Soft Carrot Cake Cookies (Printable)

Soft, spiced cookies loaded with fresh carrots and warm spices, topped with creamy frosting for the perfect sweet treat.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
03 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
05 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 tsp baking powder
08 - ½ tsp baking soda
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
11 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
12 - 2 cups finely grated carrots
13 - ½ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

14 - 6 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
15 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
18 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing just until combined.
06 - Fold in grated carrots and nuts until evenly distributed.
07 - Scoop 3-tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are golden and centers are set. Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, followed by vanilla and salt, beating until fluffy.
10 - Once cookies are completely cool, generously frost each with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with chopped nuts if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These cookies capture everything wonderful about carrot cake but in handheld form
  • The cream cheese frosting topper makes them feel like a special bakery treat at home
02 -
  • Completely cool cookies before frosting or the icing will melt right off
  • Freshly grated carrots make a huge difference in moisture compared to pre-packaged
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to measure your flour for consistent results every time
  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading

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