula, frost the tops of the cookies, smoothing as you go. Be sure to frost to the edges of the cookies.
- Sprinkle the finely chopped pecans onto a plate. Either gently roll the edges of the cookies in the chopped pecans.
- If you would like to decorate your cookies with piped carrot decorations, reserve 2 to 1/2 cups of frosting in 2 separate small mixing bowls. In the first bowl add green food coloring adjusted to however light or dark green you wish for the carrot tops. In the second bowl, add orange food coloring to however light or dark orange you wish for the carrot body. Spoon each color into 2 separate quart-size Ziploc bags with a small snip in one corner, or in 2 decorator bags with a small decorator’s tip. Using even light pressure, and a zig-zag pattern to form the body of the carrot using the orange icing. Using even light pressure, form the top of the carrot using the green icing. Repeat for each cookie.
These have the best flavor and are so cute!!!!!