Carrot Cake Cookies (Printable)

Soft spiced cookies loaded with carrots, oats, and warming spices. Ready in 32 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

13 - 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
14 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
15 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
16 - 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

→ Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

17 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
18 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
19 - 1 cup powdered sugar
20 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until creamy and well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually stir in the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
06 - Fold in grated carrots, oats, and any optional add-ins such as nuts and/or raisins until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and centers are set. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
09 - Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting or serving.
10 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until fluffy and well combined.
11 - Spread or pipe frosting onto completely cooled cookies as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They capture everything wonderful about carrot cake but are ready in half the time
  • The texture is incredibly soft and chewy, with just the right amount of spice warmth
  • You can frost them for a special treat or enjoy them plain for everyday snacking
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough will make your cookies tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • Letting them cool on the baking sheet for those crucial 5 minutes prevents them from falling apart
  • The frosting only works on completely cooled cookies or it will melt right off
03 -
  • Use the finest holes on your box grater for carrots that almost melt into the cookie
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm to prevent spreading too much

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