These carrot cake cookies are moist, oatmeal-based cookies that come together in a flash. They are topped with a generous topping of signature sweet cream cheese frosting (and sprinkles, if you’re feeling festive). These bite-sized treats are much simpler than making a whole cake!
I know I just posted a carrot cake recipe a few days ago, but with Easter right around the corner I’m feeling in the mood for all the carrot-based desserts, and I wanted to re-share another older recipe with you.
I was never happy with my original photos for these carrot cake cookies (taken two years ago!), so I’ve pretty much neglected them for some time, despite the fact that they are one of my favorite cookies… even though they are made with carrots.
As with my cheesecake layered carrot cake, I think a lot of that has to do with the copious amounts of cream cheese frosting piled high atop each and every carrot cake cookie.
In fact, when I first set out to make these carrot cake cookies, I was really setting out to make a tasty vehicle by which to transport hefty servings of cream cheese frosting to my mouth.
I think that I accomplished my goal, but to just talk about the cream cheese icing really robs these cookies of a lot of their due credit.
A lot of thought and care really did go into the recipe for this “cream cheese frosting vehicle”. I wanted cookies that were soft and moist (because that’s how carrot cake needs to be), but still sturdy enough to hold said copious amounts of frosting. Enough flavor to be delicious even on their own, without a frosting crown.
And with or without some festively (carrot) colored sprinkles.
It took a few tries to get these just right, but here they are.
As I said, these cookies can be eaten plain (but why would you want to when there’s cream cheese frosting to be made). They have an oatmeal base and a distinct carrot-cake flavor. If you’d like, you can absolutely add raisins to your own cookies (a common feature in many carrot cakes), but as I’ve mentioned in the past, I don’t like raisins and so they have been omitted here.
Each bite is like digging into a freshly cut slice of carrot cake, no fork required.
I brought these cookies to work and no one had any complaints about my liberal frosting application.
My co-workers, they get me 😉
Enjoy!
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter softened (226g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
- ½ cup sugar (100g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups old fashioned oats (295g)
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (215g)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup grated/shredded carrots (120g)
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (120g)
- ½-1 cup raisins, optional depending on preference (80-160g)
Frosting
- ¾ cup salted butter softened (170g)
- 12 oz cream cheese softened (340g)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar (565g)
- 1 Tablespoons corn starch (this helps the frosting to maintain its shape - it's less likely to make a mess your hands this way!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C)
- Place your butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl and use an electric beater) and beat until creamy, about 1 minute
- Add sugars and cream together until light and fluffy
- Add vanilla and then beat in eggs, one at a time, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
- In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet, pausing periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- With mixer on low-speed, stir in carrots and walnuts/pecans (and raisins, if using)
- Drop cookies by rounded spoonful (about 1 ½ Tbsp scoop) onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake 11-12 minutes on 350F (177C). Cookies may appear slightly underbaked at their centers still.
- Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on tray then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
For Frosting
- In stand mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese.
- Add vanilla.
- Gradually add in powdered sugar, about ⅓ cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add corn starch and stir.
- Spread frosting onto cookies or transfer frosting into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2D tip and pipe on top of cooled cookies.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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Cheesecake Layered Carrot Cake
This Carrot Cake Cookies post was originally published 4/13/2015, photos and text have been updated 3/30/2017
Lynn Neudorf
Can these cookies be frozen with cream cheese icing?
Sam
Hi Lynn! That will work just fine. 🙂
Liz
How long do you think these last refrigerated?
Sam
I would say 5 days in an air tight container. 🙂
Suzy
I am going to make for Easter. Can you please tell me where to get the sprinkles you have in the picture?
Sam
Hi Suzy! I get them from a website called Country Kitchen Sweet Art. 🙂
Jenn
Oh my goodness these are fabulous! The perfect size treat and so easy to make! Thank you for another great recipe! xoxo
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jenn! 🙂
Leslie
These are amazing! This recipe definitely makes plenty to share and these received rave reviews from everyone who tried them! I’m making them again this week to be part of our Thanksgiving dessert spread!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear everyone enjoyed, Leslie!! Thank you so much for trying my recipe! 🙂
Lorri
Hey Sam! I’m thinking about making these in bar form and icing them afterward in the bar pan. Any idea how I’d adjust the baking time? Do you think they would turn out okay?
Sam
Hi Lorri! I haven’t tried it but I think it could turn out. I’m not sure what the bake time would be, but it would definitely be increased. 🙂
Lorri Lightner
I tried it and ended up increasing time by a whopping 2 minutes. Came out great! Thanks for the recipe!
Sam
That’s great to hear! Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Shan
I made this but never seem to have the ‘crunchy-ness- on the outside? It is done but after few hours it lost the crisp totally. Is it what it should be like?
Sam
Hi Sham! These aren’t a crunchy cookie. They are supposed to be soft. 🙂
Julie
I can’t wait to try these! Should I dry the carrots after shredding them? Thank you 🙂
Sam
Hi Julie! I do not. Enjoy! 🙂
Ji-Ha
I made these last night and they were soooo good!!! These cookies were actually sweet enough for me without the frosting, but they are good with it as well (because who doesn’t like cream cheese frosting?!). Thank you for another amazing recipe, Sam!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Rich
My wife is allergic to oats. Since carrot cake is basically a spice cake, could I add carrots and raisins to a spice cookie?? I use cream cheese in my gluten free cookies to make them soft. Thanks.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Rich! We’re honestly not sure how that would turn out without trying it ourselves. 🙁 Many stores carry gluten-free oats, if that’s the issue. Hope that helps!
Evelyn
Would it change how the cookies turn out in any way if I don’t add in the nuts?
Looking forward to trying this recipe soon!! 😀
Sam
Nope that’s not a problem and no other changes are needed. Enjoy! 🙂
Bina
Hi Sam,
Never heard of carrot cake cookies but anxious to try!!!! Would the dough freeze well? There are only two of us at home and I am planning to halve the recipe but even then it is a lot. So maybe make some of the dough into balls and freeze? Thoughts?
Thanks 🙂
Sam
Hi Bina! Yes the dough should freeze just fine, I would form it into balls and then wrap each ball with plastic wrap and store each in an airtight container or ziploc bag and then freeze. When baking cookies from frozen, they may need a bit more time in the oven. I hope that helps! 🙂
Bina
Thanks! I made them today. Ate 6 and froze the rest. I made them without the frosting and they are not too sweet (perfect base for the frosting) so I put some powdered sugar on top and they were just right.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Bina! 🙂
Amber
How would you store these cookies?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Amber! I recommend storing the cookies in an airtight container. 🙂
Alex f
So icing doesn’t need to be refrigerated? Or store in airtight container refrigerated?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Alex! If you have leftover icing, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge. If the icing is on your cookies, they can sit out for a few hours, but they will need to go in the fridge after that. Hope that helps! 🙂
Mic
Hi Sam! Will this turn out fine if I use flour instead of adding oatmeal? Thanks!
Sam
Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend it. They would end up being quite cakey.
Lori Shutte
The best carrot cake cookies
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Lori! Thanks for commenting. 🙂