Carrot Cake Cookies
Prepare to meet your new favorite cookie if you're a fan of carrot cake. This delightful combination of flavors brings together fluffy carrot cake and classic oatmeal cookies, resulting in the ultimate Easter dessert that can be enjoyed all year round. If you're not in the mood to bake a full layered cake, this simple recipe captures all the beloved flavors of the classic in a fraction of the time. Keep reading for some key tips to help you achieve cookie perfection:Top tips for carrot cake cookies:Make-ahead option:After scooping the dough, place the dough balls on a sheet tray and freeze them until completely hardened. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a zip-top freezer-safe bag, where they will keep for up to 9 months. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them for up to 1 month. Since the frosting contains cream cheese, it's advisable to refrigerate any leftover frosting. Keep in mind that refrigeration may cause the cookies to dry out, so it's best to frost them as you're ready to eat them. Unfrosted cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.Squeeze out excess moisture from the carrots. Just like in traditional carrot cake, carrots play a crucial role in keeping these cookies soft and moist. However, it's important to avoid an overly saturated batter. Prior to adding the carrots to the bowl, spread them out in a single layer on a paper towel or clean tea towel. Place another paper towel or clean dish rag on top and roll the towel to squeeze out any excess water from the carrots. This step should be done only once to remove some of the liquid from the carrots.Chill the cookie dough. Trust us—it's worth it to chill the dough balls for at least 10 minutes after scooping them. Allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator allows the dry ingredients to absorb moisture, helping prevent the cookies from spreading too quickly during baking.Use a piping bag for the cream cheese drizzle. To achieve a sharp and precise cream cheese drizzle, cut a small hole in the corner of a disposable plastic storage bag or piping bag. Fill the bag with the cream cheese icing and hold it perpendicular to the cookie as you pipe. Alternatively, it is perfectly acceptable to use a knife to spread the cream cheese frosting on the bottoms of the cookies and sandwich them together.
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES
- 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 c. packed brown sugar
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extraact
- 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 c. packed shredded carrots (from 2 medium carrots)
- 3/4 c. unsweetened shredded dried coconut
- 1/2 c. raisins
- 2 c. old-fashioned oats
CREAM CHEESE GLAZE
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 1 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 tsp. milk
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then add vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture until well-combined.
- Place shredded carrots in towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Stir in carrots, coconut, raisins, and oats and mix until just combined.
- Scoop 1” rounds of dough onto baking sheet. Freeze cookies for 10 minutes. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool.
- Make glaze: Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until combined. Drizzle glaze over each cookie and let harden before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 70mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
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