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Carrot Cake Cookies

These Carrot Cake Cookies are perfect for the Easter holiday. With a chewy, thick texture, creamy frosting, and crunchy nuts, they’re absolutely divine!

SOFT AND CHEWY COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

These Carrot Cake Cookies might just be your new favorite cookie! These soft, warmly spiced treats are one of our favorite ways to use up any leftover carrots. Plus, they’re made entirely within your cozy kitchen – no need for a trip to the store to pick up any specialty ingredients and they’re ready in under a half hour! If your family loves Carrot Cake, these cookies are sure to delight their taste buds!

Looking down on a few Carrot Cake cookies with frosting and chopped nuts.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Help! Why are my Carrot Cake Cookies hard?

Typically, this happens to cookies if you over baked the cookies or if you mixed the dough too much once you added the flour.

How do I know when these cookies are done baking?

When the cookie edges start to get firm, that’s when they are finished baking. Promptly pull them out of the oven when you see this. They’ll continue to bake a bit more from the heat of the pan so don’t leave them in the oven to bake longer on top of that.

How do I get equal sized cookies?

Using a spring loaded cookie scooper is essential to getting the same sized cookies. This helps make sure that they all bake evenly and that you end up with the proper amount of cookies. You can get a cookie scooper at most grocery stores and on online retailers. Trust me, it’ll save you a lot of headaches trying to get them all the same size by hand.

Can I use different frosting?

Yes, if you want to use a different homemade frosting you can. You can also use a cream cheese store bought frosting if desired.
Additionally, you can make a buttercream frosting instead of a cream cheese frosting if desired. Instead of using the half cup of cream cheese, use a half cup of butter (plus the regular butter that the recipe calls for).

Can I use store bought pre-shredded carrots?

You can totally grab some of the pre-shredded carrots at the store and save a few minutes of time when baking these cookies. However, I’ve done it both ways and I prefer the softer texture of freshly shredded carrots.

Can I use other nuts?

Absolutely! Typically carrot cake is made with chopped pecans or walnuts, but you can swap them out for peanuts or even white macadamia nuts for something different.

Can these cookies sit out at room temperature?

Unfortunately, you don’t want to let these Carrot Cake cookies sit out since the frosting has cream cheese. They need to be refrigerated when you aren’t serving and enjoying them.

How to store leftover cookies?

Leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze carrot cake cookies?

Yes, you can freeze these cookies. I recommend flash freezing.
Additionally, you can also freeze the cookie dough before you bake it. For this, I scoop out the dough and flash freeze them. Then I can grab just a handful to make fresh cookies. I’ll make fresh cream cheese frosting then when I make the new set of cookies.

A stack of homemade Carrot Cake Cookies.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • all-purpose flour
  • ground cinnamon
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • ground ginger
  • unsalted butter
  • granulated sugar
  • brown sugar
  • large eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • grated carrots
  • chopped pecans, optional
  • butter
  • cream cheese
  • powdered sugar
All purpose flour, eggs, butter, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, sugar, vanilla, grated carrots, cream cheese, chopped pecans, and powdered sugar.

HOW TO MAKE CARROT CAKE COOKIES:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and set them aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ginger then set it aside.

A mixing bowl with flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ginger.

Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of your mixer (or with an electric hand mixer) until it’s light and fluffy.

A mixing bowl with butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar mixed together.

Add in the eggs one at a time (mixing after each addition) then the vanilla extract.

An egg in the carrot cake cookie mix.

Add in the flour mixture on low speed (a little at a time)  just until it’s incorporated. 

The mixing bowl with wet ingredients going to be mixed with dry ingredients.

Mix in the shredded carrots and pecans.

Grated carrots on a carrot cake cookie dough.

Scoop the cookie dough onto the sheet pans, leaving about 2 inches apart. I used a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to make this easier and to make sure they come out evenly.

Cookie scooper laying cookies on a parchment paper lined baking tray.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Baked Carrot Cake Cookies on a baking sheet.

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until it’s light and fluffy. 

A mixing bowl with butter and cream cheese.

Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until well combined. 

A mixing bowl with cream butter and cream cheese, vanilla extract and powdered sugar.

Spread the frosting over the cookies.

Carrot Cake cookies with frosting being spread out on one.

Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top of the cookies.

Frosted Carrot Cake Cookies with chopped nuts on one.

Serve and enjoy.

Close up looking at a Carrot Cake Cookie with frosting and chopped nuts on top.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

A plate with a stack of Carrot Cake Cookies.

Carrot Cake Cookies

These Carrot Cake Cookies are perfect for the Easter holiday. With a chewy, thick texture, creamy frosting, and crunchy nuts, they're absolutely divine!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 36 servings

Ingredients

Cookie dough:

Frosting:

  • 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 pound powdered sugar (also called confectioners sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

For the cookies:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and set them aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground ginger then set it aside.
  • Cream together 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, 1 cup granulated sugar and ½ cup brown sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer (or with an electric hand mixer) until it's light and fluffy.
  • Add in 2 large eggs, room temperature one at a time (mixing after each addition) then the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
  • Add in the flour mixture on low speed (a little at a time) just until it's incorporated. 
  • Mix in 2 ½ cups grated carrots and ½ cup chopped pecans.
  • Scoop the cookie dough onto the sheet pans, leaving about 2 inches apart. I used a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to make this easier and to make sure they come out evenly.
  • Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and allow all the cookies to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  • In the bowl of your mixer (or with a handheld electric mixer), beat together 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature and 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened to room temperature until it's light and fluffy. 
  • Mix in 1 pound powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth and combined well.
  • Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies.
  • Sprinkle ½ cup chopped pecans on top of the cookies. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • You can use other nuts for these cookies like macadamia nuts or peanuts. 
  • Feel free to change the frosting to a buttercream frosting. 
  • Use a cookie scoop to get even sized cookies. 
  • Using preshredded carrots is an easy time saver. 
  • Don’t overmix or overbake your cookies or you’ll end up with hard pucks.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze cookies. 
  • You can freeze the cookie dough.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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