Carrot Cake Cookies – All the flavors of carrot cake rolled into tasty cookies! Tender oatmeal cookies filled with cinnamon, grated carrots and coconut and filled with cream cheese frosting. VIDEO below!
Who is ready for Spring? Today I’m bringing you a fabulous recipe for Easter, Mother’s Day – any Spring occasion. Everytime I make these Carrot Cake Cookies they are met with rave reviews. I’ve updated the recipe after a few reader comments and I am sure that these will come out great, and you will love them too!
Carrot Cake Cookies
This recipe takes all the flavors of carrot cake (carrots, cinnamon, walnuts and coconut) and loads them into soft and chewy cookies sandwiching a generous filling of cream cheese frosting. These cookies are faster and easier than making a whole carrot cake. They are easily portable and they can be eaten with one hand. No plate or fork needed!
If we’re being honest with each other, the best part of carrot cake is the cream cheese frosting, right? It’s sweet and tangy, rich and creamy and So. Darn. Good. These cookies are the perfect vehicle for getting more cream cheese frosting into your life. And aren’t we all trying to increase our consumption of cream cheese frosting? 😉 This recipe is dangerously delicious. If you like carrot cake and cream cheese frosting you have to try these Carrot Cake Cookies!
Not into cream cheese frosting (gasp)? These cookies are actually great on their own. They are chewy and moist, and lightly spiced. If you have any misshapen cookies, that don’t work well for sandwiching, you go right and ahead and gobble those up. We call this “quality control” around these parts.
Tips for Making Carrot Cake Cookies
- Only soften the butter slightly, or the cookies will spread too much.
- Use a cookie scoop so that all of the cookies are the same size (I use a 2 tsp scoop).
- Bake the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets.
- Pull the cookies from the oven when the center is just slightly underdone – this will ensure a chewy cookie.
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW!
If you just can’t get enough carrot cake you will be happy to have stumbled upon this post. Scroll down to see all my favorite carrot cake recipes. There’s sure to be one you will love!
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UPDATE: After several reviews that these cookies spread too much, I have added an additional 3 tablespoons flour to the recipe and added a 30 minute chill time. This makes for a sturdier cookie which will be a tiny bit thicker than the cookies pictured. If you live in a very dry climate (like me!), you could probably get away with 1 cup flour.
Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened slightly
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats not quick oats
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened
- 2/3 cup finely grated carrots NOT packed, see note
- 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts optional
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar plus more, if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (do not place the cookies directly on the baking sheets, they will spread too much).
- Beat butter and sugars for 1-2 minutes until light and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping the bowl if necessary.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low until just combined. Add the oats, coconut, carrots and walnuts and mix until just combined.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Scoop the dough evenly into 2 teaspoon sized mounds and place a couple inches apart on the cookie sheets (make sure they are mounded and not flat). Ensure that the cookies will be similar in size since the cookies will be sandwiched.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until golden brown and still slightly soft in the center. Rotate your cookie sheets halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets. Once cool, place the cookies in the refrigerator to firm up a little while you prepare the frosting.
For the frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter for several minutes, until combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat for a couple more minutes until smooth and creamy. If the frosting appears too thin, add a little more powdered sugar or place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to slightly firm up.
- Spread frosting on the underside of half of the cookies and top with another cookie.
- These cookies are best within 1-2 days of making them. Store them in the refrigerator and eat them from the fridge or bring to room temp before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
CARROT CAKE RECIPES:
Healthier Carrot Cake (Naturally Sweetened & Whole Grain)
Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Also, don’t miss these delicious CARROT RECIPES from my friends!
Homemade Carrot Cake from Bread Booze Bacon
Carrot Cake Pancakes from White Lights on Wednesday
Blue Ribbon Carrot Sheet Cake from I Heart Eating
Paleo Maple Carrot Cupcakes from Cooking with Curls
Carrot Orzo from Home.Made.Interest.
Carrot Orange Punch from Sugar & Soul
Maple Butter Carrots from The Two Bite Club
Mini Carrot Cake Loaves from It Bakes Me Happy
Caitlan says
Decided to make these cookies because I had a sweet tooth for carrot cake. Absolutely love them!! I did use quick oats because I didn’t see that it said don’t use them but they still turned out great! Thanks for sharing.
Celebrating Sweets says
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Heidi asbell says
As a beginner baker, in your recipe you indicate brown sugar. Is that packed light brown sugar?
Celebrating Sweets says
You can use light or dark brown sugar. You’ll want to press/pack it into the measuring cup. Enjoy!
Regina Treml says
OMG AMAZING! These cookies are fabulous and the recipe was perfect, we didn’t change a thing! Thank you for blessing us with your talent ❤️
Regina Treml says
I forgot to mention that I did use quick oats because I didn’t realize it said not to and it was still perfect! My daughter is very picky about oats and she said that it was the perfect amount and not too much. Thanks again!
Celebrating Sweets says
I’m so glad that you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Gina Campana says
Excellent recipe! ❤️❤️❤️ I always make the recipe as outlined when doing it for the 1st time and then make changes on the 2nd round if it is needed. My husband loved these and so did I. I will definitely make this again. Hopefully, I get to share these with friends when this crisis is over. I was thinking that this could be made gluten free easily. I have some friends that have wheat allergies and it’s good to have some various recipes that are easy to prepare without wheat and not have to make too many modifications. Thank you for the great recipe and tips! Stay healthy!
Celebrating Sweets says
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. Enjoy!
Adam Rice says
These cookies are SO GOOD. The only thing I would add is a cookie cooling rack is needed because if you stack the cookies they will stick to eachother.
Celebrating Sweets says
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂
KatherineK says
Can’t eat coconut, is there a substitute I can use? Or just leave the coconut out? Hope to bake these very soon.
Celebrating Sweets says
You can leave it out. Enjoy!
KatherineK says
Thank you! Baking these very soon, look soooo great!
Pat Satterfield says
Couldn’t give a rating ,I have a question before I make them.Can you make these and freeze them?
Celebrating Sweets says
Yes you can. I prefer adding the frosting after freezing and thawing. You can layer parchment paper between the cookies to keep them from sticking. Enjoy!
Sally Ali says
Hi am from Malaysia our country have alot of Fresh coconut can i just use grated Fresh coconut?
Celebrating Sweets says
It might be too wet. If so, pat it dry with a towel. Enjoy!
karis says
hello i made this recipe and it’s so damn delicious. May i know the shelf life of this carrot cake cookies and how to store them
Allison says
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
These cookies are best within 1-2 days of making them. Store them in the refrigerator and eat them from the fridge or bring to room temp before serving.