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
Scale
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