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When I think Spring, my mind immediately goes to fresh flowers, lemons, and berries. All things bright! But oddly enough, I also think of the quintessential Easter staple, carrot cake. Easter has come and gone, but that doesn’t meant we still can’t have fun with a great dessert. Take that cake and make it portable with these amazing carrot cake cookies topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Oh and did I mention they are GIGANTIC, an ode to the delicious Crumbl Cookies popping up all over the nation.
Carrot Cake Cookies
Now if you know, you know! Crumbl cookies are AMAZING. This chain cookie shop produces the LARGEST, and most tender, frosted cookies in just about any flavor you can imagine. So in an effort to be as cool and trendy as they are, I am taking one of my favorite cakes, and making it huge! To begin, preheat the oven to 350°. Now, in a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together 2 softened sticks of unsalted butter and 2/3 cup each of both brown and granulated sugars, until smooth.
Next, grate or use a food processor to shred about 1 cup of carrot (about 1 large carrot). Add in shredded carrots, 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the bowl. Also add in 2 egg yolks, and 1/3 cup of milk/cream. Mix to combine everything together. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, sift together the following:
- 3.5 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
With the mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture about 1 cup at a time to the butter mixture. Continue beating until everything is well combined and moist. Using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, form 16 large balls, slightly larger than a golf ball, and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet (or two) lined with parchment paper. Press each ball flat, slightly smaller than an inch tall, and bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Buttercream
As noted in my recipe for Strawberry Lemon Spring Cupcakes, I can’t decided between cream cheese frosting and buttercream, so I make a hybrid! While the cookies bake and cool, take a large bowl and beat together 1 softened stick of unsalted butter and 6oz of softened cream cheese. Add in 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch salt. Slowly, with the stand mixer or hand mixer on low, pour in 32 oz (1 bag) of powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fully combined.
If the frosting gets too thick, add 1 tbsp of milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Now, fill a piping bag or gallon ziplock bag with the frosting, cut a medium hole at the tip, and pipe a spiral onto each cookie, starting at the center and working your way outwards. I like to sprinkle each cookie with crushed walnuts or pecans, totally optional, before serving.
I know typically warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg make us thing Fall, but there is something about carrot cake that brings up memories of Easter egg hunts and flowers blooming. An ode to the classic with a trendy new spin, these carrot cake cookies are my new favorite. And the best past is, these cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, but I doubt they will last that long!
Want More Spring Desserts?
- Blueberry Cheesecake Popsicles
- Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake
- Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
- Margarita Cookies
- Raspberry Lemonade Blondies
Carrot Cake Cookies (Crumbl Copycat)
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup milk or cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick softened
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 32 oz powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk to thin, as needed
- ¼ cup crushed walnuts or pecans to garnish
Instructions
Carrot Cake Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together butter and both sugars until smooth.
- Add in shredded carrots, coconut vanilla extract, egg yolks, and milk/cream. Mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture about 1 cup at a time to the butter mixture. Continue beating until combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, form 16 large balls, slightly larger than a golf ball, and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet (or two) lined with parchment paper.
- Press each ball flat, slightly smaller than an inch tall, and bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- While the cookies bake and cool, take a large bowl and beat together butter and cream cheese.
- Add in cinnamon, extract, and salt. Slowly, with the mixer on low, pour in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until fully combined. If too thick, add 1 tbsp of milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Fill a piping bag or gallon ziplock bag with the frosting, cut a medium hole at the tip, and pipe a spiral onto each cookie, starting at the center and working your way outwards.
- Sprinkle each cookie with crushed walnuts or pecans, if desired, and serve.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
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