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Pioneer Woman carrot cake cookies take 1 hour 15 minutes and fresh grated carrots, toasted walnuts and cream cheese frosting to make a soft, cakey cookie. Save this easy Easter dessert for spring brunch, potlucks or egg hunt picnics, because it's a make-ahead treat you can frost right before serving.
Pat the grated carrots dry before they go into the dough, because fresh carrots hold a lot of water. Skip it and the cookies turn gummy instead of soft and cakey.
Grating your own carrots instead of buying the bagged shreds gives you cookies that stay moist and tender. Baking on two racks and rotating the pans halfway through also browns every batch evenly.
What you need for this recipe
KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer
It creams the butter and sugar and whips the frosting until fluffy without any hand work.
Buy on AmazonOXO medium cookie scoop
A scoop gives you evenly sized cookies, so they all bake in the same time.
Buy on AmazonOXO 4-sided box grater
Grating the carrots on the small holes gives fine shreds that melt into the dough.
Buy on AmazonPantry pick Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz
Real vanilla extract, not imitation, for a clean and full vanilla flavor.
Buy on AmazonShipping adds up. Try Prime free for 30 days for fast, free delivery.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pioneer Woman Carrot Cake Cookies
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
servings25
minutes16
minutes340
kcalSpiced dough loaded with carrot and crunchy walnuts bakes into soft, cakey rounds. Once cool, a thick swirl of tangy cream cheese frosting goes on top.
Ingredients
1 c. salted butter, softened
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. finely grated fresh carrot (from about 6 medium carrots), patted dry
1 c. chopped toasted walnuts
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Orange jimmy sprinkles or chopped toasted walnuts, for sprinkling
Directions
- Preheat and line pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Cream the butter: Beat 1 cup salted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a stand mixer. Keep it on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes, then add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Then add it gradually to the butter mixture on low speed and beat for about 1 minute.
- Fold in carrots and walnuts: Stir in 2 1/2 cups finely grated fresh carrot, patted dry, and 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts. The dough will look thick and chunky, which is exactly right.
- Scoop the dough: Use a 1 3/4-inch cookie scoop to drop leveled spoonfuls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, onto the prepared pans. Space them at least 2 inches apart so they have room to spread.
- Bake the cookies: Bake 2 pans at a time, rotating halfway through, until the edges are lightly browned, 14 to 16 minutes total. Cool on the pans for 3 minutes, then move them to a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
- Make the frosting: Beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Then add 1 pound powdered sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract on low, and beat on medium for about 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Frost and decorate: Dollop a spoonful of frosting on each cooled cookie and spread it over the top. Finish with orange jimmy sprinkles or chopped toasted walnuts.
Tools for this recipe
- KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, OXO medium cookie scoop, OXO 4-sided box grater, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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FAQs
Can I leave the nuts out of these cookies?
Yes, you can skip the walnuts completely, though you'll lose some of the crunch. If you still want a little bite, a handful of raisins adds chew and sweetness instead.
How should I store carrot cake cookies?
Frosted cookies need to go in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. If you can wait, keep the cookies unfrosted at room temperature and frost them right before serving, since the fridge dries them out faster.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Bake and cool them, then freeze the unfrosted cookies in a zip-top freezer bag for up to a month. Thaw them for about 2 hours, then frost, so the frosting stays fresh and fluffy.
What can I use if I don't have a cookie scoop?
Two spoons work fine. Drop rounded portions of about 1 1/2 tablespoons onto the pan, and try to keep them the same size so they bake at the same pace.
Why are my cookies soggy or flat?
Wet carrots are the usual cause, since extra water makes the dough loose. Squeeze the grated carrots between paper towels first, and make sure your butter is only softened, not melted.
This week on Amazon
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals run through December 1. The picks from this recipe we would check first: KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, OXO medium cookie scoop, OXO 4-sided box grater.
See the dealsRee's newest cookbook The Essential Recipes.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
