Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are all the flavors of a classic carrot cake, but in a simplified handheld version! Made with a tender soft, cake-like cookie base dotted with fine carrots and sweet spices, and they're finished with a lightly tangy cream cheese frosting. Plus, add optional pecans for crunch.
Servings: 23 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (213g) all purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) finely grated carrots
Frosting
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (220g) powdered sugar
- Chopped pecans for topping (optional)
Instructions
- For the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for 20 seconds, set aside.
- In the large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or in bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) blend together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy.
- Blend in egg and vanilla extract.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix just until combined, then mix in carrots, then mix in remaining 1/2 of the flour mixture just until combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is properly incorporated.
- Scoop dough out with a medium 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop and drop onto prepared baking sheets spacing cookies 2-inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven until set (they should still be soft to the touch though), about 11 - 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. After 5 - 10 minutes of cooling on rack finish cooling completely in an airtight container so they don't dry. Once cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and top with pecans if desired.
- To make the frosting: In a mixing bowl using an electrix hand mixer whip together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on low speed until blended. Increase to high speed and whip several minutes until light and fluffy. until light and fluffy.
- If doing the carrot decoration set aside a few tablespoons to ting green and a few tablespoons to tint orange with food coloring. Add to a piping bag set with a small round tip (I used a Wilton #4 tip for decorating) and decorate.
Notes
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cookies
I have also made these cookies gluten free and they are equally as delicious! Follow these changes for gluten free.
- Replace all-purpose flour with 1:1 Gluten Free Flour, I used King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour. Preferrably measure by weight at 213g.
- Use 7 Tbsp softened butter and 2 Tbsp vegetable oil for the fat.
- Flatten cookie dough balls slightly before baking. Increase bake time to 12 to 13 minutes.
- Wait to frost until ready to serve as cookies are a little more delicate and over time the frosting would soften them further.