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

There's something magical about mixing the warm spices of carrot cake into a cozy little treat, and that's exactly what this Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe delivers. These cookies are soft, flavorful, and topped with the creamiest frosting that’s just the perfect sweet finish.

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

I’m honestly obsessed with this Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe, and once you make these, I bet you will be too. It’s like all the best parts of carrot cake baked into handheld cookies that are incredibly soft and perfectly spiced, plus that frosting puts them over the top.

Perfect Texture: These cookies are soft and chewy with just the right amount of moisture thanks to grated carrots and oats.
Flavor Explosion: Warm cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger create that classic carrot cake taste in every bite.
Easy Frosting: The cream cheese frosting is silky smooth and easy to spread, bringing a lovely tangy sweetness.
Great for Any Occasion: Whether it's a casual snack, party treat, or gift, these cookies impress every time.

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe plays a special role. Freshly grated carrots bring moisture and a touch of natural sweetness, while quick oats add texture without weighing down the cookies. The warm spices and nuts round out the flavor and crunch. Shopping tip: use the freshest spices you can find — it really lifts the whole recipe!

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: Softened, not melted, to help achieve that tender cookie crumb without spreading too much.
Brown Sugar: Adds deeper molasses notes and moisture compared to white sugar alone.
Granulated Sugar: Balances the sweetness and helps create a slight crisp edge.
Eggs: Bind everything together and add richness.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the warm, sweet flavors.
All-purpose Flour: The base to hold all ingredients together.
Baking Soda: Provides lift and helps cookies rise just right.
Ground Spices (Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves): The magic carpet that turns these from simple cookies into carrot cake dreams.
Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavors.
Shredded Carrots: Use freshly grated for moisture and texture - avoid pre-packaged matchstick carrots.
Quick Oats: Adds a tender chew; you can pulse rolled oats if you don’t have quick oats handy.
Finely Chopped Pecans: Adds crunch and nuttiness — one of my favorite parts!
Cream Cheese (for frosting): Soft and tangy, makes the frosting irresistibly smooth.
Butter (for frosting): Adds richness and helps frosting whip to a fluffy texture.
Powdered Sugar: Sweet and fine, perfect for creamy frosting.
Milk: Optional, to adjust frosting consistency so it spreads easily but isn’t runny.

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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 recipe is how easy it is to make your own. You can swap nuts, try different spices, or even mix in raisins if you like. I’ve also tried making it with less sugar for a less sweet treat — it still turns out delicious!

Nut-Free Variation: I once replaced pecans with sunflower seeds, which worked great if you’re avoiding nuts.
Spice It Up: If you prefer milder spices, just reduce the cloves and nutmeg by half — I usually do this when baking for the kids.
Gluten-Free Option: Swap all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend that includes xanthan gum for structure.
Dairy-Free Frosting: Try a vegan cream cheese alternative and dairy-free butter for frosting — works surprisingly well.

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: Cream Together the Butter and Sugars

Start by letting your butter soften at room temperature—don’t microwave! Then, using a mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is key for that tender texture. I find scraping down the bowl a couple of times helps everything come together evenly.

Step 2: Mix in Eggs and Vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time to your creamed butter mixture, beating just until incorporated after each. Follow with the vanilla extract and give it one last scrape around the bowl—this keeps your batter silky smooth and lump-free.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a separate bowl. This step evenly distributes your spices so every cookie tastes just right.

Step 4: Slowly Add Dry Ingredients to Wet

With your mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. The dough will become quite thick, so once it’s hard to mix with the mixer, switch to stirring by hand to finish. This helps keep the batter from overworking, which keeps the cookies soft.

Step 5: Fold in Carrots, Oats, and Pecans

Gently stir in the shredded carrots, quick oats, and chopped pecans just until everything is combined. The carrots add moisture, oats give great chewiness, and pecans add a toasty crunch I can’t get enough of.

Step 6: Scoop and Bake

Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to form balls and place them 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly flatten the tops with your fingers. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, keeping a close eye so they’re just lightly golden around the edges. Overbaking will dry them out, so I usually set my timer for 10 minutes and check from there.

Step 7: Let Cookies Cool Before Frosting

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frosting warm cookies will melt it into a mess, so patience is key here!

Step 8: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar and then beat until thick and creamy. Add milk one tablespoon at a time if frosting feels too thick. I’ve learned that letting both butter and cream cheese soften naturally at room temp makes this step so much easier.

Step 9: Frost and Garnish

Once cookies are fully cooled, spread the frosting generously on top. If you'd like, sprinkle with extra chopped pecans for a pretty, crunchy finish.

Top Tip

From baking these cookies many times, I’ve picked up some tricks that make all the difference between just okay and absolutely scrumptious.

Softened Butter Only: I can’t stress this enough — don’t microwave your butter or cream cheese. Room temp is the way to go for perfect texture and rise.
Freshly Grated Carrots: Use the smallest holes on your grater so the carrots blend well without making the dough too watery.
Watch the Bake Time: These cookies look underdone when removed from the oven, but they finish setting as they cool. Take them out at 10-12 minutes max!
Cool Completely Before Frosting: You’ll thank me later — frosting warm cookies just melts and makes a mess.

How to Serve Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Carrot Cake Cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I like to keep it simple with a sprinkling of chopped pecans or a light dusting of cinnamon on top of the frosting. Sometimes a few tiny carrot curls from the grater add a cute, playful touch if I’m serving guests.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair perfectly with a hot cup of chai tea or a comforting latte — something with warm spices to echo the cookie’s flavors. For a party, I’ve also served them alongside fresh fruit platters and creamy yogurt to balance the sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

For birthdays or special occasions, I’ve arranged these cookies on a tiered platter with edible flowers or carrot greens for a beautiful presentation. Wrapping them individually in parchment and tied with twine makes a thoughtful homemade gift too.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Keep leftover unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If frosted, store them covered in the fridge to keep the cream cheese frosting fresh for about 4-5 days. Bringing to room temp before serving helps soften the frosting again.

Freezing

I like to freeze the cookies unfrosted for best texture. Place cooled cookies on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. Frost after thawing for best results. You can freeze frosted cookies too, but the texture of the frosting changes slightly.

Reheating

Leftover cookies need a gentle touch to warm up. I microwave a single cookie for 15 seconds or warm a few cookies in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes—just enough to take the chill off without drying them. This makes the frosting soft and the cookie taste freshly baked.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats?

Old-fashioned did aren’t ideal because they’re too coarse, which affects the cookie texture. However, you can pulse them in a food processor a few times to make your own quick oats alternative that works just fine.

Why shouldn’t I microwave butter or cream cheese to soften?

Microwaving can melt the butter or cream cheese unevenly and make the dough or frosting too runny, which impacts both texture and how the cookies bake or frost. It’s best to leave them out at room temperature to soften naturally.

How do I keep the cookies soft and moist?

The key is not to overbake and to use freshly grated carrots and quick oats as the recipe calls for. Cooling the cookies properly before frosting and storing them in airtight containers helps maintain softness longer.

Can I make these cookies vegan?

While this recipe uses eggs, butter, and cream cheese, you can experiment with vegan substitutes like flax eggs, dairy-free butter, and vegan cream cheese, but results may vary. I recommend doing a small test batch if you want to try vegan.

Final Thoughts

This Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is genuinely one of those recipes I keep coming back to because it’s both comforting and a little indulgent, yet totally doable any night you want a special treat. It’s the kind of baking that fills your kitchen with amazing aromas and fills your heart (and tummy!) with joy. I hope you love making and sharing these as much as I do — truly a delicious way to brighten any day.