Simple Carrot Cookies

These soft and delicious carrot cookies are perfect for serving the family or at parties. They have a wonderful flavor and are even better with frosting! Super simple and quick to make, this is one of my favorite recipes.

If you like carrot cake then you’re going to love these cookies. They offer the great flavor of carrot cake combined with the sweetness of a delicious, homemade cookie.

And they taste even better with frosting! These cookies work with all sorts of frosting, but orange, lemon, and cream cheese frosting is absolutely amazing.

This recipe is one of my oldest sons favorites, so me and him bake them together often. In fact, he likes these cookies better than a traditional carrot cake.

Make sure to bookmark or pin this recipe so you can find it the next time you want a fresh batch of carrot cookies.

Baking cookies at higher temperature helps achieve a soft and tasty texture. Lower temps require a longer baking time, which can lead to dried out cookies. For some recipes, it’s a good idea to under bake your cookies by a minute or two if you enjoy a softer texture.

Cookie Tip

Save this recipe for later: Classic carrot cake (moist and delicious)

How to Bake Homemade Carrot Cookies from Scratch

If you’ve ever been to Treat Dreams before, then you probably know that I love homemade recipes that are loaded with flavor while being easy to put together.

And these cookies are exactly that kind of recipe. While you’ll be making your cookies from scratch, they’re super easy to make.

Prep time is right around ten minutes and bake time is only fifteen. And once you’ve taken that first bite, you’re going to be impressed with the great flavor and texture considering it’s such a simple recipe to make.

For equipment, you need two mixing bowl, a cookie sheet, and a hand mixer (you can use a stand mixer but I find a hand mixer easier).

This recipe yields about two dozen carrot cookies.

For better results, chill your cookie dough for an hour before forming and baking. This does a number of great things for our cookies. It makes them easier to handle while also elevating the flavor and texture. While not strictly required with this recipe, if you have the time, it’s well worth doing.

Cookie Tip

Pin this recipe: Spiced carrot pie (perfect for the holidays)

Recipe Ingredients

While baking from scratch means a longer ingredient list, the flavor you get is so worth it! And these cookies bring together the great flavor of carrot with classic cookie dough ingredients.

And don’t worry, if you’re missing anything, I’ll also cover some common substitutes you can use to make your cookies.

Ingredient List

• Pureed Carrots
• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Granulated Sugar
• Brown Sugar (packed)
• Salt
• Shortening
• Egg
• Vanilla Extract
• Chopped Nuts (optional)
• Frosting

Carrots: You have two main options for your carrots. You can puree fresh carrots, or use baby food style pureed carrots. Both work incredibly well so go with your preference. If you’ve never pureed carrots before, check this recipe.

Flour: I’ve found that all-purpose flour produces the best texture. I’ve also used bread flour, which worked quite well. If you require a gluten free flour, use your favorite, but it will effect the final flavor and texture of your cookies.

Shortening: I like the texture that shortening produces when baking homemade cookies. It’s a classic cookie making ingredients. I go with regular shortening, as butter flavor just imparts a little too much additional flavor. If you need a shortening alternative, go with butter, ghee, vegan butter, or even lard. In fact, lard produces a great cookie if you have it.

Baking Powder: This is our leavening agent and is required to get the rise we need in our cookies. Don’t use baking soda in this recipe, stick to baking powder.

Nuts: While entirely optional, I love the earthy flavor and crunch crushed nuts provides these cookies. I love using pecans, but almonds, walnuts, and even macadamia nuts work great.

Another great recipe: Carrot cake cookies

Frosting Options

Just like a classic carrot cake wouldn’t be complete without homemade cream cheese frosting, these cookies are absolutely amazing when frosted.

The added sweet, creaminess goes so well with the carrot. I’ve used a number of different types of frosting on my cookies, and honestly, I haven’t found a combination I don’t like yet.

You can go with a classic cream cheese frosting or even a flavored buttercream frosting. Below you will find some of my favorites. But you can also go to the top of this page and search for “frosting”.

I have a lot of great frosting recipes you can choose from.

• Whipped cream cream cheese frosting
• Vanilla pudding frosting
• Orange buttercream
• Lemon cream cheese frosting
• Chocolate cream cheese frosting

Easy Recipe Instructions

If you don’t bake cookies from scratch often, no need to worry. This recipe is straight forward and easy to make.

In fact, in just a few simple steps, your cookies will be baking in the oven!

If you are going to puree your carrots yourself, do so before starting the steps below. I also recommend that you prepare your frosting while your cookies are in the oven.

Your frosting should be done with time to spare before frosting your cookies.

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (wait if chilling dough). Grease your cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Step 2: Add your all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir it together.

Step 3:In your other mixing bowl, add your shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and mix until well blended.

Step 4: Beat your egg into your shortening mixture.

Step 5: Alternate between gradually mixing in your dry mixture and your pureed carrots until all is well combined. Stir in your vanilla extract.

Step 6: If using nuts, stir them in now.

Note: If you have time, chill your cookie dough for one hour before moving on.

Step 7: Scoop rounded teaspoons of cookie dough onto cookie sheet.

Step 8: Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Step 9: Cool cookies on a wire rack. Frost when warm.

Step 10: Serve and enjoy!

Liv’s Carrot Cookies Recipe Notes

• You can use baby food carrots or puree your own. Both work great.
• These cookies can be served with or without frosting.
• Check above for great frosting recipes that taste amazing with these cookies.
• You can make carrot cookie sandwiches by putting two cookies together with frosting in the middle.
• If you have time, chill your dough for one hour before baking. This will improve the texture and flavor quite a bit.
• Store leftover cookies covered in the refrigerator.