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These frosted carrot cake cookies taste just like traditional carrot cake but in an easy-to-make cookie form! And it wouldn’t be carrot cake without a generous amount of homemade cream cheese frosting on top. The perfect Spring dessert!
If you love carrot cake, you’ve got to try these frosted carrot cake cookies along with carrot cake cheesecake and carrot cake quick bread! They’re all so delicious and the perfect desserts to make as the temperatures warm up.
Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe
Carrot cake lovers rejoice! These cookies are bursting with all the classic carrot cake ingredients: a moist cake base, juicy pineapple, crunchy walnuts, and of course, those melt-in-your-mouth carrots – but in a convenient, grab-and-go form. These carrot cake cookies are the best Easter dessert and so easy to make!
And let’s not forget the cherry on top, or should I say frosting! Homemade cream cheese frosting takes these cookies to the next level. Whether it’s for an Easter treat or for when your sweet tooth hits, these cookies are the perfect choice.
Cookie and Frosting Ingredients
Simple pantry staples and spices make these frosted carrot cake cookies a hit! Here’s everything you’ll need to whip up the cookies and homemade cream cheese frosting:
- Flour: Gives your cookies structure.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: So your cookies don’t go flat!
- Salt: A pinch enhances the flavor of all the other ingredients.
- Nutmeg & Cinnamon: Warm spices that give the cookies that classic carrot cake flavor.
- Butter: Makes the carrot cake cookies moist and tender.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: Both make your cookies nice and sweet, but the brown sugar is what will give your cookies the perfect caramel-y flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds a touch of sweetness and complexity.
- Eggs: Binds the ingredients together.
- Crushed Pineapple: For a touch of tanginess.
- Shredded Carrots: No carrot cake dessert is complete without the carrots! I used shredded.
- Raisins: Plump, chewy raisins add pops of sweetness and fruitiness.
- Chopped Walnuts (Optional): For a nice nutty crunch (feel free to omit them if you prefer nut-free cookies).
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese creates a rich and tangy frosting base.
- Butter: Helps make the frosting smooth and spreadable. Again, you’ll want this to be softened so it mixes together smoothly with the other ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and gives it a smooth texture.
- Salt: Just a pinch to make it taste better overall!
Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe (With Homemade Frosting!)
- Preheat Oven, Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and ground cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Then set aside.
- Sugar Mixture: Use an electric or stand mixer to cream together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg.
- Add Mix-Ins: Stir in the crushed pineapple, carrots, and raisins. Stir in dry ingredients. Mix in the chopped nuts if desired.
- Bake: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls about 2-3 tablespoons each onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bottoms are beginning to brown. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine Butter and Cream Cheese: Beat the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in Remaining Ingredients: Add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and salt and mix on low until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat for a couple of minutes until smooth. You may separate a small amount of frosting to tint green and orange to pipe carrots or just leave it all white. Use a spoon or a knife to spread frosting over each cooled cookie.
Tips and Tricks
A few extra ways to ensure that your carrot cake cookies turn out perfectly!
- Shred Your Own Carrots: You can use the pre-shredded carrots from the store, but I find the best texture and flavor comes from large carrots that you shred yourself.
- Don’t Overbake Your Cookies! Once the edges start to brown and the tops turn more matte instead of shiny, it’s time to remove them from the oven. You can let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Use Pecans: If you don’t like walnuts but you still want some nuts in your cookies, replace them with toasted chopped pecans.
Storing Leftover Carrot Cake Cookies
Because of the cream cheese in the frosting, these cookies ought to be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 5 days. Lay them in a single layer, as they will stick to each other if stacked.
Can These Cookies Be Frozen?
Yes! The texture of both the cookies and the cream cheese frosting hold up well after being frozen. Pop your cookies in a freezer bag, they’ll stay good for up to 2 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before you enjoy them again!
The Best Carrot Cake Treats
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Frosted Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
CARROT CAKE COOKIES:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (8-ounce can) crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Use an electric or stand mixer to cream together ½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract in a large bowl until combined. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg.
- Stir in 1 (8-ounce can) crushed pineapple, 1 cup shredded carrots, and 1 cup raisins. Stir in dry ingredients. Mix in 1 cup chopped walnuts, if desired.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls about 2-3 tablespoons each onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bottoms are beginning to brown. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the softened 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 6 ounces cream cheese, on medium speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 1 pinch salt and mix on low until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat for a couple of minutes until smooth. You may separate a small amount of frosting to tint green and orange to pipe carrots or just leave it all white. Use a spoon or a knife to spread frosting over each cooled cookie.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I make these cookies without the pineapple.
The pineapple adds a taste and texture to the cookies that are necessary. It would change them quite a bit to take that ingredient out!
What can I add instead of pineapple
Applesauce should work instead of pineapple!
oh yummy! These look so good!