Description
Delightfully soft and spiced carrot cake cookies featuring grated carrots, oats, and warm spices, optionally enhanced with nuts and raisins. These cookies can be enjoyed plain or with a luscious cream cheese frosting, perfect for Easter or any cozy dessert craving.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely grated carrots
Additional Mix-ins (Optional)
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup raisins
For Serving (Optional)
- Cream cheese frosting (for sandwich cookies or drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This ensures all leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, creating a smooth batter base.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, which adds moisture and flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing, preserving tender texture.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold in the grated carrots, oats, and optional nuts or raisins, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
- Form Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden and centers are set, indicating doneness.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely for best texture.
- Frost (Optional): Once cooled, optionally spread or pipe cream cheese frosting between two cookies to create sandwiches or drizzle on top.
Notes
- Grate carrots finely to ensure even moisture distribution and consistent baking.
- You can omit nuts or raisins if preferred, making the cookies nut-free or simpler.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
- For longer storage, freeze the cookies and thaw as needed.
