Carrot Cake Cookies are soft, easy to make, and topped with luscious cream cheese frosting perfect for Spring or anytime you have a sweet craving. With all the cozy flavors of classic carrot cake in cookie form, their tender texture and sweet frosting make them completely irresistible.
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.
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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.
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.
Cookie Baking Tips
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.
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.
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.
If you love carrot cake, be sure to try these delicious recipes:
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Soft Carrot Cake Cookies
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!
Yum! I need to try these for sure!
I love carrot cake – I can’t wait to try these cookies!!
I Can’t Wait To Make Sounds & Looks So Yummy
They look really good! The icing looks very good!
These look so yummy and would be perfect for Easter!!
Carrot cake is my favorite cake so of course this recipe interests me.
Hey, I see Olaf’s nose! haha…can you tell what we’ve been watching? These cookies look like keepers!
Oooh YUM!! Those look so so good – thanks for sharing!
These look good, I’m glad they don’t have raisins!
I love carrot cake
thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe
I just love carrot cake. These look delish!
OMg my mouth is watering ! I love carrot cake and I’m dying to try it in a cookie!
I am in total awe! I love the cookies and the idea of spending only 15 min to prepare them. I’ll definitely give them a try these days.
Do you have to use baby food, or could I just boil and puree some carrots? I think most store bought baby food is disgusting, but I trust you when you say this recipe is delicious, so if there’s no alternative…I’m willing to try!
LOL! I felt the same way when she first told me…but none the less I loved her cake so much I haven’t tried anything else. I would think that some carrot puree would work just fine. If you try – please let me know! xo San
These sound so yummy. Perfect Easter treats. And how ingenious to use baby food for the carrots. I will be trying this out sometime before Easter.
They look so soft and yummy must try!!!
Love carrot cake and these cookies sounds great, pinned!! Thanks so much for sharing at The Wednesday Roundup! ~ Angela @ LeMoine Family Kitchen
Yummy! I am featuring your Carrot Cake Cookies on my Tasty Tuesday hop tomorrow! Make sure you come back over and grab a featured button and link up some more great recipes!
Julia @ Mini Van Dreams
Yummy!!! I don’t have cream of tartar….I have all other ingredients but that! Is there anything I can substitute instead???
I absolutely love these cookies. Their soft texture and that frosting make it feel like actual carrot cake. Amazing.
Looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try this one!