Chewy Brown-Butter Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe for Brown Butter Carrot Cake Cookies yields thick, soft, chewy cookies that capture the flavor of homemade carrot cake in a portable treat. Freshly grated carrots, nutty brown butter and warm spices give these cookies their classic taste and tender texture. I finish them with a simple cream cheese icing decorated like tiny carrots for a playful touch.

Why you will love this recipe

• Soft, moist and chewy – these cookies stay tender and chewy for a week when stored properly.
• Brown butter boost – browning the butter concentrates its flavor and removes moisture so the cookies remain chewy rather than cakey.
• Fresh grated carrots – the carrots are grated finely and blotted to give moisture and texture without making the dough soggy.
• Authentic carrot cake flavor – warm spices, brown sugar and cream cheese icing recreate the familiar carrot cake profile in cookie form.
• Cream cheese decoration – a simple cream cheese icing is colored and piped into small carrot shapes that look cute and taste delicious.

Ingredients for carrot cake cookies

• All-purpose flour – unbleached all-purpose flour gives the right structure for a soft, chewy cookie. For accuracy, weigh ingredients when possible.
• Spices – cinnamon and nutmeg (and optionally a pinch of ground ginger) complement the carrots and brown butter.
• Granulated sugar – helps create a golden top and slightly crisped edges.
• Brown sugar – adds molasses notes and chewiness; light brown sugar works well here.
• Brown butter – browning the butter develops nutty, caramelized flavors and removes moisture so the cookies bake chewy, not cakey.
• Egg – one large egg binds the dough.
• Pure vanilla extract – enhances the spices and overall flavor.
• Finely grated carrots – about 2/3 cup (75 g) finely grated and thoroughly blotted to remove excess moisture.
• Cream cheese – used with sugar to make a simple icing for decorating.
• Chopped pecans (optional) – add for texture if desired, or omit for a smooth cookie top.

How to make brown butter

Brown butter adds a rich, toasty depth to these cookies. Use a light-colored stainless steel pan so you can monitor the color change.

• Step 1: Melt butter over medium heat. Stir constantly so the milk solids cook evenly.
• Step 2: The butter will simmer and crackle as the water content evaporates. Continue stirring to prevent the solids from burning.
• Step 3: When the butter foams and small brown flecks appear and the aroma becomes nutty and caramel-like, remove it from heat.
• Step 4: Pour the brown butter into a clean bowl and let it cool until lukewarm before using.

Step-by-step instructions

• 1) Brown the butter. Melt and brown the butter, then let it cool for about 15 minutes so it’s lukewarm and still fluid but not hot.
• 2) Prepare the carrots. Finely grate the carrots and measure about 75 g (roughly 2/3 cup). Spread them on a plate and blot with paper towels at least three times to remove excess moisture.
• 3) Mix wet ingredients. Combine the cooled brown butter with brown and granulated sugar and whisk until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Stir in the blotted grated carrots.
• 4) Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, then fold in pecans if using. Do not over-mix.
• 5) Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Portion dough with a 1½-ounce scoop and roll into smooth balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• 6) Make the icing. Beat room-temperature cream cheese with granulated sugar until smooth, then thin with milk ½ teaspoon at a time until pipeable (about 1 teaspoon total). Tint part of the icing orange and a small portion green. Pipe an orange carrot shape on each cookie and add green tops. Let the icing set about an hour before storing.

Expert baking tips

• Blot the carrots thoroughly. Use clean paper towels and press gently three times to remove excess moisture and keep the cookies chewy rather than soggy.
• Cool the brown butter. If the butter is too hot it can cause the dough to become greasy and affect texture.
• Measure flour accurately. Weigh flour for best results; too much flour makes dry, crumbly cookies.
• Avoid over-mixing. Fold the dry ingredients in only until incorporated to prevent a dense or gummy texture.
• Cool on the sheet briefly. Let cookies rest 2–3 minutes on the baking sheet so they firm up before moving to a rack—this is especially helpful when using cream cheese icing.

Recipe FAQ

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Brown Butter Carrot Cake Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Thick, soft and chewy carrot cake cookies made with nutty brown butter, toasted pecans, freshly grated carrots and cream cheese icing.

5 from 22 votes

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 12 mins

Servings 14 cookies

Ingredients

Cookie dough:

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, browned
• ½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup (75 g) finely grated carrots, blotted to remove excess moisture
• 1 ½ cups (215 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup (55 g) chopped pecans (optional)

Icing:

• 3 oz (85 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• Milk to thin as needed

Instructions

• Brown the butter. Follow the brown butter steps above and let the butter cool until lukewarm.
• Prepare the carrots. Grate finely and blot to remove extra moisture as described above.
• Combine wet ingredients. Whisk the cooled brown butter with both sugars until combined. Add the egg and vanilla, then stir in the blotted grated carrots.
• Add dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Fold into the wet mixture until just combined, then fold in pecans if using. Do not over-mix.
• Portion and bake. Preheat oven to 350°F. Scoop 1½-ounce portions, roll into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool on the sheet briefly before transferring to a rack.
• Make and pipe the icing. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, thin with milk to a pipeable consistency, color as desired, and decorate cookies. Allow icing to set before storing.