Carrot Cake Cookies
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Carrot Cake Cookies are perfect for Easter and Spring time!
These Carrot Cake recipes – Carrot Cake Bars, Carrot Cake Bread, Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars, and Carrot Cake Oatmeal – are other favorites to make around this time of year.
This recipe is essentially everything you love about carrot cake but in cookie form!
Most of the flavor comes from the cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and carrots and the velvety cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch.
These cookies have a super moist crumb, are soft and chewy, and are wonderfully spiced, just like carrot cake. You won’t be able to resist them!
Ingredient Notes
These cookies require some basic baking ingredients, plus a couple you might need to grab at the store. If you don’t have cake flour that’s OK! Just use more All-Purpose flour in it’s place.
You can scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Quick 1-minute oats: use gluten free oats if needed.
- Vanilla Pudding Mix (Instant 3.4 oz.): secret ingredient to make these cookies ultra moist!
- Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg: because carrot cake, duh.
- Cornstarch: I love adding cornstarch to make thick, chewy cookies!
- Eggs: you’ll need 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks.
- Vanilla Extract
- Carrots: see tips and tricks below for how I like to grate my carrots!
Step by Step Directions
These cookies are pretty similar to how I make most of my cookie recipes. Once you’ve got that basic method down, you’ll handle cookie baking like a pro!
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
- Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients.
- Lastly, stir in carrots. Mix just until combined.
- Bake and allow cookies to cool completely while you make the cream cheese frosting.
- Once cookies are frosted, garnish with toasted pecans, chopped walnuts, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a cookie scoop: The dough is a pretty wet dough. I recommend that or using lightly floured hands to roll cookies into their shape. Plus, the scoop makes uniform cookies!
- Finely grate the carrots. I actually use a microplane zester to get ultra-fine shreds and this method actually adds moisture to the cookies. Alternatively, you can use a box grater (use the small holes) and then chop them to make the carrot shreds nice and small.
- Do not use the pre-grated matchstick carrots. They are too big and thick for these cookies.
- Use the quick 1 minute oats, not the old-fashioned rolled oats. I find the quick 1 minute oats result in a better crumb, and the old-fashioned oats dry out the cookie.
- Bake cookies just until edges are golden brown. To keep these cookies soft and cake-like, you’ll want to be sure not to over bake them. I always say slightly under-baked is best. (Baking time can also vary depending on size of cookies).
the goods
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Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Cake flour
- 1 cup quick 1 minute oats
- 1 (3.4oz.) box Instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks (no whites)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 large carrots)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cake flour, oats, pudding mix, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 cup Cake flour, 1 cup quick 1 minute oats, 1 (3.4oz.) box Instant vanilla pudding mix, 2 tsp. cornstarch, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- With a stand or hand held mixture, cream together the butter and sugars for ~4 minutes or until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter, cold, 1 cup brown sugar (packed), 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Add in the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix until blended, scraping down the sides as needed.2 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks (no whites), 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients on low speed. Lastly add in the grated carrots and mix just until combined. Dough will be wet/sticky.1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 large carrots)
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a cookie sheet or baking sheet. (6 cookies per baking sheet). Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Be careful not to over bake them, slightly under baked cookies will be soft and cake-like! Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Make the cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add in the softened butter and combine until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract, salt and gradually add in the confectioners sugar and beat until frosting is smooth.8 oz. cream cheese, softened, 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, 2 cups confectioners sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, pinch of salt
- Frost cookies and garnish with chopped pecans/walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Video
Notes
- Add in raisins or chopped nuts into the batter if desired. (~1 cup)
- Do not use the pre-grated matchstick carrots. They are too big and thick for these cookies.
- Use the quick 1 minute oats, not the old-fashioned rolled oats. I find the quick 1 minute oats result in a better crumb, and the old-fashioned oats dry out the cookie.
- Cookies stay fresh covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Can I turn this recipe into a stuffed carrot cake cookie by freezing the cream cheese first then stuffing it in the dough?
I haven’t tried but I bet that would be delish! You can use the cheesecake filling from this recipe if you’d like: https://krollskorner.com/recipes/desserts/cookies/raspberry-cheesecake-cookies/ — let mw know how it goes 🙂
Hello, Why do you put the oats in the recipe?
I like the texture they add!
These cookies were a huge hit for Easter! I’ve never made homemade carrot cake anything – was a little nervous to try but they turned out SO good and they were easy to make. Kroll’s korner has the best cookie recipes!
They look so pretty 🙂 thank you soo much, hope you had a wonderful Easter!!
Hey Tawnie! I love these cookies, but am wondering can the cookie dough be prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight for quick baking the next day? Thanks.
Hi! thanks so much. Yes, of course! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days then bake 🙂 enjoy!
Hi Tawnie,
What is the purpose of the vanilla pudding mix in this recipe? Can it be substituted for more flour or cornstarch? Thanks!
Hi! the pudding mix helps create a softer and chewier cookie. I haven’t tested this recipe without it so I am not sure how it would turn out/what adjustments you would make. I am sorry!
Hi Tawnie,
I have made these cookies several times with the cream cheese frosting. They are always a big hit. I have one question: I put the batter in the refrigerator at a minimum of 30 minutes (sometimes an hour), but the batter is still very sticky. The batter is in a stainless steel bowl covered with plastic wrap. What can I do to resolve the sticky issue?
Hi! Thank you so much for making them 🙂 this dough is a bit wet/sticky I think mainly due to the carrots. I just use a cookie scoop and plot them on the baking tray 🙂
Could these be made ahead, balled out and frozen? Then pulled out and baked the day you need them?
Yes! You should be able to bake from frozen, adjusting time as needed:)
Do you think it’s best to freeze extra dough before or after they are baked? These are one of my favorites btw!
Gorg! Thank you so much. I would do either. Freeze the dough balls pre-baking or freeze the baked cookies (without frosting).
I love all your recipes and cannot wait to make this! While I love cream cheese frosting warm weather doesn’t! Would these be good without it? Would you recommend maybe rolling in cinnamon sugar or sprinkling sugar on top if not using frosting?
Hi Casey! Thank you so much, that means a lot to me!! 🙂 I totally know what you mean. While I haven’t tested this recipe any other way I’m sure that would be delicious (maybe try a few both ways, rolling and sprinkling on top and see which you like best). Happy bakinggg!! xo, Tawnie
Can the cookies be left at room temperature if they’re not frosted? Planning on using a shelf-stable cream cheese.
Yes!! 🙂 Hope you love these. Thank you!