These carrot cake cookies are full of carrot cake flavor, warm spices and texture. The perfect cookie to make this spring and for Easter!
I mainly like to cook and bake healthy meals and snacks, but when it comes to dessert, I love to make something rich and satisfying. These carrot cake cookies taste just like carrot cake; full of texture from the carrots and walnuts and warmly spiced. The cream cheese frosting mimics the one that’s normally on a carrot cake and creates an addictive bite of food. I love to make these this time to year for my family and neighbors. They’re also a great treat to make for a party or for Easter Day. My husband had 6 cookies in one day (that’s how I know they’re good) and my daughter will constantly ask to eat more. I hope you love these as much as my family and I do!
Ingredients
For the cookies: You will need Unsalted Butter – salted butter works too, Brown Sugar, Eggs, Vanilla Extract, Carrots, Walnuts – pecans work wonderfully too, All Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger and Salt.
For the frosting: You will need Cream Cheese, Unsalted Butter, Vanilla Extract and Powdered Sugar.
For Littles
My 22 month old absolutely loves these, how could she not? I love to bake these with her. Such a a fun recipe to get your little involved in the baking process! You can serve these to your littles 12 months +. I say 12 months because these cookies are full of sugar, and I recommend small amount of sugar only starting at 12 months old. Also, we have to be mindful of the walnuts in this recipe if you choose to put them in the cookies. Make sure you watch your kiddo closely when eating if you are unsure if they have a nut allergy.
How To
In a big bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Then add in the eggs and vanillas and mix again.
Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add in the carrots and walnuts and mix until evenly incorporated.
Drop 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoon scoops onto a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes.
While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. Combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until just combined. Then add in the powdered sugar and mix again until combined.
Frost the cool cookies and sprinkle with cinnamon. Enjoy!:)
Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup grated carrots (equal to about 2 small carrots) * see notes
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts ** see notes
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a big bowl using a hand mixer or using the bowl of your standing mixer, cream your butter and brown sugar on high speed until combined. This will take only 1-2 minutes.
- Then add in your eggs and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Mix on low until combined.
- Add in your carrots and walnuts and mix on low until the carrots and walnuts have evenly incorporated into the dough.
- Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop about 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons sized cookies and place on the baking sheets. Make sure the cookies are a couple inches apart. You should get anywhere from 20-24 cookies depending on the size of them.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown on the bottom of the cookies and the top of the cookies are completely set. Leave on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make your cream cheese frosting. In a big bowl using a handheld mixer or the stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat on high until combined.
- Add in the powder sugar and beat on low until combined.
- Frost the cool cookies. Each cookie gets a good amount of frosting, so don’t be shy. I simply use a butter knife to frost them, but you can use a piping bag if you prefer. I love to sprinkle them with cinnamon at end.
- You can store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5. Enjoy!:)
