Name: Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 37 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup butter softened to room temperature; 1 cup packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 cup shredded carrots; 2 cups quick oats (not old-fashioned whole oats); 1 cup finely chopped pecans; 4 oz cream cheese at room temperature; 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar; Milk as needed to reach desired consistency

There’s something incredibly cozy about these sweet little bites — soft, spiced, and topped with luscious cream cheese frosting. This Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe brings all the best parts of a classic carrot cake into an easy-to-handle cookie form. Perfect for sharing or enjoying with your afternoon coffee!

The image shows several round carrot cookies on a black cooling rack, each topped with a thick layer of smooth white cream cheese frosting. The cookies have a rough texture with visible bits of carrot and nuts, in light brown color. The frosting is spread in a soft, slightly swirled dome on top of each cookie. On the cream, small crumbled bits of nuts are sprinkled in the center. The background is a white marbled surface, adding a clean contrast to the warm colors of the cookies. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This recipe is close to my heart because it merges the classic flavors of carrot cake with the convenience and charm of cookies. I’ve made them countless times, and each batch disappears fast — so trust me, you’ll want to have the ingredients ready for repeat baking sessions!

Perfect Balance of Texture: The combination of shredded carrots, oats, and pecans gives these cookies a wonderful chewy yet soft bite.
All the Classic Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves make every cookie burst with familiar warmth you expect in carrot cake.
Rich Cream Cheese Frosting: The frosting is creamy but not too sweet, adding the perfect finishing touch every time.
Easy to Make: No need for fancy equipment or lengthy baking—these cookies come together quickly and bake in under 15 minutes.

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this carrot cake cookies recipe has a special role, working together to create that perfect texture and flavor you want in each bite. Let me walk you through why they’re so important and share a few tips on what to look for as you shop.

Flat lay of a small mound of softly softened pale yellow butter, two whole uncracked brown eggs, a small white ceramic bowl filled with packed dark golden brown sugar, another small white bowl with fine white granulated sugar, a simple white bowl with light golden finely shredded fresh carrots, a small white bowl holding finely chopped rich brown pecans, a small white bowl containing light beige all-purpose flour, a white bowl with quick oats showing delicate, pale tan flakes, a tiny white bowl of warm brown ground cinnamon, a tiny white bowl of pale beige ground ginger, a tiny white bowl of off-white baking soda powder, a tiny white bowl with coarse white salt, a tiny white bowl with dark brown ground cloves, a tiny white bowl with light brown ground nutmeg, a small white ceramic bowl with soft cream cheese, a small white bowl holding pure white powdered sugar, a small white bowl of clear milk, and a small white bowl of amber vanilla extract, all arranged with perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Butter: Use softened, room-temperature butter—not melted or microwaved—to ensure the right dough consistency and avoid spreading during baking.
Brown and granulated sugar: The brown sugar adds moisture and depth, while the granulated sugar balances sweetness and crunch.
Eggs: These bind the ingredients and add richness; I always crack them into a separate bowl in case one’s not perfect.
Vanilla extract: A must for that subtle sweet aroma that complements the spices beautifully.
All-purpose flour: The base for structure; make sure it’s fresh for best results.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise just enough and keeps them tender.
Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves: Classic carrot cake spices that make these cookies smell like a warm hug.
Salt: Crucial for balancing sweetness and enhancing the other flavors.
Shredded carrots: Freshly grated carrots add moisture and sweetness; avoid pre-packaged matchstick carrots—they’re too thick and change the texture.
Quick oats: They add chewiness, but don’t swap with old-fashioned oats unless you pulse them in a food processor first.
Pecans: Chopped pecans offer a lovely crunch and nutty contrast — you can swap for walnuts if preferred.
Cream cheese: For the frosting, softened but not melted, offering tangy richness.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps achieve that smooth, spreadable texture.
Milk: Just a splash to thin the frosting to your desired consistency.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of the things I love most about this Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is how flexible it is. Over the years, I’ve tried a few variations to suit my mood or the season, and it’s so fun to tweak little things and still get great results.

Variation: For a nut-free version, just skip the pecans and substitute with extra oats or even some mini chocolate chips — I once made a batch this way for a family member with allergies, and they went just as fast!
Spice It Up: If you want more spice, add a pinch of ground cardamom or increase the ginger — it smells amazing while baking.
Make It Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend; I’ve found this works well without sacrificing texture.
Frosting Twist: Mix a little lemon zest into the cream cheese frosting for a bright, fresh twist that cuts through the sweetness wonderfully.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

The image shows a close-up of small round carrot cookies, about two layers thick. The bottom layer is a textured golden brown cookie with small orange carrot bits visible. On top, there's a thick white icing layer with a smooth, creamy texture that covers each cookie fully. The icing is sprinkled with small pieces of chopped nuts, light brown and slightly shiny. One cookie in the front has a bite taken out, showing its soft crumb inside. The cookies are on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Creaming for the Perfect Dough

Start by softening your butter at room temperature—no microwaves here! Cream the butter with both sugars using a stand or handheld mixer until the mixture looks light and fluffy. This step traps air that helps make your cookies tender. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until mixed, then stir in vanilla. Scrape down the bowl to keep everything even.

Step 2: Bring on the Spices and Dry Ingredients

Whisk together your flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves separately. Then, with your mixer on low, slowly add these dry ingredients to the wet mix. Because the dough is very thick, I finish mixing by hand to avoid overworking it — that keeps the cookies soft and tender.

Step 3: Add Your Carrots, Oats, and Nuts

Fold in the freshly grated carrots, quick oats, and chopped pecans gently. This part reminds me why I love this recipe so much — every bite has that perfect mix of texture and flavor.

Step 4: Scoop, Flatten, and Bake

Use a 1 ½ inch cookie scoop to portion the dough, roll into balls, and arrange them 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten the tops slightly with your fingertips to help them bake evenly. Pop them in your preheated 375°F oven for about 10-12 minutes — keep an eye out for light golden edges, but don’t let them brown too much or they’ll lose that soft carrot cake texture. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 5: Make Your Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat room-temperature cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Then, slowly add powdered sugar on low speed until just combined. Crank up the mixer to medium-high and beat until thick and creamy — about 1-2 minutes. Add a tablespoon of milk at a time if the frosting feels too thick. Spread it generously on cooled cookies and sprinkle chopped pecans on top if you like a little extra crunch.

Top Tip

From my experience, the difference between an okay carrot cookie and an unforgettable one is all in the details. Here's what I've learned from dozens of batches to help you nail it every time:

Butter Softening: I always avoid microwaving butter. Letting it soften naturally at room temperature keeps the dough from spreading too much in the oven.
Carrot Preparation: Freshly grate your carrots using the small holes on a box grater. I tried pre-packaged matchstick carrots once, and the texture was off—too chunky!
Mixing Technique: Finish mixing the dough by hand once it becomes thick. Over-mixing with the mixer can make your cookies tough.
Frosting Softness: Let your cream cheese and butter come to room temperature naturally for a fluffy frosting. Microwaving makes it runny and less spreadable.

How to Serve Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Carrot Cake Cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I love adding an extra sprinkle of chopped pecans on top of the frosting for a little nutty crunch and a rustic look. Sometimes, I’ll toss some tiny edible flowers or a light dusting of cinnamon for a special presentation when I’m sharing them at a gathering.

Side Dishes

These cookies go beautifully alongside a fresh cup of spiced chai or hot coffee. At brunch, I often serve them with a fruit salad or a creamy yogurt parfait to balance the sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

For parties, I like to serve these carrot cake cookies on a tiered stand with small bowls of extra frosting for dipping. Another fun idea is to sandwich two cookies together with frosting in the middle — it’s like a mini carrot cake sandwich that’s wildly popular with kids!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge to keep the cream cheese frosting fresh. They stay soft and moist for about 3-4 days this way. Just bring them to room temperature before serving for best flavor.

Freezing

One of my favorite tips: these cookies freeze beautifully — frosted or unfrosted! Freeze them individually on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready for a treat, just unwrap and let thaw on the counter for about 15-20 minutes.

Reheating

If you want to warm your carrot cake cookies, especially unfrosted ones, pop them in the microwave for about 10 seconds or in a low oven (300°F) for 5 minutes. Frosted cookies are better enjoyed cold or at room temperature to keep the frosting stable.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use pre-shredded carrots for this recipe?

It’s best to use freshly grated carrots with small holes on your grater. Pre-shredded or matchstick carrots are usually thicker and can affect the texture of your cookies, making them less tender and more dense.

Why do my carrot cake cookies spread too much?

If your butter was melted or too soft when mixing, the dough can spread excessively during baking. Also, overmixing the dough once flour is added can develop gluten and make cookies lose their shape. Use room-temperature butter and finish mixing by hand as recommended.

Can I make these cookies vegan?

You can try substituting the butter with a vegan spread and use flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2.5 tablespoons water per egg) as an egg replacer. For the frosting, there are vegan cream cheese alternatives available that you could experiment with, but the texture and flavor might differ slightly.

How long do carrot cake cookies stay fresh?

When stored in an airtight container in the fridge, these cookies stay fresh for about 3-4 days. If you want to keep them longer, freezing is your best bet. Just thaw completely before enjoying!

Final Thoughts

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe has quickly become one of my go-to treats for any occasion — whether it’s an informal snack, a potluck favorite, or just a way to brighten a dull day. They’re approachable in technique, bursting with flavor, and endlessly customizable. Give this recipe a try, and I promise you’ll find yourself making them again and again. Happy baking, friend!