Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft spiced cookies loaded with carrots, walnuts, and raisins for a delightful handheld dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
03 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
04 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
05 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
06 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
09 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

12 - 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium)
13 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
14 - 1/2 cup raisins

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
04 - Add egg and vanilla extract to butter mixture; beat until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
06 - Fold in grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins until evenly distributed.
07 - Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 11-13 minutes until edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft.
09 - Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These cookies capture everything magical about carrot cake but are ready in half the time
  • The texture is perfectly chewy with crispy edges, soft centers, and little bits of crunch throughout
  • They travel beautifully and actually taste better the next day
02 -
  • Overbaking is the enemy, pull them out when edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone
  • Grating your carrots by hand gives better texture than pre-shredded ones from the store
  • Room temperature ingredients make a huge difference in how evenly these cookies bake
03 -
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking if you have time, it makes them extra thick and chewy
  • Use the smallest holes on your box grater for carrots that virtually disappear into the cookies

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