If you adore the cozy, spiced flavors of classic carrot cake but want a portable, bite-sized treat, this Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe is exactly what you need. These delightful cookies capture all the warmth and sweetness of traditional carrot cake, packed with grated carrots, coconut, and raisins, sandwiched between creamy, dreamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for sharing with friends or enjoying with a cup of tea, this recipe brings together comforting flavors and easy-to-handle cookie magic in one delicious package.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe relies on simple but thoughtfully chosen ingredients that create a wonderful balance of sweetness, spice, and texture. Each one plays a crucial role in bringing this beloved flavor to life.
- Unsalted butter: Provides richness and helps achieve that tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie texture.
- Brown sugar: Adds a deep molasses flavor along with moistness to the dough.
- Granulated sugar: Gives sweetness and helps create a nicely browned surface.
- Large eggs: Bind the ingredients together while adding moisture.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances all the flavors with a fragrant sweetness.
- All-purpose flour: The structural foundation for the cookies.
- Old fashioned rolled oats: Adds a chewy bite and a bit of rustic texture.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Both contribute to a light, airy crumb.
- Cinnamon: The star spice that infuses warmth into every bite.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor depth.
- Finely grated carrots: The key ingredient that brings moisture, subtle sweetness, and that unmistakable carrot cake character.
- Unsweetened coconut: Offers tropical notes and a chewy texture contrast.
- California raisins: Burst of natural sweetness and a tender chew.
- Cream cheese: For the luscious, tangy frosting that completes these cookies perfectly.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps it spread smoothly.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Start by heating your oven to a cozy 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup. Prepping your workspace ahead makes the rest of the process a breeze.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, beat together the softened unsalted butter with both the brown and granulated sugars until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy. This step is crucial to get that tender texture and sweet base for the cookies.
Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Mix in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract, ensuring everything is well combined. The eggs help bind the ingredients, while the vanilla adds a subtle fragrance that makes the cookie smell irresistible.
Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Then gradually incorporate these dry ingredients into your wet mixture until just blended, careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Stir in Carrots, Coconut, and Raisins
Fold the finely grated carrots, unsweetened coconut, and California raisins into the dough. This is where the natural sweetness and chewy textures come alive, making it true to its carrot cake inspiration.
Step 6: Shape and Bake the Cookies
Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake in your preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden brown and the tops look set.
Step 7: Cool Cookies Completely
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool entirely. This prevents them from breaking apart when you frost and assemble.
Step 8: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together the softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar while continuing to beat to achieve a luscious, spreadable frosting that pairs perfectly with the spiced cookies.
Step 9: Assemble the Cookies
Spread about one tablespoon of frosting on the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich it with another cookie. Repeat this for all cookies to create delightful little carrot cake cookie sandwiches.
Step 10: Let Frosting Set
Allow the frosting to firm up for 1 to 2 hours before serving. This helps prevent the frosting from oozing out and gives cleaner, neater cookie sandwiches ready to enjoy.
How to Serve Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
For a charming finish, try sprinkling the assembled cookies with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a few finely chopped toasted walnuts on top. These subtle decorative touches add both visual appeal and complementary crunch.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair beautifully with a hot cup of chai tea, spiced coffee, or even a cold glass of milk. The warm spices in the cookie beautifully match these beverages, enhancing the cozy moment.
Creative Ways to Present
Serve these cookies on a rustic wooden platter for a homey vibe or arrange them in a pretty tin tied with a colorful ribbon as a heartfelt homemade gift. You can also place a few cookies in a small dessert box with parchment paper for an elegant take-home treat at parties.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover Carrot Cake Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain their soft texture. If your kitchen is particularly warm, keeping them in the fridge will also help keep the frosting firm.
Freezing
To freeze, sandwich the cookies and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet to flash freeze. Once solid, stack them with parchment layers in between and seal in a freezer-safe container. They keep well for up to 3 months.
Reheating
If you prefer your cookies slightly warm, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. You can also warm a cookie individually in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, just enough to soften the frosting but not melt it completely.
FAQs
Can I substitute ingredients in this Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe?
Absolutely! You can swap rolled oats for quick oats if needed, and if you’re not a fan of raisins, chopped dried cranberries or chopped nuts would make excellent alternatives. Just keep the carrot and cream cheese elements to preserve the signature taste.
How do I get the carrots finely grated for the recipe?
Using a box grater works perfectly, focusing on the small grating side. If you have a food processor with a grating attachment, that will speed things up too. Finely grated carrots meld into the dough better and provide moisture without large chunks.
What if I don’t have cream cheese for the frosting?
The cream cheese frosting is classic and adds a tangy richness, but if you’re out, a simple vanilla buttercream or even a dusting of powdered sugar can work in a pinch. Just know it will change the flavor profile a bit.
How should I space the cookies on the baking sheet?
Space them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading without merging into each other. This helps achieve nice cookie shapes and even baking.
Can I make this recipe gluten free?
Yes, by swapping the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend that’s designed for baking, you can enjoy these cookies without gluten. Just make sure your baking powder and other ingredients are gluten free as well.
Final Thoughts
This Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe is truly a celebration of flavors and textures wrapped up in a convenient, delightful little package. Whether you’re baking them for a cozy afternoon treat or sharing with a crowd at a gathering, they’re bound to bring smiles and requests for seconds. Give this recipe a try and enjoy the perfect marriage of classic carrot cake and cookies in every bite.
Print
Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 40 cookies (20 cookie sandwiches)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Carrot Cake Cookies combine the moist, spiced flavors of classic carrot cake with the convenience and hand-held fun of a cookie. Packed with grated carrots, rolled oats, coconut, and California raisins, they’re soft and chewy with a delightful texture. Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting sandwich, they make a perfect treat for gatherings, snacks, or dessert.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup California raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a tender cookie.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract until fully combined, ensuring the mixture is smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Add Carrots, Coconut, and Raisins: Fold in the finely grated carrots, shredded coconut, and California raisins evenly throughout the dough to distribute flavor and texture.
- Drop Dough on Baking Sheets: Using a tablespoon, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and the tops are set but still soft.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps them set and firm up.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Assemble Cookie Sandwiches: Spread about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese frosting on the flat side of one cookie and sandwich it with another cookie to form a sandwich.
- Set Frosting: Allow the sandwich cookies to rest for 1 to 2 hours so the frosting sets properly before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature to ensure smooth mixing and a creamy frosting.
- For finely grated carrots, use the smallest holes on a box grater or a food processor to avoid large carrot chunks.
- Spacing cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet allows for proper spreading and even baking.
- Cookies are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting, and can be served at room temperature.
- To make preparation quicker, you can prepare the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it before baking.
