Soft and chewy carrot cake cookies give you all the flavor of carrot cake in a handheld treat. They are easy to make for lunchboxes, bake sales, and spring gatherings, and they taste just like your favorite carrot cake.
How do you make carrot cookies from scratch?
Carrot cookies are easy to make from scratch, and you do not need a whole cake to enjoy the flavor. The dough comes together with old fashioned rolled oats, freshly grated carrots, unsweetened coconut, and naturally sweet raisins. Cinnamon adds a warm spice note that makes every bite taste like carrot cake.
The oats give the cookies a soft and chewy bite, while the carrots, coconut, and raisins keep each cookie moist and full of flavor. You can serve them plain, or sandwich them around cream cheese frosting for a special treat. They work well for lunchboxes, bake sales, and spring gatherings.
These cookies are a smaller, handheld alternative to making a whole carrot cake. The raisins add pockets of natural sweetness, and the coconut adds texture. Serve them with a glass of milk, pack them for lunch, or bring them to a spring brunch. They are easy to make and full of flavor.
If you like these flavors at breakfast, try this carrot cake baked oatmeal.
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What is the best way to grate carrots for carrot cake cookies?
Use the small holes on a box grater or a food processor to grate the carrots finely. Coarsely grated carrots do not work as well in these cookies. A fine grate helps the carrots blend into the dough and keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
Measure the finely grated carrots by packing them loosely into the measuring cup. Do not pack them in as tightly as possible. Freshly grated carrots give the best moisture and flavor. Store bought shredded carrots are too dry, and bagged julienned carrots are not finely shredded enough.
Carrots packed in water, such as baby carrots, will not work well because they add too much moisture to the cookie dough. Grate fresh carrots just before you mix the dough for the best texture.
If you use a food processor, pulse the carrots in short bursts so they do not turn into a wet puree. A fine shred is what you want. When you measure, scoop the carrots into the cup and level it off without pressing down. This helps the dough stay balanced and keeps the cookies from becoming too wet.
How should I store carrot cookies?
These cookies have a fair amount of moisture, so store them between layers of wax paper so they do not stick together. Because the sandwich cookies have cream cheese frosting, store them in the fridge. They keep well in the fridge for 5 to 7 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
If you leave the cookies unfrosted, you can store them at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Frosted cookies should stay in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let the frosting set for 1 to 2 hours before you stack the sandwich cookies for storage.
Wax paper is helpful because the cookies are soft and can press into each other. If you plan to freeze the sandwich cookies, keep them in a freezer safe container and separate the layers. The cream cheese frosting makes the fridge the right place for the sandwich cookies, so keep them chilled until serving.
How to make Carrot Cake Cookies:
Use finely grated carrots, and remember that coarsely grated carrots do not work well. The cookies are tasty on their own without cream cheese frosting, so you can serve some plain and sandwich the rest. The recipe makes a large batch of 40 sandwich cookies and can easily be halved.
When you add the flour and other dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. Stop mixing once the flour is blended in. Overmixing can make the cookies tough or dense instead of soft. Use California Raisins for the best flavor.
A cookie scoop that holds 1 tablespoon helps you make even cookies, and damp hands smooth the sticky dough. Bake just until the edges begin to brown and the tops lose their shine. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This short rest helps them set.
This method follows the . For another soft and chewy option, try these soft chewy carrot cake cookies.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup California Raisins
For the frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, or with a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and mix until combined.
- Stir in the carrots, coconut, and raisins.
- Drop the dough by the tablespoonful, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. A cookie scoop that holds 1 tablespoon is easiest. The dough will be very sticky. If you want smoother, more uniform cookies, smooth the edges of the dough balls with damp hands.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, just until the edges are starting to brown and the tops do not look shiny anymore.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, make the frosting. With an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar slowly, whipping after each addition until the mixture is smooth.
- Using a cookie scoop that holds 1 tablespoon, place 1 tablespoon of frosting on the smooth side of a cookie. Top with the smooth side of a second cookie, pressing them together gently to spread the frosting between them.
- Let the frosting set for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
- Store the cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. Frosting warm cookies can cause the cream cheese frosting to melt.
The dough is sticky, so a scoop and damp hands are your best tools. For even sandwich cookies, try to match the sizes as you pair them. The frosting should be smooth and spreadable, and a gentle press is enough to spread it to the edges.
Notes
Grate carrots finely with the small holes on a box grater. Coarsely grated carrots, such as store bought shredded carrots, do not work well. Measure the grated carrot loosely and avoid packing it into the measuring cup.
Carrots packed in water, such as baby carrots, will not work well because they add too much moisture to the cookie dough. Use fresh carrots and grate them just before you mix the dough. This keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
Recipe details
The recipe makes 40 sandwich cookies. Prep time is 20 minutes and cook time is 10 minutes. The frosting needs 1 to 2 hours to set before serving.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Servings | 40 sandwich cookies |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Frosting set time | 1 to 2 hours |
| Nutrition per 1 sandwich cookie | 200 kcal, 26 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 10 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 32 mg cholesterol, 90 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 19 g sugar |
One sandwich cookie has 200 calories, 26 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 10 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 32 milligrams cholesterol, 90 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber, and 19 grams sugar. The recipe uses 1 cup of California Raisins and 1 cup of unsweetened coconut, so the cookies have plenty of texture and natural sweetness.
These cookies are a good choice for a spring bake sale or a lunchbox treat. The recipe uses common baking ingredients and does not require a mixer for the dough, though a stand mixer makes the creaming step easy. You can serve the cookies plain or as sandwich cookies.
FAQs
How do you make carrot cake cookies from scratch?
Cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, then add 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix in the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, then stir in 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, 1 cup unsweetened coconut, and 1 cup raisins. Drop tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart, bake at 350°F for 9 to 10 minutes, cool completely, and sandwich with cream cheese frosting.
What is the best way to grate carrots for carrot cake cookies?
Use the small holes on a box grater or a food processor to grate fresh whole carrots finely, because coarsely grated carrots do not work as well. Measure 1 1/2 cups by packing the fine shreds loosely into the measuring cup, and do not pack them tightly. Avoid pre-shredded carrots and carrots packed in water, such as baby carrots, because the first are too coarse and the second add too much moisture.
How should I store carrot cake cookies and how long do they last?
Store frosted sandwich cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator, because the cream cheese frosting needs refrigeration and the moist cookies can stick together. They keep well in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months, so freeze them in a sealed container with wax paper between layers for longer storage.
How do you keep carrot cake cookies soft and chewy?
Bake them at 350°F for only 9 to 10 minutes, just until the edges start to brown and the tops no longer look shiny, because longer baking dries them out. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Mix the dry ingredients only until combined, use finely grated carrots and rolled oats, and store the finished cookies as directed to help them stay soft.
Carrot Cake Cookies
Soft and chewy carrot cake cookies give you all the flavor of carrot cake in a handheld treat. They are easy to make for lunchboxes, bake sales, and spring gatherings, and they taste just like your favorite carrot cake.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 40 sandwich cookies 1x
Ingredients
For the cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup California Raisins
For the frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Instructions
1-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2-Line several baking sheets with parchment paper: Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
3-In a large bowl, or with a: In a large bowl, or with a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar, until light and fluffy.
4-Add the eggs and vanilla and mix: Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
5-Add the flour, oats, baking soda, baking: Add the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and mix until combined.
6-Stir in the carrots, coconut, and raisins: Stir in the carrots, coconut, and raisins.
7-Drop the dough by the tablespoonful, 2: Drop the dough by the tablespoonful, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheet. This is easiest with a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop. The dough will be very sticky. If you want the cookies to be smoother and more uniform, you can smooth the edges of the cookie dough balls with damp hands.
8-Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, just: Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, just until the edges are starting to brown and the tops don’t look shiny anymore.
9-Let the cookies cool on the baking: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10-Once the cookies are cool, make the: Once the cookies are cool, make the frosting. With an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla, until smooth.
11-Add the powdered sugar slowly, whipping after: Add the powdered sugar slowly, whipping after each addition until the mixture is smooth.
12-Using a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop,: Using a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop, place 1 tablespoon of frosting on the smooth side of a cookie and top with the smooth side of a second cookie, pressing them together gently to spread the frosting out between them.
13-Let the frosting set for 1-2 hours: Let the frosting set for 1-2 hours before serving.
14-Store the cookies between layers of wax: Store the cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Method: bake
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 200 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 32 mg
