Soft & Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe For Sweet Moments
Sinking your teeth into a soft, spiced carrot cake cookie that captures all the warmth of grandma’s classic dessert.
These delightful morsels blend the comforting flavors of traditional cake into a portable, easy-to-enjoy treat.
Warm cinnamon and nutmeg dance alongside sweet, tender carrots in each perfectly balanced bite.
Cream cheese frosting adds a luxurious touch that makes these cookies irresistibly decadent.
Nuts provide a satisfying crunch that elevates the entire experience.
Home bakers will adore how simple these cookies are to whip up with minimal effort.
Gather your ingredients and get ready to create a batch that’ll disappear faster than you can say “delicious”!
Everything You Need For Carrot Cake Cookies
Main Baking Ingredients:Spice Blend:Moisture and Flavor Ingredients:Mix-In Ingredients:How To Make Carrot Cake Cookies From Scratch
Step 1: Warm Up the Oven
Crank up your oven to a cozy 350F (175C). Grab your baking sheets and give them a quick cover with parchment paper or those handy silicone mats.
Step 2: Whip Up the Butter Mixture
Grab a big mixing bowl and get ready to create some magic. Blend together:Beat these ingredients until they transform into a fluffy cloud of deliciousness. This should take about 2-3 minutes of happy mixing.
Step 3: Introduce Wet Ingredients
Crack in an egg and splash some vanilla extract into your butter mixture. Give it a good whirl until everything looks smooth and inviting.
Step 4: Mix the Dry Teammates
In a separate bowl, gather your dry ingredients for a flavor party:Whisk these friends together until they’re perfectly blended.
Step 5: Combine Everything
Slowly marry your dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined – no need for overmixing!
Step 6: Bring in the Carrots and Extras
Time to fold in some awesome additions:Step 7: Shape and Bake
Scoop out adorable little tablespoon-sized dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets. Leave some breathing room between each cookie – about 2 inches apart. Slide these beauties into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges look set and the tops have a gentle golden glow.
Step 8: Cool Down
Let the cookies chill on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Watch them transform from warm, gooey treats to perfect, nibble-worthy cookies!
Best Tips For Baking Carrot Cake Cookies
How To Store And Reheat Carrot Cake Cookies
What Goes Great With Carrot Cake Cookies
Fun Twists For Carrot Cake Cookies
Why Carrot Cake Cookies Are So Loved
FAQ About Carrot Cake Cookies
These cookies capture all the warm spices and delicious flavors of carrot cake in a portable, crispy-edged cookie form. Unlike regular cake, they’re easier to share and perfect for snacking.
Yes! Simply substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Make sure to choose a blend that works well for baking to maintain the cookie’s texture and structure.
Look for slightly golden edges and a set top. They might seem slightly soft in the center when you first remove them from the oven, but they’ll firm up as they cool. The baking time of 10-12 minutes is key to achieving that perfect texture.
Not at all! These are optional mix-ins. If you don’t like nuts or raisins, you can easily skip them or replace them with chocolate chips or coconut flakes for your own unique twist.
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Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
Indulgent carrot cake cookies blend classic spices with sweet, chewy textures for a delightful dessert experience. Homemade comfort meets bakery-style charm, promising pure satisfaction when you savor each irresistible bite.
Ingredients
Primary Ingredients:
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (100 g) grated carrots
Sweeteners and Sugars:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Spices and Optional Mix-ins:
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup (50 g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- ½ cup (60 g) raisins (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional):
- 4 ounces (115 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350F (175C) and lining baking sheets with protective parchment or silicone mats to prevent sticking.
- Utilize a spacious mixing bowl to thoroughly blend softened butter with granulated and brown sugars, creating a smooth, airy texture through vigorous whisking until the mixture becomes light and voluminous.
- Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly to ensure complete integration and a uniform consistency throughout the dough.
- In a separate container, meticulously combine flour, leavening agents, salt, and warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, creating a fragrant dry mixture.
- Gently introduce the dry ingredient blend into the wet mixture, stirring with minimal manipulation to maintain the dough’s delicate structure and prevent over-mixing.
- Carefully fold in freshly grated carrots, along with chopped nuts and plump raisins, distributing ingredients evenly throughout the cookie dough.
- Portion the dough into precise tablespoon-sized rounds, strategically placing them on prepared baking sheets with adequate spacing to allow proper expansion during baking.
- Bake the cookies until the edges become firm and the surface develops a subtle golden hue, typically requiring 10-12 minutes of oven time.
- Allow the freshly baked cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a brief cooling period, then transfer to a wire rack to complete the cooling process, ensuring a perfect texture and preventing continued cooking.
Notes
- Grate carrots finely to ensure even distribution and prevent large, chunky bits in your cookies, creating a smoother texture and more consistent bite.
- Substitute vegetable oil for butter to make the cookies dairy-free, which works particularly well for those with lactose intolerance or vegan dietary needs.
- Toast chopped nuts before adding them to the batter to enhance their nutty flavor and create a deeper, more complex taste profile in the cookies.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of cookies from the baking sheet, making cleanup a breeze.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 179
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 76 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
Jenna Stewart
Head Chef & Recipe Innovator
Expertise
Farm-to-Table Cooking; Seasonal Menu Development; Visual Plating Techniques; Flavor Layering and Simple Prep Hacks.
Education
The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
Jenna Stewart is the inventive spirit behind many of our standout dishes at Pro of Delicious Creations. A proud graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, she built her skills mastering both classic recipes and fresh, modern twists.
Now, Jenna celebrates the beauty of seasonal, local ingredients, often sourced from her garden and nearby markets, to create recipes that are bursting with flavor yet easy to follow. When she’s not experimenting in the kitchen, Jenna loves exploring nature on hikes and discovering new treasures at local co-ops.