These carrot cake cookies are soft and chewy - made with old-fashioned oats and toasted nuts. Each cookie is topped with a swirl of sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting. Discover all the flavors of classic carrot cake in quick and easy cookie form!
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- A delicious twist to classic carrot cake! These cookies replicate the same comforting flavors in easy cookie form - perfect as a sweet treat or dessert.
- These oatmeal carrot cake cookies are the perfect addition to your Easter dessert table . You can also add these to your Spring cookie recipes you can make year-round.
- Easily adapt these chewy carrot cake cookies with simple ingredients variations to suit your preferences.
Sneak in healthy carrots into your baking with these frosted carrot cake cookies. The best cookies for Easter and beyond!
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Butter - Use unsalted butter that is softened at room temperature for both the cookie dough and the frosting.
- Sugar - A combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar is best. The brown sugar adds moisture for a chewy texture, while the granulated sugar adds sweetness and a crispy exterior.
- Eggs - Allow to reach room temperature.
- Vanilla extract - Adds a lovely depth of flavor in these carrot cake cookies and in the cream cheese frosting.
- Flour - All-purpose flour is a sturdy flour which is ideal for baking.
- Baking soda - Helps to create rise in the chewy carrot cake cookies.
- Spices - Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add that classic carrot cake spice to these cookies.
- Salt - Great to enhance the flavors in these cookies.
- Oats - Old-fashioned oats are best for these oatmeal carrot cake cookies. Don't use quick or steel-cut oats. The quick oats will create a mushy texture while the steel-cut oats create a coarser texture that will require a longer baking time.
- Carrots - The key ingredient for these delicious cookies. Use freshly grated or shredded carrots from peeled carrots for the best flavor and texture.
- Nuts - Walnuts or pecans, toasted and then chopped.
- Raisins - This is completely optional, depending on your preferences.
- Cream cheese - Softened at room temperature for a smooth texture in the frosting.
- Powdered sugar - Sweetens the frosting and thickens the consistency.
- Corn starch - Added to the frosting to help the frosting maintain its shape.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Add butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine with an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment until creamy, light, and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla extract. Stir well and occasionally scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing and scraping the sides and bottom after each addition.
- Stir in the 3 cups of old-fashioned oats.
- Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add the shredded carrots to the mixture.
- Mix in the chopped toasted walnuts and the amount of raisins you desire in your carrot cake cookies.
- Scoop the cookie dough and drop the cookies onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, spacing them at least 2" (5cm) apart.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes at 350F. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking tray.
- While the cookies cool, make the frosting by combining butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beating until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla extract and add the cornstarch.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with your preferred decorator tip.
- Frost the cookies and sprinkle your favorite sprinkles or candy for added visual appeal.
🥫 Storage
Keep your carrot cookies with cream cheese frosting in an airtight container. You can store them at room temperature for 24 hours or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love my carrot cake cookies chilled from the fridge. But if you like, you can let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before enjoying them.
If you want to freeze these cookies, skip the cream cheese frosting. Store the cookies in an airtight container or a sealable bag. They will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen cookies and then top them with freshly made cream cheese frosting for the best flavor and texture.
📚 Variations
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour is a good substitute for gluten sensitivities.
- If you are allergic to nuts, you can omit them. You can also try adding white chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or dried fruits. These tasty options add great texture and flavor!
- Experiment with other spices, such as allspice or cardamom.
- A simple sugar glaze made from powdered sugar and a liquid like water or milk is great if you want something sweet. It’s lighter and less tangy than cream cheese frosting.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Peel the carrots before you grate them. This makes the shredded carrots look much nicer.
- You can use a regular grater and then chop the carrots into a smaller consistency. You can also use a "shred" blade on a food processor. After that, switch to the standard blade. Pulse it for a few seconds until the carrots are finely chopped. Be careful that you don't make carrot puree!
- Let the oatmeal carrot cake cookies cool completely. If you add the cream cheese frosting while they are still warm, the heat will make the frosting run.
- Although you don't need a cookie scoop to make these cookies, it will definitely ensure uniform-sized carrot cookies.
- Adding cornstarch to cream cheese frosting might sound odd, but it works wonders. It absorbs extra moisture, making the frosting smoother and more stable. Plus, it won’t change the flavor much at all!
- It's normal for these cookies to appear slightly underbaked at their centers after the baking time. Don't keep them in the oven for any longer as this will dry them out.
🤔 FAQs
I don't recommend this as pre-shredded carrots are too thick for these cookies and much drier than freshly shredded carrots.
Yes. These cookies should only be stored at room temperature for 1 day. After that, they must be refrigerated.
Absolutely! You can freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. This way, you can thaw it later and bake fresh carrot cookies whenever you want. You can also freeze these cookies.
I highly recommend it as it will make the shredded carrots pop with bright orange color and look much nicer.
📗 Related Recipes
- Pumpkin Spice No Bake Cookies - These oatmeal pumpkin spice cookies are the ultimate autumn treat. They're lightly sweetened with warm and comforting flavors - making them the perfect dessert for the season. Plus, they’re a great option for those with peanut allergies.
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies - These hearty oatmeal cranberry cookies bring a festive holiday twist with tangy-sweet craisins. That said, they’re just as delightful as a slightly sweet breakfast treat any time of year!
- Butter Pecan Cookies - These browned butter pecan cookies capture the rich, buttery essence of Southern pralines. Toasted pecans add a deep nuttiness, while the brown sugar provides a luscious caramel flavor. With crisp edges and a chewy center, every bite is pure indulgence!
🍽 What to serve with Carrot Cake Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting
Enjoy these adorable frosted Easter cookies with a scoop of ice cream. They also pair well with coffee, chai tea, or a glass of milk. They're a sweet snack for any time!
They're perfect to add to your Easter dessert board, although they are winners any time of year.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Cookie scoop — ¾ oz. size 40
- Parchment paper
- Piping bag optional, and large tip opening
- Dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
These biscotti alle carote (carrot cookies) have stolen il mio cuore (my heart), and I just know they'll steal your too! Whether you're baking them for Easter, a backyard BBQ, or just because it's Tuesday and you want something dolce (sweet)—these carrot cookies are perfect! They're soft, chewy, spiced just right, and topped with the dreamiest cream cheese frosting swirl (plus sprinkles, because why not?).
They're the kind of cookie that brings sorrisi (smiles) to potlucks, picnic tables, bake sales, and cozy afternoon coffee breaks. So don't wait for spring—bake them up whenever the craving strikes! And when you do, let me know how they turned out. Buon appetito, amici.
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
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📖 Recipe
Carrot Cake Cookies With Cream cheese icing
Equipment Needed
- Piping bag with a large piping tip ½" opening for tip
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226 g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200 g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 2 eggs large at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (215 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats (295 g) not quick or steel-cut
- 1 cup grated/shredded carrots (120 g) peeled
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (120 g) toasted then chopped
- ½-1 cup raisins 80-160 g optional, depending on your preference
Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (170 g)
- 12 oz cream cheese softened (340 g)
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar (565 g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch This helps the frosting maintain its shape.
Instructions
For Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
- Combine the 1 cup soft unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer. Beat until creamy, light, and fluffy for about 1-2 minutes. You may also use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and stir well. Occasionally scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon,¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet, mixing after each addition. Occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Stir in the 3 cups of old-fashioned oats until thoroughly combined.
- Add the 1 cup of shredded carrots, ¾ cup of chopped toasted walnuts, and the amount of raisins you desire.
- Drop cookies by 2-tablespoon-sized scoops (43g) onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least 2" (5cm) apart. ** see notes
- Bake for 11-12 minutes at 350F (177C). Cookies may still appear slightly underbaked at their centers.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking tray before decorating with icing.
For frosting:
- Combine butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy, ¾ cup salted butter,12 oz cream cheese
- Gradually add powdered sugar, about half a cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Stir in vanilla extract 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add cornstarch and stir 1 Tablespoon corn starch
- Spread frosting onto cookies with a small spatula or pipe the frosting on with a decorator tip.
Notes
I recommend peeling carrots before grating; it will make them look nicer. You may just use a box grater to grate your carrots. I like to use the "shred" blade on my food processor to shred the carrots. After that, I switch to the standard blade and pulse for a few seconds. This will give you a fine consistency. Please don't overdo it; you'll end up with carrot puree! Storing:
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container. You can keep them at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If you want them to last longer, seal them tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I enjoy the taste of these cold. But if you like them at room temperature, just let them sit out of the fridge for 15-20 minutes before enjoying them. **Roll the dough into a smooth ball between your palms and place it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet for a more uniform cookie. The dough is sticky!
Nutrition
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