Soft Carrot Cake Cookies (Printable)
Soft spiced cookies with grated carrots, warm spices, and tangy cream cheese frosting.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
03 - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
05 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
06 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Cookie Wet Ingredients
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - ½ cup brown sugar, packed
10 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cookie Mix-ins
13 - 1 cup finely grated carrots
14 - ½ cup rolled oats
15 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
16 - ½ cup raisins (optional)
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
17 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
18 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
19 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
20 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
05 - Stir the grated carrots into the wet mixture until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
06 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
07 - Gently fold in rolled oats, nuts, and raisins if using, ensuring even distribution without overworking the dough.
08 - Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
09 - Bake for 11-13 minutes until edges are golden brown and centers appear set. Cookies will continue to firm as they cool.
10 - Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
11 - Beat cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; continue beating until fluffy and well-combined.
12 - Once cookies have cooled completely, spread or pipe frosting onto the flat side of each cookie. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- They capture all the nostalgic comfort of carrot cake but in a handheld treat that takes half the time
- The soft, chewy texture with crisp edges is absolutely impossible to resist straight from the oven
02 -
- The cookies need to be completely cool before frosting or the frosting will melt right off
- Grating the carrots finely is crucial so they cook through and distribute evenly in the dough
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients are essential for both the cookies and the frosting
- Do not overbake, these cookies continue to firm up as they cool and should still be soft in the center