There is something about January that always make me think of carrot cake. Maybe it’s because then I feel like I’m getting some vegetables along with my cake! This year I’ve turned carrot cake into Carrot Cake Cookies. They are packed with carrot, pecans and spices, and are so much quicker and easier to make than a full cake. All that carrot cake flavour in a yummy cookie! I don’t like walnuts so I always use pecans but of course you can swap them out (or remove them entirely) depending on what you prefer. I’ve also decorated the Carrot Cake Cookies with a drizzle of white chocolate and some fondant carrots!
Step by step…
I started by creaming the butter and light brown sugar together, then I added the orange zest. Next I added the egg, carrots and vanilla extract, and stirred them together.
Then I mixed in the plain flour, all of the spices and baking powder, and folded in the pecans. I spooned the mixture onto lined baking trays in little blobs.
The cookies baked for 14 minutes until they were golden brown.
You don’t have to decorate the Carrot Cake Cookies, but I couldn’t resist drizzling them with some melted white chocolate and adding a fondant carrot shape in the centre!
The Carrot Cake Cookies are lovely and soft in the centre, and full of flavour. I really enjoyed eating these cookies!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
| Baking trays | Mixing bowls | Cooling rack |
| Kitchen scales | Mixed spice | Food processor |
| Fondant carrots |
*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More Carrot Cake recipes…
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| Carrot Cake Cupcakes | Autumn Vegetable Cake | Carrot Cake Baked Donuts (Vegan) |
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| Carrot Cake |
Carrot Cake Cookies
Spiced cookies with carrot and pecan, plus a white chocolate drizzle
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 125 g Butter or baking spread
- 200 g Light brown sugar
- 1 Orange zest only
- 1 Egg large
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 50 g Carrot grated
- 200 g Wholemeal plain flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 50 g Pecans chopped finely
For decoration (optional)
- 75 g White chocolate
- 16 Fondant carrots
Instructions
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Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and line a few baking trays (or however many you own) with baking paper
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Cream the butter and light brown sugar together in a large bowl using a spoon, then mix in the orange zest
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Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix them in
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Then mix in the grated carrot
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Mix in the plain flour, baking powder and all three spices
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Then mix in the pecans
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Spoon blobs of the mixture onto your lined baking trays, leave space between the cookies as they will spread
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Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes until they are golden brown, leave them on the tray for 5 minutes before carefully removing and placing on racks to cool fully
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Once the cookies are fully cool drizzle the white chocolate over them, then add the fondant carrots. I like to put the melted white chocolate into a small piping bag to control the drizzle, or you can use a spoon
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Leave the chocolate to set before tucking in
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Store in an airtight container and eat within 3 days. They also be frozen
Recipe Notes
Mixed spice is a British spice blend containing Cinnamon, Coriander Seed, Nutmeg, Clove, Pimento, Ginger. If you can't get hold of it, use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead
I am not a huge fan of walnuts so I always use pecans for anything carrot cake related, but if you prefer walnuts then you can use them instead.
If you like this, check out more of my Cookie recipes!
Pin for later!
I’m linking this recipe up with Cook Blog Share hosted by Recipes Made Easy, Baking Crumbs hosted by Jo’s Kitchen Larder and Fiesta Fridays hosted by A Pug In The Kitchen and Kat’s 9 Lives.
I love the look of these cookies and wish I had one with my cup of tea right now. I agree with you on walnuts too my least favourite nut pecans are similar but so much nicer.
Happy New Year and thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare.
I’m glad you agree on walnuts Jacqui! Happy new year!
These look delicious! Given they contain carrot they are perfect for me mission to eat more vegetables this January! Added to my bake list for the month:-)
Thanks Michelle! Let me know what you think!
The carrot cake looks delicious…I loved the cute carrots on top of cookies
Thanks Lathiya!
These are so cute! And what a fab idea turning carrot cake into cookie form. They sound delicious 😀 Eb x
Thanks Eb! Such an easy way of getting a carrot cake fix!
These look so delicious and fluffy…if that makes sense haha.
Yes I know exactly what you mean!
They look gorgeous and sound so good too. I love the little fondant carrot, such a cute touch! We are all huge carrot cake fans in our house so I will be giving these a try. They would make a perfect treat for my boys lunchboxes! Thank you for sharing with #BakingCrumbs 🙂
Thanks Jo! I couldn’t resist the cute decoration 🙂
The cookies look wonderful, Happy Fiesta Friday!
Thank you!
This is such a boon for carrot cake lovers. Nice recipe to have around. Thanks for posting on fiesta friday.
Thanks Rita!
I haven’t had carrot cake in cake form nor in cookies form, but I badly want to get these out from my screen – they look so fab and yummy! Thanks for sharing, Kat.
These look INCREDIBLE! What a fabulous recipe. My children would go potty for these. I am def going to try them very, very soon. Will let you know how I get on. Thanks so much for sharing with #BakingCrumbs
Oh Yum! What a fab idea for a cookie. Love Carrot Cake, love cookies – BOOM! so easy to make this gluten free too.
I love the look of these! So cute!
What could you use instead of egg ? I use a mashed up banana as an egg substitute sometimes so would that work for these ? They look lovely !!
Hi, thank you! I’ve only made these with egg so I can’t say for sure if an egg substitute would work.