Hey there! It’s Anne from BeyondtheBayouBlog. I’m really excited to share this carrot cake cookies recipe with y’all today. These little gems are like portable slices of everyone’s favorite cake. They’ve got all those classic carrot cake flavors packed into a chewy, cakey cookie.
Growing up in Louisiana, carrot cake was a staple at pretty much every family gathering. My grandma always made the most amazing version with a luscious cream cheese frosting. These cookies remind me of her delicious cake, but in convenient hand-held form.
They’re bursting with fresh carrot, warm spices, and just the right amount of sweetness. The tangy cream cheese frosting on top is the perfect finishing touch. Whether you’re a carrot cake diehard or just a cookie lover, I know you’re going to absolutely love these! Let’s get baking.
Why You’ll Love These Carrot Cake Cookies?
- Perfect for Carrot Cake Lovers: These cookies are essentially mini versions of your favorite carrot cake, delivering all the flavors you love in a convenient cookie form.
- Easy to Bake: With just a bowl and a whisk, you can whip up these cookies effortlessly. Minimal equipment is needed—a mini food processor and a hand grater for pecans and carrots.
- No Chill Time: Skip the waiting game! The cookie dough requires no refrigeration, so you can bake them straight away.
- Flavorful Ingredients: The combination of cinnamon and pecans creates a warm, nutty base that pairs beautifully with the other ingredients.
- Decadent Frosting and Sauce: Top these cookies with cream cheese frosting and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce for an indulgent treat that’s hard to resist.
Try More Cookies Recipe!
Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
Soft, moist and chewy carrot cake cookies stuffed with cream cheese frosting! These are absolutely delicious and everything you want from carrot cake in a cookie form!
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Calories: 527kcal
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 1 Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Whisk
- 1 digital scale
- 1 Offset Spatula
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 150 g cream cheese room temperature
- 2 ½ tablespoon 32g granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Carrot Cookies
- 1 ½ cups 215g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup 113g unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup 110g packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup 65g granulated sugar
- ½ cup 56g grated carrots blotted to remove moisture
- 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
- 1 Large egg at room temperature
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until creamy.
- Line baking sheet with waxed paper.
- Spoon dollops of mixture onto paper; freeze 30 mins.
- Grate carrots finely; blot excess moisture.
- Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Add egg, vanilla, grated carrots; mix well.
- Whisk flour, spices, baking soda; fold into butter mixture.
- Preheat oven to 350°F; line baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop 2 tbsp dough, press frozen cream cheese ball inside.
- Roll into balls; place on sheets, bake 12-14 mins.
- Cool on sheet 3-5 mins; transfer to rack to cool completely.
- Store cooled cookies in airtight container in fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 427mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 3517IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
Expert Tips For Perfect Carrot Cake Cookies!
- Use Freshly Grated Carrots: Always grate fresh carrots yourself. Pre-shredded carrots are too dry and lack the moisture needed for your cookie batter. Trust me, you’ll notice the difference!
- Proper Butter Temperature: When the recipe calls for “room temperature” butter, it means the butter should still be somewhat firm, not completely softened or starting to melt. Too warm butter will make your cookies spread too much.
- Add Nuts for Extra Crunch: If you love nuts in your carrot cake, mix in ¼ to ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter. You can also sprinkle some chopped nuts on top of the frosting while it’s still wet for a delightful crunch and garnish.
- Softening Cream Cheese and Butter: Never microwave cream cheese or butter to soften them. This will make them too soft or even melted, resulting in flat cookies or runny cream cheese frosting. Instead, let them sit out until they reach the right consistency.