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Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cookies » Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

By: Liz  /  Published: April 4, 2023  /  Updated: April 4, 2023  /   Leave a comment

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Carrot Cake Cookies with cream cheese icing are soft, tender cookies baked with carrots and all the delicious carrot cake spices you love. Then they’re lavished with a generous layer of cream cheese icing and topped with festive sprinkles. It’s carrot cake in cookie form.

Read More: Carrot Cake | Carrot Cake Donuts and try more Cookies!

cookie sheet with iced carrot cake cookies

Why This Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe Works

  • It’s everything you love about carrot cake but in a cookie.
  • Soft, tender, and moist texture.
  • Quick and easy cookie recipe – less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
  • Lavished with a luscious cream cheese frosting and fun decorations for Easter and springtime.
  • Perfect for both kids and adults.

Ingredient Notes

labeled branded ingredients for carrot cake cookies
  • Grated Carrots – You’ll want to use whole carrots and peel and grate them. I don’t recommend using the ready-to-eat shredded carrots from the grocery store as they’re dry and brittle and don’t provide the proper amount of moisture for the recipe.
  • Sugar – A combination of granulated and brown sugar is used for carrot cake cookies, and powdered sugar is used in the cream cheese icing.
  • Pecans -You can either add chopped pecans or use ground pecans. I love the flavor of pecans but don’t always want the crunch, so I buy these ground pecans to have on hand for baking.
  • Raisins – Don’t worry; they’re optional. People tend to be in two distinct camps when it comes to raisins. I love them in baked goods, but some people would rather go hungry than eat them. They’re delicious in these cookies though, so if you like raisins, add them! (I use golden raisins.)

Tips for Shredding Carrots

shredded carrots
  • Wash and peel the carrots.
  • Use the fine side of a multi-grater or box grater to grate the carrots. You’ll notice how moist they are. That’s the reason to use fresh carrots, not pre-bagged carrots.
  • Hold the carrot against the grater and scrape downward along the holes. Make sure to keep your fingers away from the sharp edges while you work, and don’t push too hard, or the carrot may snap.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and creamy.

Step 2: Add eggs and vanilla, mixing just until blended.

cookie dough_batter in bowl

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

whisked dry ingredients in bowl - flour, cinnamon, salt, spices, pecan meal
cookie batter in bowl

Step 4: Stir in carrots and raisins. The cookie dough will be very thick so you may need to do this by hand.

add shredded carrots to cookies
add raisins to cookies

Step 5: Use a 1-1/2-inch cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough and drop two inches apart on a non-stick cookie sheet or baking sheets with parchment paper.

rounded tablespoonsful of cookie dough on baking sheet

Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cookies turn golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and leave on cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes to allow cookies to continue baking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

baked carrot cake cookies on cookie sheet

Step 7: Prepare cream cheese icing. In an electric mixer, combine softened cream cheese and butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

cream cheese icing ingredients
whipped cream cheese icing

Step 8: Frost the cooled cookies and add sprinkles, if desired. My 24 Carrot sprinkles are from Sweets & Treats.

adding sprinkles to iced carrot cake cookies
carrot_cake cookies with cream cheese icing

Recipe FAQ

What’s the difference between grating and shredding carrots?

Shredding results in thin strips, and grating produces shorter, choppier pieces. They can be used interchangeably in recipes, so prepare them according to the tools you have on hand.

Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda?

Yes, you can use baking powder instead of baking soda in cookies, but the texture and flavor may differ slightly. If you use baking powder, use three times the amount of baking powder as baking soda (in this recipe, that would be three teaspoons).

How do I store carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting?

Once frosted, the cookies should be stored in the refrigerator so the cream cheese stays fresh. To take the chill off before serving, it may be left on the counter in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

hand holding iced_carrot cake cookie

Other Recipes You’ll Love

  • Lemon Crinkle Cookies
  • Cookie Truffles
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  • Carrot Cake
close-up carrot cake cookies

Carrot Cake Cookies

Liz – Eat Move Make
Carrot cake cookies with cream cheese icing are soft, tender cookies lavished with a generous swoop of cream cheese icing and topped with festive sprinkles.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 232 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups carrots finely grated
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans or ground pecans
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • optional: milk as needed to reach desired consistency

Instructions
 

Carrot Cake Cookies

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together in a stand mixer with paddle attachment until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla, mixing just until blended.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Gradually add to wet mixture.
  • Stir in carrots, pecans and raisins. The cookie dough will be very thick so you may need to do this by hand, depending on your mixer.
  • Use a 1-1/2-inch cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough and drop two inches apart on a non-stick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are turning golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and leave on cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes to allow cookies to continue baking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

  • Prepare cream cheese icing. In an electric mixer, combine softened cream cheese and butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. (Milk may be added, if needed, to reach desired consistency.
  • Frost the cooled cookies and add sprinkles, if desired.

Notes

You’ll want to use whole carrots and peel and grate them. I don’t recommend using the pre-cut carrots from the grocery store as they’re dry, brittle and don’t provide the proper amount of moisture for the recipe.
Once frosted, the cookies should be stored in the refrigerator so the cream cheese stays fresh. To take the chill off before serving, cookies may be left on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only and nutrition may vary according to exact products and the online nutrition calculator being used. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on EatMoveMake.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 101mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 1730IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About Liz

Liz is a midwestern mom gone southern (accent in transition). She lives in North Carolina and loves cooking, baking, traveling, movies, crafts, hot and cold tea, wine, pizza and the occasional nap. She also revels in the fact she's a crazy cat lady.

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I’m the founder of Eat Move Make and a North Carolina mom of two humans and six cats. I love to cook, bake, craft and travel. I’m also addicted to tea (but not sweet tea).

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