Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe With Coconut Pecan Cream Cheese Icing

carrot cake cookies with coconut pecan cream cheese icing on countertop with decorative carrots on the sides.

5 from 1 vote

Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe With Coconut Pecan Cream Cheese Icing

Carrot Cake Cookies are the ultimate sweet treat. Moist, chewy, and delicious, loaded with grated carrots, warming spices, and topped with an out of this world coconut pecan cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Cooling Time5

Total Time30

Course: Cookie, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: cookies

Calories: 358kcal

Author: Sarah Jenkins

Ingredients

For The Carrot Cake Cookies

⅔ cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup brown sugar
⅔ cup white sugar
4 teaspoon whole milk
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups grated carrots moisture removed
½ cup raisins

For The Coconut-Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese room temperature
¼ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

For the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and milk, and mix until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
Gently fold in the shredded carrots, and raisins until evenly distributed.
Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (Cookies will spread slightly while baking so leave plenty of room between them.)
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Coconut Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating well after each addition to avoid lumps.
Mix in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until combined.
Gently stir in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans until evenly distributed.

Assemble the Cookies

Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous layer of the frosting on top of each cookie.
Garnish with additional shredded coconut or chopped pecans if you like.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Be sure to remove the moisture from the grated carrots before adding them to the cookie dough. To do this, simply place them between two paper towels and squeeze them over the sink.
These cookies are moist. I suggest storing them in the refrigerator in an airtight container to preserve them. (I find it good to use wax paper between the layers of cookies to prevent them from sticking together.)

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