Irresistible Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Imagine the comforting warmth of a classic carrot cake, but in a perfectly sized, chewy cookie. These aren’t just any cookies; they’re our incredibly popular Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies, generously filled with fresh carrots and a delightful hint of spice, then sandwiched with a luscious, homemade cream cheese frosting. While adding vegetables to a dessert might not instantly transform it into a health food, these cookies certainly offer a guilt-free indulgence, blending wholesome oats and fresh carrots into a truly amazing treat. They’re a testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary flavor, making them an instant favorite in any household.

The Perfect Marriage: Carrot Cake & Oatmeal Cookies

There’s something truly magical about the combination of tender, spiced oatmeal cookies and a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting. It evokes all the best qualities of a traditional carrot cake, delivering that same moist texture and complex flavor profile but in a convenient, handheld form. These Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies are so dangerously good that they rarely last long once they emerge from the oven. In fact, we often find ourselves sharing them with neighbors, friends, and John’s co-workers just to ensure we don’t devour the entire batch ourselves! Their irresistible appeal makes them ideal for potlucks, bake sales, or simply a cozy evening treat.

What makes these cookies even more appealing is their incredible simplicity. You don’t need to be an expert baker to achieve perfect results. With just a few minutes of prep time, you’ll have these delicious cookies ready for the oven, filling your kitchen with an enticing aroma that’s hard to resist. The straightforward process means you can enjoy these homemade delights without the fuss often associated with more elaborate desserts. They’re perfect for busy weeknights or when you need a quick yet impressive dessert.

To streamline the baking process, we’ve found that using a high-quality premade Oatmeal Cookie Mix makes all the difference. This clever shortcut eliminates the need to measure out individual dry ingredients like flour, salt, and rolled oats, saving you precious time and ensuring consistent results every time. It’s a fantastic option for bakers who want to enjoy the satisfaction of homemade cookies without all the extra steps. This simplicity doesn’t compromise on flavor; instead, it allows the vibrant taste of the carrots and the warm spices to truly shine through.

Essential Ingredients for Delicious Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies

Crafting these delectable cookies requires just a handful of ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry. Each component plays a vital role in achieving the perfect balance of flavor and texture:

• Oatmeal Cookie Mix: The foundation of our cookies, providing the characteristic chewiness and comforting oat flavor. It also simplifies the ingredient list and speeds up preparation.
• Butter (Softened): Essential for richness and a tender crumb. Softened butter creamed with the mix creates a smooth, easy-to-work-with dough.
• Carrots (Grated): The star ingredient! Freshly grated carrots infuse the cookies with natural sweetness, moisture, and that signature carrot cake flavor. Aim for finely grated carrots to ensure they blend seamlessly into the dough and cook evenly.
• Water: Helps to bring the dough together to the right consistency, ensuring it’s neither too dry nor too sticky.
• Ground Cinnamon: A crucial spice that provides the warm, aromatic essence of carrot cake. It pairs beautifully with the carrots and oats, elevating the overall flavor.
• Egg: Acts as a binding agent, helping to hold the cookies together and contributing to their structure and texture.

For those who love to customize, consider adding these optional ingredients to your cookie dough: a pinch of nutmeg for extra warmth, chopped walnuts for a delightful crunch, or a handful of plump raisins for bursts of sweetness. These additions can further enhance the complexity and texture of your Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies, making them uniquely yours.

The Creamy Dream: Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

No carrot cake-inspired cookie would be complete without a generous dollop of velvety cream cheese frosting. This frosting is the perfect counterpart to the spiced cookies, offering a delightful tang that balances their sweetness. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Cream Cheese (Softened): The foundation of our tangy, smooth frosting. Ensure it’s softened to room temperature for a lump-free consistency.
• Butter (Softened): Adds richness and helps achieve that classic creamy texture. Like cream cheese, it should be softened.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla enhances all the other flavors, adding a subtle warmth and depth to the frosting.
• Confectioners’ Powdered Sugar: Provides the necessary sweetness and gives the frosting its smooth, pipeable consistency.

While homemade cream cheese icing is undoubtedly superior in flavor and texture, offering a fresh tang that store-bought versions often lack, we understand that sometimes convenience is key. If you’re short on time or ingredients, a tub of pre-made cream cheese icing from your local grocery store can certainly do the trick. However, we highly recommend trying the homemade version at least once – the difference is truly remarkable!

Essential Equipment for Baking Success

Having the right tools can make your baking experience much smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s a list of the equipment you’ll find most useful for these Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies:

• Tablespoons/Measuring Cups: Accurate measurements are crucial in baking. Ensure you have a reliable set for both dry and liquid ingredients.
• Grater: A sturdy grater is essential for shredding carrots into fine pieces. The finer the grate, the better the carrots will integrate into the cookie dough, ensuring a consistent texture in every bite.
• Large Mixing Bowl: A spacious bowl is key for combining all your cookie dough ingredients without making a mess. We’re particularly fond of glass batter bowls with a handle, as they offer stability on the counter and make mixing much easier.
• Medium Cookie Scoop: This tool is a game-changer for achieving uniformly sized cookies. Consistent size ensures even baking, so all your cookies are perfectly golden brown and chewy.
• Parchment Paper: A true baking ally! Lining your baking sheets with parchment paper prevents cookies from sticking, promotes even browning, and makes cleanup incredibly easy. If you don’t have parchment paper, a non-stick cooking spray will also work, but parchment paper is often preferred for its reliability.
• Baking Sheets with Sides: We highly recommend baking sheets with a raised edge. This simple feature prevents cookies from sliding off when you transfer them from the oven, saving you from potential mishaps and ensuring your precious treats stay safe.
• Heat-Resistant Potholders: Safety first! Investing in good quality, heat-resistant potholders is crucial. They provide excellent protection when handling hot baking sheets, preventing burns and accidents in the kitchen. We learned this lesson the hard way after a previous scare with a cloth potholder, so we always recommend opting for reliable heat-resistant options.
• Wire Rack: Once baked, a wire rack allows air to circulate around the cookies, ensuring they cool evenly and maintain their delightful chewy texture without becoming soggy on the bottom.

Expert Tips for Perfect Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality cookies at home is easier than you think with these simple tips:

• Carrot Preparation: The key to great carrot cake cookies is finely grated carrots. A standard cheese grater works perfectly for this task. If you don’t have one, a vegetable peeler can be used to create thin strips, which you can then finely dice. The goal is small pieces that integrate smoothly into the dough and soften beautifully during baking.
• Uniform Cookies: As mentioned, a medium cookie scoop is your best friend here. It ensures each cookie is the same size, which means they’ll bake evenly and look professional. Aim for scoops about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons in size.
• Frosting Choices: While our homemade cream cheese icing recipe is truly spectacular and highly recommended, we understand that time isn’t always on your side. In a pinch, a good quality store-bought cream cheese frosting will also work, allowing you to enjoy these cookies with minimal fuss.
• Serving Suggestions & Yield: This recipe typically yields about 11 pairs of delightful sandwiched cookies (or 22 individual cookies). If you’re hosting a larger gathering or simply want to spread the joy further, consider thinning out the cream cheese icing slightly and drizzling it over individual cookies instead of creating sandwiches. This stretches the yield and offers a different, equally appealing presentation.
• Storage: To maintain freshness, store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week, especially if frosted. The cream cheese frosting benefits from refrigeration.
• Freezing: These cookies freeze beautifully! You can freeze the baked, unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature and then frost before serving. You can also freeze the frosted cookies, layered with parchment paper, in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Please note that nutritional information, including calories, protein, carbohydrates, and other values, will vary depending on the specific brands and ingredients you use. Always refer to the product labels for the most accurate data.

This recipe is designed for maximum flavor and comfort and is not intended to be gluten-free or vegan. However, with minor adjustments and ingredient substitutions, it may be possible to adapt it to suit those dietary preferences.

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies Recipe!

Delicious Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies Recipe!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars based on 2 votes.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Servings: 12 cookies
• Calories: 175 kcal per serving
• Author: Tammilee Tips

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients (US Customary)

• 1 pouch Oatmeal Cookie Mix
• ½ cup Butter, softened
• ½ cup Carrots, grated
• 1 Tablespoon Water
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 egg

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients (US Customary)

• 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 Tablespoon Butter, softened
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 ½ cups Confectioners Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
2. In a large bowl, stir all cookie ingredients together until a stiff dough forms. Ensure carrots are well distributed.
3. Drop the dough by spoonfuls (or using a medium cookie scoop) onto an ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing them evenly.
4. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
5. While cookies cool, prepare the frosting: In a small bowl, mix softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon softened butter, vanilla extract, and confectioners’ powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. A hand mixer can help achieve the best consistency.
6. Once cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting over the flat side of one cookie. Top with a second cookie to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and frosting.

Kitchen Tools You Might Need

• KitchenAid Mixer (or hand mixer for frosting)
• Cookie Sheets
• Cookie Scoop – Medium
• Grater
• Wire Rack

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories 175 | Calories from Fat 108
Fat 12g (18% Daily Value*) | Saturated Fat 7g (44% Daily Value*)
Cholesterol 46mg (15% Daily Value*)
Sodium 115mg (5% Daily Value*)
Potassium 35mg (1% Daily Value*)
Carbohydrates 16g (5% Daily Value*) | Sugar 15g (17% Daily Value*)
Protein 1g (2% Daily Value*)
Vitamin A 1305IU (26% Daily Value*)
Vitamin C 0.3mg (0% Daily Value*)
Calcium 18mg (2% Daily Value*)
Iron 0.1mg (1% Daily Value*)
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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• Crock Pot Banana Foster: A warm, spiced, and indulgent dessert.

Don’t forget to check out all of our favorite cookie recipes for even more inspiration!

We also invite you to browse our extensive collection of copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our incredibly convenient Crock Pot Recipes for everyday meals and special occasions.

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We truly hope you enjoy baking and savoring these delightful Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies! They are without a doubt one of our absolute favorite cookies to make and share, bringing a little bit of joy with every single bite.

This recipe was originally shared on October 13, 2013, and last updated on April 24, 2020, to ensure the best possible experience for our readers.