Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Carrot Cake Cookies topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and crunchy walnuts or pecans. A perfect twist on classic carrot cake, these cookies are easy to make and offer the nostalgic spices and sweetness in a convenient cookie form, ideal for snacks, parties, or dessert.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ¾ cup unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 medium Egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup (about 75 g) Finely grated Carrots (about 2 carrots, blotted to remove moisture, reduced to ⅓ cup)
- 1 and ¾ cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 and ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice
Frosting
- ¼ cup Butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese, block style, at room temperature
- 1 and ½ cups Confectioners’ Sugar (can use up to 2 cups if desired)
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (or maple extract as a substitute)
- ½ cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line three cookie trays with silicone mats or parchment paper. Plan to bake six cookies per tray as these cookies spread during baking. If you have fewer trays, bake in batches.
- Grate and Blot Carrots: Wash, dry, and peel carrots. Grate finely using the small side of a box grater. To prevent the orange color dye on hands, wear gloves if desired. Squeeze grated carrots to expel excess moisture, then blot thoroughly on several paper towels or use a strainer to remove liquid until approximately ⅓ cup (45 g) remains. This step ensures cookies will remain chewy instead of cakey.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and light brown sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add Dry Ingredients to Wet: Sift baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and all-purpose flour directly over the creamed mixture. Begin mixing on low speed to incorporate the dry ingredients safely, then increase to medium speed and mix until a dough forms, being careful not to overmix.
- Incorporate Egg, Vanilla, and Carrots: Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Finally, gently fold in the blotted grated carrots on low speed until well combined.
- Chill Dough If Needed: If the dough feels too greasy or soft, chill it briefly to prevent cookies from over-spreading. Optionally, test bake one cookie to check texture.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Scoop dough balls using about 2 tablespoons each with a medium cookie scoop. Arrange six dough balls per tray, leaving space for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove and let cookies cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. For perfectly round cookies, gently press a large circular cookie cutter on the edges while cookies are still warm.
- Make the Frosting: Beat softened butter on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cream cheese and continue beating for approximately 2 minutes until well combined and creamy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract, mixing on low to start and then on higher speed until smooth, light, and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Assemble Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on top using the back of a spoon or a mini offset spatula. Garnish with chopped walnuts or pecans. Serve and enjoy your delicious carrot cake cookies!
Notes
- Blotting the grated carrots is key to avoid cakey cookies; they should be moist but not wet.
- If dough is too soft, chilling will prevent cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
- Use room temperature ingredients for smooth mixing and better texture.
- Vanilla extract in frosting can be replaced with maple extract for a different twist.
- Adjust the amount of confectioners’ sugar in frosting depending on your sweetness preference.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To keep cookies fresh, bring them back to room temperature before serving if chilled.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes per batch; total about 12-24 minutes depending on batches
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
