Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Great carrot cake taste in the form of a cookie but still with cream cheese frosting. Nothing could be better. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

Editor’s Note: Originally published October 16, 2011. Updated with expanded discussion and instructions along with revised photos.

My wife thinks this is one of the best things I have ever made, and she may well be right. It is right up there with my Whole Wheat Buttermilk Blueberry Cream Cheese Scones.  An evil treat that I love.

All major food groups are included in these cookies: Grains (flour and oats) Fruits (raisins) Vegetables (carrots) Dairy (cream cheese) and Meat (eggs count?).  It must be good for you (NOT).

My Rating:

Most of the time I must put some thought into the rating. Not this time. If I only had a 6…

Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Carrot Cake Cookies

This recipe is a modification of a Martha Stewart recipe for Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies. I cut down the recipe, adjust the method, and season a bit. And make cookies, not sandwiches.

Not much work and almost no skills are needed to pull this off. Give it a try for an everyday treat or that special occasion.

The Carrots

Do not use “baby carrots,” which are wooden and have no taste. They are cut out of large carrots.

Go by volume of the shredded carrots. And try to use small to medium whole carrots.

Shred them yourself with the finest shred your shredder you have.

Final thoughts

I did make them slightly bigger and did not make them into sandwiches like the Marthe recipe called for along with the other changes.

The oats add some strength and texture.

The lemon juice in the frosting will add a bit of acid and act as a preservative and a bit nice taste

Use parchment paper or a baking mat. These will stick to the pan.

Good sealed airtight in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Should freeze well for 3-4 months but separate with wax paper.

Other Carrot Cake Recipes

Carrot Cake Pancakes – Oven Baked

Healthier Low Fat Carrot Cake

Preheat oven on 350 convection. Prep two cookie sheets by covering with parchment paper. Finely shred one large or 2 smaller carrots to make 3/4 cup. Try not to use the “baby carrots”, they have no taste.

In a large mixing bowl combine 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter with brown sugar, sugar, and 1 egg. Whisk or beat together. I’m lazy and used a stand mixer, but a handheld mixer or even a whisk should do.

Next, in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. AP flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt. Mix well and slowly combine with the butter/egg mixture.

Now add 3/4 cup shredded carrot, 1 cup rolled oats and 1/3 cup raisins. Mix well.

Spoon onto the parchment covered cookie sheets into 1-inch diameter balls. It should make about 16. Flatten the balls slightly with your fingers.

Place in the oven for 8 minutes. Rotate the pans (180 degrees and bottom pan to top). Cook about another 7-8 minute until edges are turning brown.

Remove from oven and let sit for about 2 minutes until they firm up a bit and then move to a cooling rack.

Make the frosting: 4 oz cream cheese and 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a bowl. Microwave for 10-20 seconds to soften if needed but do not melt.

Cream together with a hand mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Continue to mix. Slowly add about 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if needed. Refrigerator until needed. Don’t forget to lick the beaters.

Let cool and then frost with the cream cheese frosting.

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5 from 1 vote

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Great carrot cake taste in the form of a cookie but still with cream cheese frosting. Nothing could be better. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time16 mins

Total Time36 mins

Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Course : Dessert

Cuisine : American

Servings/Adjust Amount: 16 cookies

16

Ingredients

Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 ½ tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 ¼ cup powder sugar

Cookie Dough

• 1 stick butter - ½ cup melted
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar - white
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup AP flour
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• ¾ cup finely grated carrot
• ⅓ cup raisins - optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven on 350 convection. Prep two cookie sheets by covering with parchment paper. Finely shred 2 small to medium carrots to make ¾ cup. Try not to use the “baby carrots”, they have no taste.
• In a large mixing bowl combine 1 stick (½ cup) melted butter with ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 egg. Whisk or beat together. I’m lazy and used a stand mixer but a handheld mixer, or even a whisk should do.
• Next, in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. ¾ cup AP flour, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well and slowly combine with the butter/egg mixture.
• Now add ¾ cup shredded carrot, 1 cup rolled oats and ⅓ cup raisins (optional). Mix well.
• Spoon onto the parchment covered cookie sheets into 1-inch diameter balls. It should make about 16. Flatten the balls slightly with your fingers.
• Place in the oven for 8 minutes. Rotate the pans (180 degrees and bottom pan to top). Cook about another 7-8 minute until edges are turning brown.
• Remove from oven and let sit for about 2 minutes until they firm up a bit and then move to a cooling rack.
• Make the frosting: 4 oz cream cheese and 2 ½ tablespoons of butter in a bowl. Microwave for 10-20 seconds to soften if needed but do not melt.
• Cream together with a hand mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla and ½ teaspoon lemon juice. Continue to mix. Slowly add 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth. Add a bit more powder sugar if needed or a few drops of milk if needed. Refrigerator until needed. Don’t forget to lick the beaters.
• Let cool and then frost with the cream cheese frosting.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips

1. Do not use "baby carrots," which are wooden and have no taste.
2. Shred the carrots yourself with the finest shred your shredder you have.
3. Use parchment paper or a baking mat. These will stick to the pan.
4. Good sealed airtight in a refrigerator for 3-4 days. Should freeze well for 3-4 months but separate with wax paper.
5. This is a great recipe; you get individual servings of carrot "cake" without a lot of work.

 

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Make it Perfect First Time and Every TimeDon't miss out, check the full post above. Almost every recipe includes easy step by step photo instructions so you can visualize yourself cooking this recipe along with helpful tips and options.

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1345IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

 

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

Originally published October 16, 2011. Sorry for the photo – poor camara 8 years ago.