Carrot Cake Cookies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 17

Servings cookies

Calories 311kcal

1 stick unsalted butter 8 tbsp, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1 egg room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup grated carrots freshly grated on small side of box grater, extra liquid squeezed out in a tea towel

Place softened stick of butter in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl. Add sugar and brown sugar to bowl. Mix with paddle attachment of stand mixer or hand mixer until soft and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix again.
In a separate small bowl combine all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Pour mixed dry ingredients into bowl with wet ingredients and mix until a smooth dough forms
Mix shredded carrots into the dough - it is best use freshly grated carrots that are grated on the small side of a box grater with any excess liquid squeezed out into a tea towel
Cover dough and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. While the dough chills, preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Scoop out about 3 tbsp of dough for each cookie, roll into a ball and place on a baking sheet with space between each dough ball - you may need to bake in two batches.
Bake at 325F for 17 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool completely. While they cool make the cream cheese frosting. Mix cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer or whisk attachment of a stand mixer until fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar and then the vanilla extract until a smooth frosting remains
Top each cooled cookie with frosting and then decorate with carrot gummies, sprinkles, icing, pecans, walnuts or toasted coconut.