Carrot Cake Cookies are easy-to-make cookies with cream cheese frosting. Perfect for Easter or anytime you want a taste of spring.

These soft carrot cake cookies taste like carrot cake but in cookie form. They have the most amazing texture, and the cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch.

a stack of frosted cookies.

There is something about carrot cake that screams spring. Even in the dead of winter, a bite of soft carrot cake is enough to tie me over until the flowers bloom.

I love cake, but carrot cake cookies are easier to make, eat, and share. Plus, my kids love cookies (what a surprise!), so I came up with these soft carrot cake cookies to satisfy the craving for cake and springtime.

Easy Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe

My cousin Amy is an incredible baker with the most AMAZING carrot cake recipe ever. Here’s the secret ingredient: carrot baby food. 

I know it works amazingly in the cake, so I used it for these cookies and some freshly shredded carrots. This, combined with sugar, real butter, a dash of cinnamon, and a cream cheese frosting, makes this cookie soft, moist, and not overly sweet. It ends up being a perfect combination.

close-up shot of a frosted cookie.

Traditional carrot cake cookie has raisins, oatmeal, walnuts, and coconut, which combined into a cookie would make my kids squirm – they’re not really fans of all the add-ins. So, I keep these simple with just a swirl of cream cheese frosting on top.

If you happen to love all the carrot cake mix-ins, you can easily add them to the frosting. Stir in some raisins, top with some walnuts, or colored coconut to give it an Easter feel. 

The first time I made them my kids loved them – especially the icing – and were so happy they didn’t have nuts! I know my kids all too well. And my husband… well, I had to chase him out of the kitchen after he licked the frosting off four cookies!

Whether you keep them simple or dress them up, I know you’re going to love this recipe. No matter what time of year it is, they’ll make you think of spring.

soft carrot cake cookies lined up.

Cookie Ingredients

  • White sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Butter
  • Vanilla extract
  • Egg yolks
  • Carrot baby food
  • Finely shredded/grated carrots
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Baking soda
  • Cream of tartar
  • All-purpose flour

Frosting Ingredients

  • Softened unsalted butter
  • Softened cream cheese
  • Powdered sugar
  • Almond extract
  • Milk
cookie dough balls on a baking sheet.

Recipe Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Cream the sugar and butter and then beat in the egg yolks, vanilla, carrot baby food, and shredded carrots.

Add the flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and cinnamon. Stir until the batter is well combined.

baked cookies on a baking sheet.

Scoop and form the cookie dough with a cookie scoop into walnut-sized balls and place them two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until they are lightly golden.

Cool the cookies on a wire rack before adding the frosting. While the cookies cool, make the frosting.

a bowl of cream cheese frosting.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Adjust the speed to low and add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Add a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each cookie just before serving, or refrigerate frosting until ready to frost.

overhead shot of the frosted cookies.

Cookie Baking Tips

  • All cookies can be frozen, but it is best to wrap them individually to freeze them and only do this once they have cooled completely.

    Another way to freeze them is to stack them in layers in a Ziplock or container, separating the layers using parchment paper. I love individually wrapping them as I feel they taste better. Do not freeze them after frosting.
  • Properly stored, freshly baked cookies will last for about 2 to 3 weeks at normal room temperature and stored in an airtight container. It is best if you frost before serving.
  • This cookie dough can be quickly frozen, but it is best to portion it beforehand. Scoop the cookies like you would bake them and place them on parchment paper. Then, wrap the parchment paper in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.

    Before you bake, preheat the oven following the cookie recipe’s suggested temperature. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placing them 2 inches apart.

    The only thing you will need to change is adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time for the frozen dough.
a stack of two cookies with a bite taken out of the top one.

If you love carrot cake, be sure to try these delicious recipes: 

Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!

Soft Carrot Cake Cookies

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 200 kcal
Soft Carrot Cake Cookies are an easy to make cookie with cream cheese frosting. Top with the traditional toppings like walnuts, coconut, and raisins.
soft carrot cake cookies.
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients
 

Carrot Cake Cookies

  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup carrot baby food
  • 1 cup finely shredded carrots
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2-3 teaspoons milk

Instructions
 

Carrot Cake Cookies

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
  • Cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, carrot baby food and shredded carrots.
  • Add flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and cinnamon. Stir until well combined.
  • Form dough into walnut size balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Don’t flatten. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  • Add a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each cookie just before serving, or refrigerate frosting until ready to frost. Enjoy!

Calories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 1596IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg

soft carrot cake cookies.
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carrot cake cookies social media image.

Hey, I'm Sandra! At A Dash of Sanity, you'll discover family-friendly recipes for every occasion. Whether it's speedy dinners or delectable desserts, I'm here to make your mealtime delicious, simplify your holiday baking, and unite your loved ones around the table.

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57 Comments

    1. They are in the recipe card, you can hit jump to the recipe at the top of the post, and it will take you straight there. Otherwise, you can scroll to the bottom.

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  3. 4 stars
    I made these cookies today. I didn’t use baby food carrots I cooked fresh and puréed them. I did enjoy them. However, I would’ve added more cinnamon, a little bit of nutmeg. Also, I think I would’ve tried to flatten them out a little bit because I made them as sandwiches and put the frosting in the middle instead of on top, also the recipe calls for milk for the frosting but there’s no mention of it in the directions. I did not use any milk. These are delicious.

    Reply