The perfect springtime dessert, these Carrot Cake Cookies taste just like carrot cake, but in cookie form! These cookies are perfect for sharing, or for bringing along to a holiday party.
These Carrot Cake Cookies make the perfect Easter dessert! Serve these cookies up alongside these Easter Cookies and dessert is a snap!
Carrot Cake is one of my all-time favorite desserts.
The cake, the frosting – all of it.
The problem is that I don’t make it very often because it’s one of those desserts that requires a little more time and effort. Not that there is anything wrong with time and effort, but those things seem to be lacking in my life lately.
But now I have a way to cure that craving when it hits – with these Carrot Cake Cookies!
These cookies are almost cake-like – soft and moist, and topped with cream cheese frosting. They would be perfect to take along to Easter dinner – or just to make whenever you really want carrot cake!
Ingredients
- Flour: I have only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda: The baking soda will give the cookies their lift, and help with their texture.
- Spices: I just use a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg. You could use pumpkin pie spice, as well.
- Salt: The salt will help balance the flavors, for both the cookies and the frosting.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter.
- Sugar: You need three kinds of sugar for these cookies. Both brown sugar and granulated sugar for the cookies, and powdered sugar for the frosting.
- Eggs: I use large eggs.
- Vanilla: This gives great flavor to both the cookies and the frosting.
- Carrots: You do not want to use pre-grated carrots. Always grate your carrots fresh for this recipe, because pre-grated carrots will be too dry. I like to grate them finely so you don’t get a stringy texture in the cookies. But you can grate them larger, if preferred.
- Coconut: I love coconut in my carrot cake, so I added it to these cookies, as well. Feel free to leave it out if you aren’t a fan.
- Cream Cheese: The cream cheese is for the frosting. I used full fat, but low fat should work, too.
- Milk: This is only used to thin out the frosting. You could also use heavy cream for a silkier texture.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
STEP 1: Mix the dry ingredients together. This is the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. I like to do this with a whisk to make sure it’s mixed well.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars together. Then add the eggs and the vanilla.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat this just until it is mostly combined.
STEP 4: Then add in your carrots and coconut.
STEP 5: Mix this all together. I like to do this with a spatula to make sure everything gets evenly incorporated.
STEP 6: Scoop the dough onto a prepared baking sheet. The dough is quite sticky, so a cookie scoop will make this so much easier. Transfer the cookies to the oven to bake until they are golden on the edges.
STEP 7: To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together, then add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add as much milk as you need to make the consistency you’d like.
STEP 8: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread the frosting on top. I like to top mine with toasted coconut or chopped walnuts, but that is just optional.
Tips and Tricks
These cookies need to be stored in the refrigerator. But I like to bring them back to room temperature before serving. (Although I did not mind them straight from the refrigerator, either!)
I like to top the cookies with toasted coconut and chopped walnuts. You don’t have to top them with anything, but I like that extra flavor.
If you love nuts in your cookies, add in some chopped walnuts.
I just chose to spread the frosting on, but you can always transfer it to a piping bag and pipe it on, as well.
More Carrot Cake Inspired Recipes
Carrot Cake Pancakes
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Carrot Sheet Cake with Toasted Coconut
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
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Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup butter ,softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese ,softened
- 3 tablespoons butter ,softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until combine. Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat until creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix just until combined. Stir I the carrots and the coconut. You don’t want to over-mix the dough, but you do want to make sure everything is evenly combined.
- Drop spoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheet, (I like to use a medium cookie scoop), making sure to keep at least 2 inches between the cookies.
- Bake the cookies until they are golden around the edges and they bounce back when lightly touched in the center, about 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack or a counter to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting.
- In a bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, mixing on low, until completely combined. Beat in the vanilla and salt, and then add milk, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Once the cookies are cool, frost them with the frosting. If desired, add toasted coconut or chopped walnuts to the tops of the cookies.
Mary says
Oh my! These were so easy to make, and so delicious. We added toasted pecans to the top and loved them.
Deborah says
Thanks, Mary – I’m so glad you loved them!