Carrot Cake Cookies
Updated Mar 26, 2026
Easy carrot cake cookies with grated carrots, applesauce, cinnamon, pecans, and a light cream cheese drizzle. Bakes in 10 minutes.
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LOVE CARROT CAKE COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING!
These carrot cake cookies are kind of the best of both worlds, in my opinion! They are soft and chewy like a cookie, but taste like a hand-held carrot cake. I mix fresh-grated carrots right into the dough, which makes them super moist without being overly sweet.
I also like chopped pecans in my carrot cake, so I had to add them to these cookies, and I like to drizzle a cream cheese-style icing on top! They are seriously soo good, and only take 10 minutes to bake!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Carrot Cake Cookies Ingredients
- Carrots: Grate the carrots finely so they mix into the dough evenly and do not leave wet streaks in the cookies. Pre-shredded carrots are usually too thick and dry for this.
- Pecans: I like toasting the pecans for more flavor, but it’s not a must! Chop the pecans into small pieces so they distribute more evenly through the dough. If you do not want to use pecans, walnuts would work too.
- Dry ingredients: Flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda make up the base of the cookie dough. Make sure to measure the flour carefully so the cookies do not turn out too thick or dry. If you want a little more spice, you can bump up the cinnamon slightly, but I would keep the ginger and nutmeg fairly light so they do not take over.
- Wet ingredients: Butter, brown sugar, applesauce, egg, and vanilla. This is what gives the carrot cake cookies their soft texture. Use room-temperature butter and eggs so the dough mixes more smoothly. The applesauce adds moisture, so I would not skip it unless you are planning to test a replacement. Unsweetened applesauce is best here, so the cookies do not end up too sweet.
- For the cream cheese icing drizzle: Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla make a soft drizzle for the tops. Make sure the cream cheese and butter are both at room temperature so the drizzle turns out smooth. Start with the smaller amount of milk and only add more as needed, since it is easier to thin it out than fix a runny drizzle.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe
Carrot cake cookies are made with freshly grated carrots and an easy cream cheese icing to drizzle over the top. Bakes in 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup carrots grated, from about 2 medium carrots
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Drizzle
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tablespoons butter room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk plus more, as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and brown sugar. Cream at medium speed for 2 minutes, or until combined. Add the applesauce and mix until combined.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla for 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds, or until only a few streaks of flour remain.
- Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer and fold the carrots and pecans into the batter using a rubber spatula.
- Using a 1.7 tablespoons-size spring loaded cookie scoop, scoop the cookies onto the prepared sheet pan, make sure the cookies are spaced about 1 ½ inches apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and the centers are puffed and set.
- Let cool for 2 minutes on the baking pans, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- While the cookies cool, make the icing. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and butter. Mix at medium speed for 2–3 minutes, or until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix until combined. You want the icing to be slightly runny, but firm enough to pipe. Add more milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag and trim the corner off. Pipe a drizzle of frosting on the cooled cookies and serve.
Equipment
- Large Stainless Steel Scoop (1.7 tbsp)
Notes
My Top Tip: Don’t store the cookies on top of each other. This type of cream cheese frosting does not harden as it cools. It remains pretty soft, so be sure to store the cookies in a single layer to avoid smudging the frosting all over.
Storage: If you add the cream cheese frosting to the cookies, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. They taste great without the icing, too! If you leave them plain, they’ll last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to one week.
Freezing: Place the cookies on a baking sheet in the freezer until completely frozen. Then, transfer them to freezer bags or an airtight container. They’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories: 130kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 66mg, Potassium: 50mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 646IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Variations
- Add raisins: Fold in ½ cup with the grated carrots and pecans.
- Zest it up: Add a tablespoon of lemon zest or orange zest for more brightness and flavor!
- Make sandwiches: Instead of drizzling icing, you could turn these into carrot cake sandwich-style cookies with a layer of my cream cheese frosting between the two halves.
Recipe Tips
- Measure the grated carrots carefully. Be sure to pack them firmly into the measuring cup. The carrots add a lot of flavor, sweetness, and moisture to the cookies, so you don’t want to skimp on them!
- Use a 1.7 tablespoon cookie scoop. This makes the cookies all the same size. Once I scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet, I leave it rounded for a tall, puffed cookie, like the top of a muffin. You could also press down on the cookie dough ball a bit after scooping for a flatter top after baking.
- Don’t store the cookies on top of each other. This type of cream cheese frosting does not harden as it cools. It remains pretty soft, so be sure to store the cookies in a single layer to avoid smudging the frosting all over.
FAQs
Should I chill the cookie dough before scooping?
You don’t have to, but you can! Chilling the dough can help cookies hold their shape and can help prevent them from spreading in the oven. If it’s starting to get too sticky while you’re scooping, place it in the fridge for 5–10 minutes to help it firm up.
Comments
The cookies turned out well, but without the topping, they can seem a bit bland.
The icing is just way too runny even w less milk. But it tastes good.
I would like to find an icing that hardens. This was gooey for guests to pick up.
Bummer, sorry they didn’t turn out as you’d hoped, especially for guests. The cream cheese drizzle is meant to stay soft, so if you’d prefer something that sets up firmer for serving, a simple powdered sugar glaze would be a better option. You can try mixing powdered sugar with just a little milk or even lemon juice until thick enough to drizzle. It should harden as it sits. You could also skip the cream cheese and make a classic vanilla icing if you want that same sweet finish with less mess for guests. I’m glad the cookies turned out well, though. Thank you for the feedback!
They look tasty!
Thank you!
Very tasty outcome and the topping is delicious. Initially I thought it is rather complicated but as I followed the instructions it was not difficult at all. I added walnuts instead!
So glad you liked them!
These turned out great! I made them dairy free by subbing the butter for 2 Tbsp coconut oil and 2 Tbsp homemade walnut butter. I made them to share with my toddler, so I left out the pecans. I baked a couple as a trial, and they didn’t spread at all. Maybe from subbing the butter or maybe because I packed the 1/2 cup with too many carrots. I simply flattened the rest before baking. The flavor was fantastic and enjoyed by my whole family. I’ve saved it to make again and will be adding pecans for myself — sounds like a tasty addition!
Love this! Thanks for sharing the tips!
Moist and delicious. Fun to make.
Glad you enjoyed them, Deborah!
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