Soft Carrot Cake Cookies

Easter is early this year, so while it might seem like it’s too early to be talking about holiday recipes, it’ll sneak up on you!

My Mom makes the BEST carrot cake, so I modified her cake recipe to turn them into soft and tender cookies.

These carrot cake cookies are so perfect for Easter, but honestly are great year-round.

You can make these with or without nuts, serve them plain, drizzled, or frosted, or put them together with frosting and turn them into whoopie pies!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Shredded carrots – you need to peel and shred/grate your own carrots with a box grater. This can also be done with a food processor or handheld grater, but those pre-bagged shredded/julienned carrots from the grocery store won’t work.
• Granulated sugar – obviously this adds sweetness, but it also helps the edges of the cookies get a little crisp.
• Light brown sugar – this also adds sweetness, but also chewiness.
• Ground cinnamon – the warm spice is classic in carrot cake.
• Eggs – not only do the eggs bind everything together, it adds moisture.
• All-purpose flour – no need for any specialty flour, just good ‘ol all-purpose. I typically use Gold Medal brand.
• Baking soda and powder – these are chemical leavening agents that help your cookies rise and be light and fluffy.
• Salt – salt brings out all the other flavors, so the cookies don’t taste one dimensional. I typically use kosher salt, because that’s what I always have on hand.
• Chopped pecans – nuts are pretty common in carrot cake, but I know not everyone likes them. Pecans or walnuts work well, but adding them is optional.
• Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter, so I can control the salt level. It should be softened to room temperature, but not melted or overly warm. A good trick is to gently press your finger into the stick of butter. It should indent, but not completely smush under the gentle pressure
• Cream cheese – just as with the butter, it should be softened. This recipe was only tested using full-fat cream cheese (Philadelphia brand).
• Powdered sugar – I don’t typically sift my powdered sugar for the frosting (but you certainly could if you wanted), so I find a quick whisk does the trick to remove any possible lumps.
• Vanilla extract – this recipe works best with real vanilla, not the clear imitation type.
• Milk – I’ve only made this with whole milk (since that’s what my kids drink), but I think it would work well with other types (or even non-dairy).

How to make carrot cake cookies?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Combine dry ingredients. I like to use a whisk or fork, and doing this helps the ingredients blend into the wet ingredients better.
2. Cream butter and sugars. The name of this is a bit of a misnomer, as there’s no actual cream in this recipe. Creaming the butter and sugars together is just a term that means that the butter and sugars are fully incorporated.
3. Add flour mixture. I find it’s best to do this in batches, about half at a time, mixing in between each addition.
4. Add carrots. If you’re adding nuts to this recipe, this is the step to add them too.
5. Mix. Mix well, until fully combined.
6. Scoop dough. I’ve linked to the cookie scoop that I use below, but you’re looking for scoops of dough around 1.5 – 2Tbsp.
7. Bake. When done, the tops of the cookies should spring back when touched lightly.
8. Cool. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

1. Beat butter and cream cheese. This should be done until it’s fully combined.
2. Add sugar. Beat in the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time.
3. Add liquids. This is the vanilla extract and milk, and the frosting should be beaten until smooth.
4. Drizzle or frost.

Variations of this recipe

• Larger/smaller batch – his recipe is easily doubled if you need to make a large batch. A single batch of these cookies yields approximately 24 cookies, so most of the time, a single batch will be all you need. Conversely, this recipe is also easily halved, if you only need about 12 cookies. Just make sure you halve or double ALL the ingredients.
• Sandwiches – the texture of these cookies is very cake-like, so they make great whoopie pies! Spread some frosting on the bottom of one cookie, then top with another (bottom side down on the frosting). This is delicious, but will mean instead of 24 cookies, you’ll only have 12 whoopie pies/cookie sandwiches.
• Different frosting – instead of the cream cheese frosting, another delicious alternative is this browned butter maple buttercream!
• Frosted or “naked” – instead of just drizzling the cookies with the cream cheese frosting, you can spread it on top of the cookies. Conversely, you can also leave them “naked” or dust with some powdered sugar.

Making carrot cake cookies ahead of time

The great part about this dessert is that it can be made ahead in various ways.

• Frosted – frosted cookies can be kept fresh in an airtight container (in the refrigerator), for a couple of days. 
• Parts – the frosting can also be made ahead of time and kept refrigerator, and the unfrosted cookies can be baked and kept at room temperature (in an airtight container) for a couple of days. Then when ready to serve, frost the cookies.

Freezing

While I don’t recommend freezing the frosted cookies, the unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the refrigerator, making frosting and frost the cookies, then you’re good to go.

Storage

Due to the cream cheese frosting, these cookies should be kept refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 4-5 days.