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These carrot cake cookies are like bite-sized carrot cakes, sandwiched together with a bright and tangy orange cream cheese filling. The cookies are soft, slightly chewy, and packed with warm spices, making them the perfect twist on a classic carrot cake.
If you love traditional carrot cake but want something easy to grab and eat, these cookies are a game changer. They’re perfect for spring, Easter, or whenever a carrot cake craving hits.
This recipe was originally published in September 2014 and has been updated with more helpful information and cooking tips so that you can easily make these cookies in your own kitchen.
What Makes These Cookies Special?
These aren’t just any carrot cookies. They’re soft, flavorful, and perfectly spiced. Here’s why they stand out:
- Freshly shredded carrots add moisture – No dry cookies here! The natural sweetness of carrots makes them extra soft.
- Orange zest in the filling – The citrusy tang balances the richness of the cream cheese for the ultimate flavor boost.
- Cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice – A warm spice blend that pairs perfectly with the carrots.
- Soft & cake like texture – These aren’t your average cookies. Think mini carrot cakes in cookie form!
Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below. The recipe card also allows you to easily scale the recipe, and ingredient amounts will automatically adjust.
Variations & Substitutions
- Add texture – Fold in chopped pecans or walnuts for a nutty crunch.
- Change the filling – I have also made these with my Maple Cream Cheese Frosting as well as my Mascarpone Frosting.
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
These cookies come together quickly. Always refer to the recipe card below, but here’s a simple breakdown.
1. Prep the Carrots
- Peel and grate whole carrots (avoid baby carrots, which are more watery and less flavorful).
- Toss with brown sugar and let sit for 15 minutes to soften and release excess liquid.
2. Make the Dough
- Melt butter and stir in orange zest and vanilla. I always use my own homemade vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix everything together to form a sticky dough.
3. Shape & Bake
Form small dough balls, flatten slightly, and bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.
4. Cool
Let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a rack.
5. Make the Filling
- Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and orange zest until smooth.
- Add the frosting filling to a bag for easy piping.
6. Assemble
Pipe or spread the cream cheese frosting onto half the cookies, then top with another cookie to make sandwiches.
Learn From Me: Tips for the Best Cookies
- Use freshly shredded carrots – A cheese grater or food processor with a grater blade works best.
- Don’t overbake – The cookies will look slightly underdone but firm up as they cool. Trust your nose!
- Let them cool completely – If they’re warm, the cream cheese filling will melt.
- Want perfectly round cookies? Use a mason jar lid ring to gently shape them while they’re still warm.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze assembled cookies for up to 3 months. Just thaw before serving.
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave me a comment to let me know what you think!
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Pin ItCarrot Cake Cookies with Orange Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 2 cups shredded carrots packed
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg slightly beaten
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
- Place 2 cups shredded carrots in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons brown sugar over the carrots and stir to coat. Allow them to sit for at least 15 minutes to make the carrots tender. You should get at least 1/4 cup of brown liquid that drains out. Give them a squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Discard the liquid and set the sweetened softened carrots aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in medium sized bowl. Add 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1 teaspoon vanilla. When the butter cools, but is still liquid, add 1 large egg. Stir well to combine.
- In a large separate bowl, combine 1 cup all purpose flour, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Stir to combine. Add the sweetened carrots and the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine (you may need to use your hands). Dough will be very sticky.
- Divide dough into two equal portions. Using half the dough, make 14 balls of equal size on cookie sheet in three rows of 5-4-5. Use fingers to flatten each ball into circles that are about 1/4 inch thick.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 12-14 minutes or until set. Allow cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for an additional 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Make the frosting filling:
- To make the filling, add 4 ounces cream cheese and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the bowl of a stand mixture and beat with the paddle on medium high speed for about a minute until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Scrape down sides and mix on low for about 30 seconds until well combined.
- Match cooled cookies into pairs of like sizes. Either spread filling with a knife or add filling to a plastic bag and cut the corner off to squeeze it out. Distribute filling evenly onto 14 cookies, placing filling on flat side of cookie. Top with second cookie, flat side against cookie.
Notes
- I prefer to use peeled whole carrots instead of baby carrots. They have much better flavor and are less watery.
- You can shred the carrots using a cheese grater or a food processor with the grater blade attachment (my preference).
- The cookies will look under done when you take them out of the oven. You will need to trust your nose to determine if they’ve cooked long enough. Allowing them to sit on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes will ensure they get fully cooked.
- If you want perfectly round cookies, you can take a ring from a mason jar lid and put it around each warm cookie to move it around in a circular fashion. This will round out the edges before they cool. I prefer them more rustic looking so I don’t do this step.
- Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before adding the filling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Will these freeze??
you bet! -Krissy
Made this in lieu of carrot cake for my husband’s birthday and it was a big hit! He’s not into overly-sweet desserts so this was right up his alley! The orange zest left a nice zing of flavor in the frosting. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! Thank you so much for letting me know!!! -Krissy
Do I have to use the orange zest in the cream cheese filling? I’m not a huge fan. Will it also be noticed in the cookie?
If you don’t like it, you can definitely leave it out! The orange zest is completely up to personal preference and won’t impact how the cookie or the filling turn out. -Krissy
What a delicious and healthy dessert. I just wanted to let you know that I have a website (Simply Creative Recipes) where I showcase recipes that I find and I am linking to this post if you don’t mind. Please feel free to submit any recipes to my site if you’d like.
Is the flour AllP or SR?
Hi Alicia. I used all purpose. I’ll edit the recipe to include that. Thanks! Krissy
Can you please tell me what pumpkin pie spice is or what I can use instead I am from Perth Australia Thankyou love your recipes
Hi Kerry, Pumpkin pie spice is something I like to buy when I’m too lazy to throw several different spices in. Its mostly cinnamon with a bit of allspice and nutmeg. That’s all. 🙂 -Krissy
I will fly you to So. Cal if you will make these for me!
Just you wait until I get all crazytown with Christmas Cookies!
Sooo yummy! Wow!!
Do they need to be refrigerated if serving later?
Leftovers (if there are any?)
I like to keep these refrigerated because they are so soft and because of the filling. Just keep them in an airtight container.
Thank you kindly. None left to freeze this time.
Glad to hear it!