Carrot Cake Cookies
By Katie LeairdPublished on February 27, 2017
Time
1 hour, plus 30 minutes macerating and 20 minutes cooling
Yield
Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
12 ounces (340 grams) carrots, peeled and shredded (2 cups)1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus ½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)Salt 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled1 large egg plus 1 large yolk2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 ¾ cups walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse¾ cup golden raisinsFrosting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 ½ cups (6 ounces/170 grams) confectioners' sugar 6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and softened1 teaspoon vanilla extractBefore You Begin
Grate the carrots using the shredding disk of a food processor or on the large holes of a box grater (the Rösle Coarse Grater is our favorite). Do not use packaged preshredded carrots.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine carrots, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Place carrots in center of clean dish towel, gather ends of towel to form bundle, and twist to remove as much moisture from carrots as possible (you should squeeze off about 1/4 cup liquid).
- Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in bowl. Whisk brown sugar, melted butter, egg and yolk, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in separate large bowl until fully combined. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined. Stir in carrots, 1 cup walnuts, and raisins.
- Drop 2-tablespoon portions of dough onto prepared sheets, staggering 12 portions per sheet. (Distribute any remaining dough evenly.) Using your fingers, lightly press cookies to even 3/4-inch thickness. Bake cookies until edges are set and beginning to brown, 16 to 20 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, beating after each addition, until fully incorporated. Add vanilla and mix until no lumps remain.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon frosting over each cooled cookie and sprinkle cookies with remaining 3/4 cup walnuts. Serve. (Cookies can be layered between sheets of parchment paper and stored in airtight container for up to 2 days.)
for the cookies
for the frosting
Time
1 hour, plus 30 minutes macerating and 20 minutes coolingYield
Makes 24 cookiesIngredients
Cookies
12 ounces (340 grams) carrots, peeled and shredded (2 cups)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus ½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
Salt
2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse
¾ cup golden raisins
Frosting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups (6 ounces/170 grams) confectioners' sugar
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Cookies
12 ounces (340 grams) carrots, peeled and shredded (2 cups)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus ½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
Salt
2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse
¾ cup golden raisins
Frosting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups (6 ounces/170 grams) confectioners' sugar
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Cookies
12 ounces (340 grams) carrots, peeled and shredded (2 cups)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus ½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
Salt
2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse
¾ cup golden raisins
Frosting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups (6 ounces/170 grams) confectioners' sugar
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
While we love the sugary sweetness, vibrant color, and crisp bite of a carrot, we discovered that this vegetable’s moisture content impeded our quest for the perfect carrot cake cookie. The excess moisture resulted in dense, unappealing cookies with little rise. Luckily, all that moisture was not a deal breaker. Armed with a box grater, a dish towel, and some elbow grease, we were able to quickly solve the problem. We also wanted a creamy, lump-free frosting to top our cookies. The key was making a smooth butter mixture before adding the cream cheese. We used a stand mixer to thoroughly mix the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar before adding pieces of softened cream cheese.
Before You Begin
Grate the carrots using the shredding disk of a food processor or on the large holes of a box grater (the Rösle Coarse Grater is our favorite). Do not use packaged preshredded carrots.
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine carrots, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Place carrots in center of clean dish towel, gather ends of towel to form bundle, and twist to remove as much moisture from carrots as possible (you should squeeze off about 1/4 cup liquid).
- Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in bowl. Whisk brown sugar, melted butter, egg and yolk, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in separate large bowl until fully combined. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined. Stir in carrots, 1 cup walnuts, and raisins.
- Drop 2-tablespoon portions of dough onto prepared sheets, staggering 12 portions per sheet. (Distribute any remaining dough evenly.) Using your fingers, lightly press cookies to even 3/4-inch thickness. Bake cookies until edges are set and beginning to brown, 16 to 20 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, beating after each addition, until fully incorporated. Add vanilla and mix until no lumps remain.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon frosting over each cooled cookie and sprinkle cookies with remaining 3/4 cup walnuts. Serve. (Cookies can be layered between sheets of parchment paper and stored in airtight container for up to 2 days.)
for the cookies
for the frosting
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