Soft & Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies (Easter-Ready!)
Festive carrot cake cookies with warm cinnamon, shredded carrots, and a tangy cream-cheese glaze taste like carrot cake in handheld form. They bake up soft and chewy with lightly crisp edges, and they’re perfect for Easter, and spring parties
Carrot cake has a way of making any day feel a little more special—like you put on a favorite sweater, lit a candle, and suddenly the kitchen feels warmer.
These cookies capture that exact feeling, but without the fuss of stacking layers or babysitting a cake in the oven.
You get all the good stuff (spice, sweetness, that signature carrot-cake vibe) in a cookie that’s easy to share, easy to pack, and dangerously easy to “taste test” more than once.
Why you will Love This Recipe
- True carrot-cake flavor in a quicker, simpler cookie form
- Soft, chewy centers with lightly golden edges—no dry cookies here
- Cream-cheese glaze takes them from “snack” to “celebration”
- Great for make-ahead (they stay tender for days)
- Perfect for holidays, lunchboxes, potlucks, and last-minute guests
Soft & Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fine salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg optional, but lovely
- Unsalted butter softened
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- Vanilla extract
- Finely grated carrots squeeze lightly if very wet
- Old-fashioned oats optional for texture
- Chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- Raisins optional
- Cream cheese for glaze/frosting
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk or lemon juice to thin, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until you don’t see dry flour.
- Fold in the grated carrots (and oats/nuts/raisins if using). The dough should look thick and scoopable.
- Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons (or use a cookie scoop) and place a few inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges look set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
- Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze, beat cream cheese until smooth, then mix in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add a tiny splash of milk or lemon juice until it becomes drizzle-thick.
- Drizzle or spread over cooled cookies and let set before serving.
Nabeela’s Pro tips..
- Grate carrots finely (microplane or small holes). Big shreds can make cookies cakey and uneven; fine carrots melt into the dough for better texture.
- Control moisture: if your carrots are very juicy, give them a gentle squeeze in paper towels—too much liquid can make cookies spread and bake up gummy.
- Chill for thicker cookies: refrigerate the dough 20–30 minutes if your kitchen is warm or you want a taller, bakery-style cookie.
- Don’t overbake: pull them when the centers still look slightly underdone—they finish setting on the tray and stay soft for days.
- Make the glaze pop: use lemon juice instead of milk for thinning; it brightens the cream cheese and makes the spice taste even warmer.
FAQ
Can I skip the cream-cheese glaze?
Yes. They’re delicious plain. If you still want a finish, dust lightly with powdered sugar or add a simple vanilla drizzle.
Do these taste like cake or cookies?
They’re cookie-forward (chewy and soft), but with classic carrot-cake flavor. If you add oats, they lean a bit more hearty and thick.
Can I make them gluten-free?
You can try a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Texture may be slightly more delicate, so let them cool fully before moving.
How do I store them?
Because of the cream cheese topping, store in an airtight container in the fridge. Let them sit at room temp 10–15 minutes before eating for best texture.
