Carrot Cake Cookies
Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
Carrot cake is a classic dessert that many people love any time of year. Traditionally the delicious cake with homemade cream cheese frosting is made with carrots, spices, and sometimes nuts or raisins. But what if we took the addictive carrot cake flavor and put them into carrot cake cookies? Genius!
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Not only will it hit all the must have flavor that carrot cake lovers require, but it’s a great recipe that you can enjoy without having to go through the hassle of making a fancy carrot cake or time intensive carrot cake cupcakes. The sweet treat is just what you need this Easter or any time a craving hits you. It is another reader favorite cake mix dessert!
Carrot Cake Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions:
Carrot cake mix – I’ve used Betty Crocker cake mix for these cookies, but you could use a different brand. If you don’t like carrot cake, use a different flavor of box cake mix to make a different type of sandwich cookie.
Baking powder – Always check the expiry date on this ingredient to ensure a good rise from the cookies.
Cinnamon powder and nutmeg – There should be cinnamon powder and nutmeg in the carrot cake mix, but I like to add extra in this recipe for added flavor and spice.
Salt – Omit if using salted butter.
Eggs – Bring to room temperature for easy mixing.
Unsalted butter – Softened at room temperature for easy mixing. Vegetable oil can be used instead.
Rolled oats – Steel cut oats can be used instead.
Carrots – Freshly grated.
Walnuts – Chopped. Omit for nut allergies.
Frosting – Combine unsalted softened butter, softened full-fat cream cheese, cornstarch, pure vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar.
How To Make These Carrot Cake Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside for later.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrot cake mix, baking powder, and spices. Then using a hand mixer, add the melted butter and eggs to the bowl and beat on low speed until fully incorporated. You can alternatively mix everything with a rubber spatula if you do not have a mixer.
- Fold in the grated carrots, rolled oats, and chopped walnuts.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to drop 1 ½ tablespoon sized balls onto the baking sheets. Space them a few inches apart to leave room for the cookies to spread.
- Bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are set and it reaches desired doneness.
- Allow the cookies to cool in the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- As the cookies bake, you can prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined. Then add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix again until well incorporated and you have a smooth, easily spreadable frosting. If you want a stiffer frosting without adding more sweetness, add more cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
- Once the cookies have cooled, you can use a piping bag or an icing spatula and put the icing on the bottom of a cookie. Then grab another cookie to place on top and you have a cookie sandwich! Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
Serve
Enjoy these carrot cake cookies for Easter with a tall glass of creamy milk alongside other delicious holiday treats. I love a hot cup of coffee with these cookies as a sweet breakfast snack! They can also be enjoyed with a bowl of ice cream for a delicious dessert!
How To Store Carrot Cake Cookies
If you have leftover carrot cake cookies after serving, it is important to store them properly so that they stay fresh and delicious. To do this, simply wrap the cooled cookies in an airtight container or plastic wrap, then keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months; to do this, simply wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight freezer bag or container. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw the cookies at room temperature for about an hour before serving. This will ensure that your carrot cake cookies stay fresh and moist for as long as possible!
Recipe FAQs
Where did carrot cake come from?
In the US, carrot cake is a traditional dessert. It was established in Germany several centuries ago. The first recipe for this cake was found by German historian, Albrecht Durer who described it as being baked with nuts, raisins and grated carrots on cinnamon in 1493.
Can you use pre-shredded carrots in carrot cake?
There is some debate among bakers about whether or not pre-shredded carrots are suitable for use in carrot cake. Some argue that using these pre-shredded carrots results in a less flavorful and textured cake than using fresh carrots, as the shreds may be too fine to adequately incorporate into the batter.
For best results use a box grater or food processor to grate your own carrots or baby carrots.
Can you make these chewy carrot cake cookies ahead of time?
Yes, you can make carrot cake cookie dough ahead of time. To do this, simply prepare and bake cookies as usual. Then store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, simply reheat the cookies in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes until they are warmed through. This is a great way to enjoy the delicious flavors of carrot cake without having to spend time baking an entire cake.
What are some ways to vary these carrot cake cookies?
Add raisins to the cookie batter for extra texture. If you don’t want to make sandwich cookies, top each cookie with the delicious cream cheese frosting instead. Another tasty variation is to sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the frosting.
How do I create uniform-sized cookies?
Use a cookie scoop to measure the cookie batter. This way, you’re guaranteed to get uniform-sized chewy cookies!
Do I have to use box cake mix?
No. I’ve used a carrot cake mix for convenience for these easy carrot cake cookies, but you could make your cookies from scratch using the common dry ingredients, such as all purpose flour, white or brown sugar, and spices.
More Easter Recipe Ideas
- Easter Sugar Cookies
- Easter Mini Bundt Cake Recipe
- Peeps Cupcakes
- The Ultimate List Of Easter Dinner Recipes
Do you enjoy classic carrot cake cookies? Next time you’re craving the perfect combination of spices and the rich carrot flavors, try these tasty and easy to make cookies instead of a slice of carrot cake. You won’t be disappointed! With so many variations of different variations to try, it’s easy to suit anyone’s tastes.
Whether you prefer nuts, coconut, or raisins in your cookies, the sky is really the limit when it comes to this delicious dessert. I just know this delicious carrot cake cookies recipe is going to become your favorite carrot cake recipe!
Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe:
Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot cake is a classic dessert that many people love any time of year. Traditionally the delicious cake with homemade cream cheese frosting is made with carrots, spices, and sometimes nuts or raisins. But what if we took the addictive carrot cake flavor and put them into a carrot cake cookies? Genius!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 15 ounce box carrot cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup grated carrots
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 oz (half block) full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside for later.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrot cake mix, baking powder, and spices. Then using a hand mixer, add the melted butter and eggs to the bowl and beat on low until fully incorporated. You can alternatively mix everything with a rubber spatula if you do not have a mixer.
- Fold in the grated carrots, rolled oats, and chopped walnuts.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to drop 1 ½ tablespoon sized balls onto the baking sheets. Space them a few inches apart to leave room for the cookies to spread.
- Bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are set and it reaches desired doneness.
- Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- As the cookies bake, you can prepare the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined. Then add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix again until well incorporated and you have a smooth, easily spreadable frosting. If you want a stiffer frosting without adding more sweetness, add more cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
- Once the cookies have cooled, you can use a piping bag or an icing spatula and put the icing on the bottom of a cookie. Then grab another cookie to place on top and you have a cookie sandwich! Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
Notes
You can use any boxed cake mix flavor you like however if you use a bigger box you will have to adjust the amount of butter used.
Want to use your own homemade cookie recipe? Go for it. You can use any cookie base you like and add the cream cheese frosting to the centers.
Instead of making cookie sandwiches, you can pipe frosting on individual cookies.
If you don’t have butter, use equal amounts of vegetable oil.
You can omit the added carrots, rolled oats, walnuts, and spices. The rest of the cake measurements will remain the same however I recommend chilling the dough for 30 minutes to reduce spreading.
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