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Adorable carrot cake cookies are so easy to make and topped with homemade cream cheese frosting!
A Carrot Cake Twist to Love!
We are HUGE fans of cookies.
We also love carrot cake, so why not marry the two?! These carrot cake cookies are packed with that same sweet flavor and fluffy texture but in bite-size cookie form. Adding a sweet cream cheese frosting to the top was a no-brainer! They’re perfection.
Easter is one of our favorite times to make these cookies. The cute carrot decoration and the flavor make them best loved by the Easter Bunny (and by us)!
Carrot Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Carrot Cake Cupcakes are more favorites to make around this time of year.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Simple ingredients. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, and even though there are a few of them, the recipe is still so simple.
- A favorite flavor. These cookies are soft and sweet and sure to be a hit.
- From cake to cookie. Carrot Cake is most popular around spring and Easter, but now it’s in a deliciously chewy cookie form – another great Easter dessert!
Simple Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 12 minutes
Cookie
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened – important, see How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs – room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour – see How to Measure Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 4 carrots) – Depending on the desired texture, use the large holes or small holes of a box grater. Do not use pre-grated carrots as they are too dry.
- 1 cup chopped pecans – or walnuts
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened – Use salted or unsalted butter.
- 4 cups powdered sugar – sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- green food coloring – For bright-colored frosting, use gel food coloring rather than liquid food coloring.
- orange food coloring
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
- PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- DOUGH. In a medium bowl (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), combine 1 cup butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and ¾ cup brown sugar. Beat until combined. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, mix well.
- Add 2½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt to the wet mixture and beat to combine. Fold in 2 cups carrot shreds and 1 cup chopped pecans. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix until combined.
- BAKE. Use a cookie scoop, and drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet (or line the baking sheet with parchment paper). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Edges should be lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack.
- If the cookies spread too thin and flat, chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping and baking.
- FROSTING. Combine 8 ounces of cream cheese, ½ cup of softened butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Frost cookies. Reserve some frosting for the carrot design on top of each cookie.
- Use food coloring to dye parts of the reserve frosting green and orange. Pipe carrot design onto the cookies. If you don’t have a piping bag, put the frosting in a Ziploc bag with a small portion of the corner cut off.
- Or simply sprinkle the frosting with chopped nuts, Easter sprinkles, or a light dusting of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice.
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Collections
Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated carrots, (about 4 carrots)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- green food coloring
- orange food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until combined and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla making sure to mix well.
- Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and beat to combine. Fold in carrots and chopped pecans and mix until combined.
- Drop dough scoops onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Edges should be lightly browned. Let cool.
Frosting
- Combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Reserve a little bit of the frosting for the carrot design on top.
- Frost cookies. Use food coloring to dye parts of the reserve frosting green and orange. Pipe carrot design onto cookies.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Cover and store the dough in the fridge for 1-2 days or freeze it for 3 months. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Let the frosting set and carefully stack cookies to avoid smearing. You may separate layers with parchment or wax paper. Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in a freezer bag for 2-3 months.
yummy, thanks
These have great flavor and such a soft texture. I love making these around Easter time!
Carrot Cake is a favorite of mine, so I knew that I would love these cookies! So simple to make too!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Is it really calling for baking soda? Or should it be baking powder?
Is the “flour” the boxed cake mix?
Sorry for the confusion. The “flour” in the ingredient list is not the boxed cake mix – it is just flour. I will make that change in the body of the post. Thanks so much for catching that. I appreciate it!
the comment that “the use of cake mix makes this recipe so easy” I don’t see cake mix in the recipe??
I have a question: Where is the recipe for using cake mix, I can’t wait to try this recipe and my other question i do you have a recipe for pumpkin cookies using cake mix.
I know you are busy and would understand if you don’t have time to answer.
btw, i love all of your recipes and the simplicity of them.
I do have this recipe..not sure it’s the one you are looking for, but it is pumpkin & has cake mix in it…https://lilluna.com/gooey-butter-pumpkin-cookies/
My cookies spread out soooo much… like paper thin I don’t know if it is me, or if this recipe needs more flour. I wish they came out, because the picture looks so good!!
Oh, I am sorry they did! There are many factors that can cause that, but it’d hard for me to know, since I was not there. I would suggest googling it & see if it was any of the reasons suggested. Hope you figure it out.
Says use box carrot cake mix to make the cookies but then gives a from SCRATCH RECIPE. An error I assume but does not help me to convert my box cake mix.
I was looking for the original carrot cake cookies that yOu Posted here bY the barefoot baker. The cUtout ones. Do you still have that recipe? Im Sure this neW recipe is just as good but we like the cUtout ones, we come back year after year to make them. I should have printed it out.
Nevermind, i did pront out the recipe!
Hi, do you think you could send me the original recipe? Thanks
Sorry I’m just now seeing this. I can email it to you.
Hi Jerrica!
If you still have the original recipe, would you mind sharing it?
Thank you!
Can I get your email?
Hi Jerrica,
The drop cookies look great, but I also am looking for the original carrot cake roll-out cookie recipe. You mentioned that you did print it out. Would you share the recipe? Thanks!
I found the printout. I just need an email address please
The cutest little cookies with the best cream cheese frosting!
The adorable carrot frosting caught my eye. I love carrot cake and these cookies are even better. Yum!
I love Carrot Cake, so I know that I will LOVE these cookies! They are so cute too!
Carrot cake in cookie form is the greatest idea!! I love how soft these are & I love the little carrot on top of that delicious cream cheese frosting!
These are incredibly soft & I love the cream cheese frosting! Can’t wait to make some for Easter!
Hello ?
These cookies look Yummalicious ?
I just wanted to find out if anyone has used this recipe for cutout cookies. Looks like in the initial photo these were cutout with a carrot shaped cookie cutter. Would you just press all of the cookie dough into a jelly roll pan, bake, then cut into shapes w/the cookie cutter? If so, how long would you suggest as the baking time ❓
I personally haven’t, but yes, I would do it that way. Good luck!
The original reCipe was different and made for rolling and cutout cookies. they were so yummy. They called for pine and coconut. Im bummed the recipe is gone.
I just found out my sister in law loves carrot cake, I think i will surprise her with these next week!
These look adorable and sound DELICIOUS! Quick question: Does the cream cheese icing dry enough that these could be packaged for individual party favors?
Anyone know how many cookies this makes?
Great info. Lucky me I discovered your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I have saved it for later!
They look scrumptious and adorable! What is the texture of this cookie? Soft and chrwy? What can we add the make it crunchy?
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Did you use a cookie cutter or cut those by hand? Thnaks April
i dont like the pineapple and the coconut but i love carrot cake mix what if i dont add it?
i love the colors of this cakes thanks
What a great cookie idea! Yummy AND cute!
Lisa does such a great job of creating yummy AND cute cookies, huh?! Have a great Easter. 🙂
I am in the middle of trying to make these and realized that I can’t tell if I’m supposed to add the flour to the dough when I add the other ingredients (nuts, carrots, etc.) or if the flour is just for rolling purposes! Please help!
Thanks so much!
Hi Val. This is Kristyn. Lisa made these, but after looking at the recipe it looks like (to me) that you use the dough just for rolling purposes. Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Hi,
I am a little confused too about the flour in the cookies. It specifically says to “add the rest of the ingredients, including the flour and mix.” 1 cup seems like a lot of flour for just rolling purposes. I just made a batch adding the flour to the mix and the dough is super crumbly…with all that being said, I need a little clarification! Thank you!!
Mmm Sounds yummy!!!
These are very cute! I’m making my iced sugar cookies this week and I made some carrots!
These are too too cute! YUM, I LOVE anything carrot!!!
Wish it wasn’t so late, I am really wanting a sugar fix looking at these!
I am so happy to be on Lil Luna’s blog! You all are so sweet! I am glad you like them and I had fun making them for you!
CUTE! These are darling!! 🙂
Thanks!! Didn’t she do a great job?!
love!!! they are too cute, and carrot cake COOKIES?! great idea!