Crumbl Carrot Cake Cookies (Printable Version)
Soft carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting, inspired by Crumbl bakery
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
03 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
05 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 tsp baking powder
08 - ½ tsp baking soda
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
11 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
12 - 2 cups finely grated carrots
13 - ½ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
14 - 6 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
15 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
18 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Gently fold in grated carrots and chopped nuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Scoop 3-tablespoon mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges are golden brown and centers are set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and well combined.
10 - Once cookies are completely cool, generously frost each with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with additional chopped nuts if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These cookies capture everything you adore about carrot cake in a portable, shareable treat that disappears faster than you can frost them
- The texture is absolute magic, crisp edges giving way to an incredibly moist, spiced center that somehow improves after a day in the fridge
02 -
- Completely cooling cookies before frosting prevents the cream cheese from melting and sliding off, which I learned the messy way
- Finely grating carrots by hand instead of using a food processor prevents them from becoming watery and affecting the cookie texture
03 -
- Measuring flour by weight instead of volume prevents dense, dry cookies that happen when too much flour gets packed into the cup
- Adding a pinch of cinnamon to the frosting creates a beautiful flavor bridge between cookie and topping