Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting
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If you love carrot cake, then you will love these Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting! These soft, light, and pillowy carrot cookies are topped with an orange cream cheese frosting for a light and zesty take on carrot cake.
If you love carrot cake as much as I do, check out my Orange Carrot Ginger Cake, Sourdough Carrot Snack Cake, or my Frosted Carrot Loaf Cake.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Carrot Cake in a Cookie: If you love carrot cake, then you will love these Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting! These are like carrot cake but in a cookie form. So, if you don't have time to make carrot cake, then this is a great alternative that takes way less time.
Cream Cheese Frosting: These carrot cookies with cream cheese frosting actually have an orange cream cheese frosting which gives them more depth of flavor that is amazing! I add orange zest on top, which is optional, but I like the extra flavor it brings to these carrot cookies with cream cheese frosting!
Soft & Chewy: Carrots add moisture to baked goods. And carrot cake is known for being incredibly moist. So, these Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting are a soft and chewy cookie, thanks to the fresh carrots!
Ingredients
Frontier Co-Op Organic Korintje Cinnamon
Organic Carrots
Cairnspring Mills Organic All Purpose Flour (use code MIMIORGANIC15 for 15% off your order!)
Florida Crystals Organic Powdered Sugar
Organic Orange
Tools Needed
Baking Sheet Half Sheet Pan (use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off my favorite stainless steel sustainable bakeware!)
Parchment Paper (get my favorite nontoxic parchment paper and get 10% off with MIMIBAKES)
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, carrots, and cinnamon. Mix on low until combined.
Add the egg, flour, baking powder, and sea salt and mix on low until combined into a stiff dough.
Using your hands (or a cookie scoop) form the dough into 12 balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten them slightly so they are about 2-inches in diameter.
Step 3
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the middle looks set and the edges look dry. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Step 4
To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and orange juice.
Using a butter knife, spread frosting over the tops of the cookies. Top with orange zest (optional).
Baker's Tips
- Make sure your butter is soft. I like to leave butter out on the counter overnight before baking cookies, this really helps it soften to room temperature naturally, which is always the best method! If you need to microwave it, be sure to do only 10 second intervals per 1/2 cup.
- Make sure to finely grate the carrots, this makes a big difference. Don’t use a large grater for the carrots as they won’t mix in well with the dough.
- You can add more or less orange juice depending on if you want a more stiff or runny frosting. I like my frosting a little more runny, like a glaze that coats the cookies. But, if you want it stiff like a buttercream on top, then you can use less orange juice.
- If you don’t have an orange, you can use water or milk in the frosting and then add 1/2 teaspoon organic orange flavor. My favorite is Frontier Co-Op Organic Orange Flavor.
- Make sure to store cookies in an airtight container so they retain their soft texture. A trick for this (because they are frosted on top) is to allow them to set completely before storing. I frost all my cookies, place the whole cookie sheet in the freezer overnight. This allows the frosting to set, then I you can stack the cookies to store them in a Tupperware in the fridge.
- Be sure to store cookies in the fridge because they have cream cheese in the frosting.
FAQ's
No, do not use a larger grater for this recipe. You must use a fine grater to ensure that the carrots can easily blend into the cookie. Using a large grater may result in gummy texture.
Yes. While I do use juice from an actual orange in the recipe, you can just use orange juice for the frosting as well.
Because these have cream cheese icing, they need to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge to stay fresh.
Craving More?
Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting
Ingredients
Dough
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
- 170 grams cane sugar
- 113 grams carrots (finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 350 grams all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Frosting
- 113 grams cream cheese
- 212 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed orange juice
- Orange zest (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, carrots, and cinnamon. Mix on low until combined.
- Add the egg, flour, baking powder, and sea salt and mix on low until combined into a stiff dough.
- Using your hands (or a cookie scoop) form the dough into 12 balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten them slightly so they are about 2-inches in diameter.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the middle looks set and the edges look dry. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and orange juice.
- Using a butter knife, spread frosting over the tops of the cookies. Top with orange zest (optional).
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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