Imagine sinking your teeth into a soft, spiced cookie that captures all the deliciousness of classic carrot cake - but in a portable, irresistible bite-sized form! These Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are about to become your new obsession, combining the warm, comforting flavors of cinnamon-spiced carrots with a luxuriously creamy frosting that will make your taste buds dance with joy. Whether you're a baking novice or a seasoned pro, this recipe promises to deliver bakery-quality cookies right from your own kitchen.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Total Time: 32 mins
Cuisine: American
Serves: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent the cookies from sticking.
- In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk these dry ingredients together until they are well blended and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the large egg to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing well until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts (if using) with a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked, which is fine as they will continue to set while cooling.
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese, mixing until well combined and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie using a knife or an offset spatula.
- Optionally, sprinkle additional chopped walnuts on top of the frosted cookies for extra texture and flavor.
- Serve the carrot cake cookies immediately or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy your delicious treats!
Tips
- Use freshly grated carrots for the best moisture and flavor - pre-shredded carrots can be too dry.
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are truly softened at room temperature for smoother mixing.
- Don't overmix the dough - this can lead to tough cookies. Mix just until ingredients are combined.
- For uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop to ensure consistent size and even baking.
- Let cookies cool completely before frosting to prevent the cream cheese from melting.
- Store cookies in the refrigerator to keep the cream cheese frosting fresh and firm.
- For a fun variation, try adding raisins or shredded coconut to the cookie dough.
- If you're not a fan of walnuts, you can substitute with pecans or simply omit nuts altogether.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 180kcal
Carbohydrates: 22g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 30mg
