Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies
If you put a slice of carrot cake next to a slice of chocolate cake I admit that 99.9% of the time I’ll go for the chocolate slice. This is of course after carefully scrutinizing the best frosting to cake ratio option. That doesn’t mean at all that I don’t love carrot cake because I do. But I’m branching out today with these chewy carrot cake cookies. If you’re looking for cake-like cookies similar to pumpkin cookies, these are not them. They’re chewy and full of spices.
Did I lose you? Because I know chewy carrot cake cookies doesn’t exactly sound that great but they are. Really. With the help of a cake mix, these come together quickly. These aren’t the 3 ingredient cake mix cookies you’re thinking of though. We are adding plenty of the regular cookie components and goodies like cinnamon and nuts to emphasize the carrot cake part of them. The cake mix just helps us add the texture and carrot cake flavor we love.
If you want to add raisins, feel free. I’ve found that the raisin vs. non-raisin crowds out there are very opinionated so I’m going to leave that up to you.
Honestly you could just stop here. The carrot cookies alone are soft chewy and full of carrot cake flavor. But I’ve always liked a heavy dose of frosting on my carrot cake so I couldn’t leave them alone.
That’s not too much frosting, is it?
Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 3/4 cup carrot cake mix
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the flour, carrot cake mix, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl add the butter and brown sugar. Cream together for a couple of minutes with a mixer.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the bowl with a spatula if needed.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Add the nuts and mix until just incorporated. The dough will be soft.
- Chill the dough completely for a couple of hours. This is essential so that the cookies do not spread too much.
- Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 1 1/2 Tablespoon size balls and place on the cookie sheet. You want your dough balls to be taller than wider. These cookies do spread a lot so make sure you have plenty of room between the cookies.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just turning golden brown. The cookies may appear to not be done all the way but will set up on the pan. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the pan.
- For the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix slowly at first until combined. Beat until fluffy. Frost cookies.
Notes
Want more Easter recipes?
Easy to make and it was a big hit with my family. 🙂
This looks great!! I have been looking for inspiring recipes for Easter.
Your site is the Best!! Thanks for sharing
Thank you!
I don’t have brown sugar I have white can I use white instead I can I use a half cup instead of a full cup to cut down the sweetness
Yes!
I’m interested in making these, but was wondering if there was anything possible to use instead of butter and still get the same cookie result?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure but I think it would work.
Hi, not sure if I’ve missed this, but what is the carrot cake mix recipe (that you need 1 3/4 cups of to go in the cookies)? Thanks!
These would be great to make carrot cake eaters of my nonbelievers!
These cookies were too sweet for my taste. Especially with the frosting added.
I like a little pineapple in my carrot cake. Can’t see why I can’t add to the cookies.
Coffee is on
I do too! I think you could replace some of the butter with crushed pineapple.
My mama loves carrot cake… these will be a nice surprise for her!
You’re sweet!
yum this looks great! thanks for sharing!
styleandchocolates.blogspot.com
The cookies look tasty and looks like such a great spring recipe!
They are better than they look.
Between the chocolate and the carrot cake, I will go for the carrot cake:) So these are right up my alley! I wonder how my favorite carrot cake will work in a cookie form (it doesn’t use cake mix, so maybe it will be too wet)?
I love the idea of the flavor of a carrot cake in a cookie form because it is easier to control portions! The cookies can be frozen and then just microwaved to have one with coffee. Thanks for sharing this, Christy!
Yessss please! Love these cookies!
Those look perfect for spring and so yummy 🙂
Pinning these! I’m a sucker for carrot cake and these look amazing!