These carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting are everything you love about carrot cake, but in an easy to enjoy cookie form! These cookies are packed with freshly grated carrots and classic carrot cake spices then finished off with a drizzle of delicious cream cheese frosting.
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Carrot cake is one of my all-time favorite desserts!
Fresh carrot flavor, warm cozy spices, and decadent cream cheese are, in my opinion, one of the most perfect flavor combinations ever!
The only thing better than carrot cake is carrot cake you can eat on the go! This quick and easy carrot cake cookie recipe with cream cheese frosting are the perfect solution to curb your carrot cake cravings on the go.
If you love cookies, you might also enjoy chocolate cherry cookies and polar bear paw cookies.
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Ingredients
Let's take a look at the ingredients you need to make deliciously soft carrot-flavored cake cookies and the silky smooth cream cheese frosting.
- Butter: Unsalted is best and like most cookies, it's vital to start with room-temperature butter.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar and light brown sugar: I love combining granulated white sugar and light brown sugar to make cookies. It provides just the perfect amount of depth of flavor.
- Eggs: Helps the cookie batter bind together and gives them a little lift.
- Vanilla extract: Using vanilla in cookies helps enhance the other flavors in the recipe and adds an aromatic, sweet finish.
- Flour: Use all purpose flour for this recipe or a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour replacement.
- Baking soda and baking powder: This powerful combination gives the cookie a nice fluffy lift that is irresistible.
- Cinnamon: Gives the cookies that classy, cozy spice flavor that we all love in carrot cake!
- Salt: Just a touch is all you need to round off the flavor and bring everything together.
- Shredded carrot: Skip the bagged stuff and shred your own carrots as finely as possible for perfect cookies.
- Pecans: These are totally optional but they go so amazing with the carrot cake flavors.
- Confectioner's sugar: Sweetens the frosting but keeps it super creamy.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese and make sure it's softened to room temperature otherwise you won't get a smooth frosting.
- Butter: Gives the cream cheese frosting a richer, buttery flavor.
Milk: Just a bit to help adjust the consistency of the frosting to your liking.
Be sure to check the recipe card for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Substitutions and Variations
Need to make an adjustment? I have tested and tried the following substitutions for this recipe:
- Gluten-free Flour: I have tested this recipe with King Arthur 1-to-1 flour replacement and the cookies turn out lovely!
- Frosting: If you don't care for cream cheese frosting, you could make these with buttercream frosting instead!
- Swap the pecans: You can swap out pecans for your favorite nut.
- Dried fruit: Try adding raisins or dried cranberries. Add about one-quarter cup when you add the carrots.
- Give the cookies a bit of extra texture: Use larger shreds of carrots and consider adding more nuts to the cookie dough for extra crunch.
- Love nuts? You can add an extra one-quarter cup of nuts to the cookie dough batter and sprinkle extra nuts on top for the ultimate nutty treat.
- Nut-free carrot cake cookies: Skip the nuts completely with this recipe for an allergy-friendly carrot cake dessert.
- Change up the decorations: Keep the topping fancy with a drizzle of cream cheese frosting or spread an even layer across the entire thing! If you like the look of the nuts, you could even crumble a bit of one cookie and sprinkle them on the other ones for visual variation.
Equipment
You likely have everything you need to make these soft and fluffy cake cookies!
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: To get the perfect amount of each ingredient.
- Mixing Bowls: You will need a few. One to mix the dry ingredients, one to mix the wet ingredients, and then a third to mix the icing or you can do what I do and wash the cookie base mixing bowl while the cookies are baking and use that.
- Grater or Shredder: To quickly and easily grate the carrots.
- Whisk: A useful tool for combining the dry ingredients.
- Electric Mixer: You will need it to mix up the base of the cookies and to make the frosting.
- Parchment Paper: Since these cookies are soft, using parchment is very helpful when baking.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
Ready to make these delicious easter cookies? Let's get started!
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
PRO TIP: Parchment paper is very helpful with this recipe as the cookies are very soft. Using parchment will help prevent them from sticking and make removing the cookies for cooling a breeze.
- Next, get a large bowl and use an electric mixer on medium speed to mix the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. You will want to mix until light and fluffy, which helps the cookies stay light and fluffy with a tender crumb.
- Then add the vanilla and egg and continue mixing until everything is well mixed. Once this step is done, set the bowl aside.
- In a second large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. You can also use a sifter if preferred. This step helps make sure the baking soda and powder are well distributed in the flour mixture so your cookies rise evenly.
- Combine the two bowls and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Lastly, add the carrots and stir just until combined. You want to make sure not to overmix to keep the cookies light and fluffy.
- Finally, use a cookie scoop to drop tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. You will want to place them a few inches apart so they don't bake into each other.
PRO TIP: The cookie dough will be thick and very moist, much like muffin batter. Do not attempt to roll cookie dough balls, instead drop the batter directly onto the prepared baking sheet. Don't worry about the shape of the mound, they will smooth out as they bake.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
How do I know when carrot cake cookies are done?
Because of the color, it can be challenging to know when they are done. Look at the edges for the best clue for doneness. They should be ever so slightly darker than the rest of the cookie.
Another hint that the cookies are done is the sheen. When the cookie is done baking it will lose its shine across the entire surface.
- Once the cookies are done baking, remove them from the oven. I like to let them set for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. It is important to allow the cookies to cool completely before icing.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
While the cookies are cooling, I like to make the frosting.
- Start by combining the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium-low speed and mix until smooth and well combined.
⭐️ It's very important to use room-temperature butter and cream cheese to make sure your frosting is extra smooth.
- Slowly add the confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time until all 4 cups are used.
- Add the vanilla and milk, adjusting until your frosting has reached the desired consistency.
ICING PRO TIP: To make your frosting thinner, add a couple of teaspoons of milk at a time until your ideal texture is reached. To make your frosting thicker, add a tablespoon of confectioner's sugar.
How to Frost and Decorate
Ready to frost your carrot cake cookies? Let's take a look at a few different approaches you can take when decorating carrot cake cookies!
Here are some ideas for how to decorate them:
- Spread icing over the entire cookie for an extra indulgent treat.
- Use a piping bag and drizzle a bit over each cookie for a more subtle garnishing option.
- Warm the icing a bit and dip the cookie into the frosting to coat the entire top, or even dip just one half!
- Skip the icing and sprinkle confectioners sugar over the cookies for a super simple finishing touch.
- Set aside a one-quarter cup of frosting. Color half of it green and the other half orange. Use this frosting to pipe a little carrot on some of the cookies.
I personally like to make a big batch and garnish them in many different ways to suit our entire family's taste preferences.
Storage
These cookies are topped with a cream cheese frosting, so they will need to be kept in the fridge. When properly stored in the fridge, these cookies can last up to four days.
These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Personally, I have only tried freezing the cookies alone, without the frosting.
Expert Tips and FAQS
Ready to make your own batch of carrot cake cookies? Remember these tips before getting started:
- Use parchment paper when baking since the cookies are super soft.
- Do not roll the cookie dough, simply drop it directly onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Cool the cookies completely before frosting them.
- Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese for the frosting.
Yes! I have tested these cookies with King Arthurs's 1-to-1 gluten-free replacement flour and they turned out delicious!
Yes, if you have a nut allergy you can make them without nuts.
Slowly add milk to the frosting until desired consistency is reached.
Add confectioners sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time until the frosting is as thick as you like it.
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Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card right below! You can also write a review in the comment section further down the page I always appreciate your feedback. And don’t forget to tag me @freshcoasteats in your photos on social media, I'd love to see your results!
Carrot Cake Cookies
Equipment
- Grater or Shredder
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups finely shredded carrot
- Optional: Finely chopped pecans
Icing:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon milk adjust for consistency
Instructions
Directions for Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating until fully incorporated, set aside.
- In a second large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Carefully add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until fully mixed.
- Adjust the speed of the electric mixer to low and add the carrots. If you want to add nuts, you can add ½ cup at this time. Continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Using a medium cooking scoop, drop Tablespoon sized dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet about two inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are cooked through.
- Allow to cool before icing.
Directions for Icing:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and cream cheese.
- Carefully add the confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time until it is fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and milk, using more or less to reach desired consistency.
- Use the icing to first the cookies or drizzle on as a glaze.
- You can also color the icing and pipe a carrot on the cookies.
Notes
- Use parchment paper when baking since the cookies are super soft.
- Do not roll the cookie dough, simply drop it directly onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Cool the cookies completely before frosting them.
- Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese for the frosting.
Alex says
I made these delicious cookies for morning tea, and they were so good my family want me to make another batch tomorrow. We loved the cream cheese frosting!
I made them using gluten-free flour, as suggested as a possibility in the post, and they came out perfectly. I think we will also makethese over the Easter break!