In the past I’ve made carrot muffins and wanted to try something different. I took the flavors of carrot cake and turned them into a cookie — a delightful Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe that came out delicious.
Why This Recipe Works
Perfect for spring and Easter — These cookies are especially fun around Easter, though they’re great any time of year.
Fast and easy — From start to finish these cookies take about 30 minutes.
Made with real carrots — The shredded carrots give the cookies moisture and a wholesome carrot-cake flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Brown and granulated sugar — Using both gives depth and caramel notes to the cookies.
- Grated carrots — Grate your own carrots for the best moisture; pre-shredded carrots are usually too dry.
- Craisins or dried cranberries — They add chew and a bright tang; raisins work fine as a substitute.
- Warm spices — Cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice create the classic carrot-cake spice profile.
- Pecans — Add crunch and a toasty, nutty flavor; walnuts can be used instead.
- Butter — Use room-temperature butter for proper creaming; don’t melt it.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, cream the butter with the brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Beat in the eggs, then stir in the grated carrots and craisins (or raisins). Mix until evenly combined.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until a cookie dough forms.
Step 5: Fold in the chopped pecans.
Step 6: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a greased baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. A cookie scoop can make this quicker and more uniform.
Step 7: Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
This batch yields a lot of cookies (about 40), so be ready to share or freeze extras for later.
Expert Tips
Grating carrots: A box grater works well — stop before you grate your fingers and aim for fine to medium shreds so the carrots distribute evenly.
Frosting ideas: For a true carrot-cake finish, top cookies with cream cheese frosting or sandwich two cookies together with frosting in the middle.
Baking sheet options: Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking instead of greasing the sheet.
Recipe FAQs
Yes — raisins are a fine substitute and will keep the cookies sweet and chewy.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or freeze for longer storage.
Walnuts are a great alternative if you prefer them to pecans.
Related Carrot Recipes
- Carrot Muffin Recipe for Kids
- Carrot Cake Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cake Mix Carrot Cake Cookies
- Hidden Veggie Baked Mac and Cheese
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Recipe
Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe
If you love carrot cake, try these cookies — they pack shredded carrots, warm spices, dried cranberries and pecans into a soft, flavorful cookie.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 cup craisins or dried cranberries (or raisins)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, then stir in the grated carrots and craisins.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
- Fold in the chopped pecans.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Use a box grater for the carrots and avoid grating too fine to protect your fingers.
- Top with cream cheese frosting for an authentic carrot-cake finish, or sandwich frosting between two cookies.
- Parchment paper makes cleanup easy and prevents sticking.
- Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on ingredients and portion size.
Nutrition (per cookie, approximate)
Calories: 87 kcal | Carbohydrates: 13 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 4 g