These caramel carrot cake cookies are thick, chewy, and topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting, salted maple caramel, and cinnamon streusel. Basically carrot cake, but in cookie form, which is objectively better.
Carrot cake has always been one of those desserts I cannot leave alone. At some point it occurred to me that I did not actually need to slice a cake every time I wanted one, and that a handheld version would solve a lot of problems in my life. So I set out to make a cookie that had everything I love about carrot cake: the warm spices, the cream cheese frosting, the chewy texture, the whole situation. Then I added a salted maple caramel drizzle because restraint is not something I practice in the kitchen. The result is this Caramel Carrot Cake Cookies, and it is a lot.
If you are a fellow carrot cake lover, you are going to want to check out my Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Frosting, Fried Carrot Cake Donuts, and Carrot Cardamom Cake too. You are welcome in advance.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These cookies deliver everything you love about carrot cake in one handheld, frosting-piled, caramel-drizzled package.
- The salted caramel sauce is made with real maple syrup, which gives it a depth that regular caramel simply cannot compete with.
- The cinnamon streusel on top adds a crunch that makes each bite feel like a completely unhinged and correct decision.
- The cream cheese frosting is light, fluffy, and spiked with cinnamon. It is doing a lot of heavy lifting and it knows it.
- This recipe is impressive enough to bring somewhere but easy enough that you will not spiral making it.
Ingredient Overview
Here is a breakdown of what you need and why it matters. Do not skip the caramel. I mean it.
- Unsalted butter: Used in both the cookies and the streusel. Room temperature for the cookie dough, melted and cooled for the streusel.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar: The combination gives you a cookie that is chewy in the center with just enough structure to hold all the toppings.
- Shredded carrots: Freshly grated carrots only, please. More on this below, but pre-shredded from the store will let you down.
- Large eggs: One whole egg plus a yolk gives the cookies richness and that soft, chewy texture.
- Vanilla extract: Goes into the cookie dough, the caramel, and the frosting. It is everywhere and it belongs there.
- All-purpose flour: The base of both the cookie dough and the cinnamon streusel topping.
- Warm spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. They make the kitchen smell like something good is happening, which it is.
- Baking powder: Gives the cookies a slight lift without making them cakey.
- Pure maple syrup and heavy cream: The foundation of the salted maple caramel sauce. Real maple syrup is non-negotiable here.
- Light corn syrup: Helps keep the caramel smooth and prevents crystallization.
- Cream cheese and powdered sugar: The base of the frosting. Softened cream cheese is key for a smooth, lump-free result.
- Pecans: Crushed candied pecans on top add a nutty crunch that ties everything together. Walnuts work too if that is what you have.
How to Make Caramel Carrot Cake Cookies
The cookies themselves are straightforward. Here is how it goes:
- Cream the butter and sugars: Beat the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for about three minutes until smooth and creamy. This step matters, so do not rush it.
- Add the eggs: Mix in the whole egg first, then the egg yolk. Scrape down the bowl between each addition so everything incorporates evenly.
- Add the carrots and vanilla: Mix in the shredded carrots and vanilla extract on low speed until the mixture looks smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix or you will end up with a tough cookie, and nobody wants that.
- Scoop and chill: Portion the cookie dough into six large balls, about four ounces each, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop the pan in the fridge while you make the streusel.
- Bake: Bake at 350 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes. The centers will look soft, and that is exactly right. Let them cool completely on the pan before you touch them.
Does Caramel Sauce Go With Carrot Cake?
Yes. Genuinely, enthusiastically, yes. The warm spices in carrot cake and the deep, buttery sweetness of a salted caramel sauce were made for each other. The salt cuts through the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting, the maple adds a complexity that plain caramel does not have, and the drizzle makes the whole thing look like you tried a lot harder than you did. It is one of those combinations that feels obvious once you try it and makes you annoyed you did not do it sooner.
Common Mistakes
A few things to avoid so your cookies actually turn out the way they should:
- Using store-bought pre-shredded carrots: They are too thick, too dry, and will not incorporate into the dough the way you need them to. Grate your own using medium carrots and a box grater or food processor. It takes four minutes and it makes a real difference.
- Overmixing after adding the dry ingredients: Once the flour goes in, mix only until it disappears. Overmixing develops the gluten and results in a dense, tough cookie instead of a chewy one.
- Not letting the caramel cool before using: Hot caramel will melt your frosting immediately and turn the whole situation into a puddle. Let it cool for 20 to 30 minutes before you drizzle. If it thickens too much, microwave it for five to ten seconds.
- Frosting warm cookies: The cookies need to be completely cool before you pipe anything on them. Completely. This is not a suggestion.
- Skipping the streusel: It is optional in the same way that finishing a sentence is optional. Technically you can skip it, but why would you.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use pre-shredded carrots from the store? Please do not. Store-bought shredded carrots are cut too thick and are much drier than freshly grated carrots. They will not soften properly in the oven and you will end up with chewy orange chunks in your cookie instead of that moist, tender crumb. Grab a box grater or a food processor and grate them yourself. Medium carrots work great here.
- Can I make these ahead of time? Yes. The cookies can be baked and stored unfrosted at room temperature for up to two days. The caramel sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to two weeks. Assemble when you are ready to serve.
- Do I need a piping bag? A piping bag fitted with a large star tip makes the frosting look like it came from a bakery, but you can absolutely use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off or just spread the frosting with a spoon. It will still taste exactly the same.
- Can I substitute the pecans? Yes. Walnuts are a great swap and bring similar nutty flavors. You can also leave the nuts out entirely if needed.
- Can I make the cookie dough in advance? Yes. The dough can be scooped, portioned, and refrigerated overnight before baking. Just add one to two minutes to the bake time if going straight from cold dough to the oven.
Storing and Freezing - Caramel Carrot Cake Cookies
Storing: Assembled cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting. They will keep well for up to four days. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before eating so the frosting softens slightly and the cookie loses its fridge-cold texture. The caramel sauce can be stored separately in a jar in the fridge for up to two weeks. Reheat it in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each, until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Freezing: The cookies freeze best unfrosted. Place the fully baked and cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature and then decorate fresh. The caramel sauce also freezes well in an airtight container for up to three months. The frosting can be made ahead and frozen separately, then thawed in the fridge overnight and re-whipped before piping.
If you make these caramel carrot cake cookies, I want to hear about it. Leave a comment below, or tag me so I can see your work. Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. I post so many fun things on all platforms.
FOR MORE WONDERFUL RECIPES LIKE THIS ONE!
Recipe
Caramel Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Maple Caramel Sauce (do first!)
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup carrots finely shredded not store bought
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 whole large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the top (optional but highly recommend!)
- ½ cup crushed candied pecans
Instructions
For the salted maple caramel
- Add the maple syrup, water, and light corn syrup to a medium to large saucepan (caramel bubbles up a lot). Stir to combine, then set the pan over medium heat.1 cup pure maple syrup, ¼ cup water, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Bring the mixture to a steady simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The syrup will move through stages: it will start thin with lots of tiny fast bubbles, then become glossier and slightly thicker, and finally darken one shade with slow, heavier bubbles. It should smell sweet and caramelized, not smoky. While the caramel is cooking, heat the cream.
- Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until steaming. Warm cream helps keep the caramel smooth and prevents it from seizing.¾ cup heavy cream
- Once the sugar mixture is ready, carefully pour the warm cream into the bubbling maple mixture. It will foam up quite a bit - totally normal. Stir constantly until the bubbling settles and the caramel looks smooth again. If it seizes into a thick lump, simply keep it over low heat and whisk until it melts back down.
- Return the caramel to medium heat and cook for 3-5 more minutes, stirring often, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. For a pourable caramel, cook to about 220°F; for a thicker spoonable caramel, cook to 225-228°F. Or cook until it coats the back of a spoon. For a thicker caramel, cook 1-2 minutes longer.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and kosher salt until dissolved. Taste and add a pinch more salt if you want a stronger salted caramel flavor.2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Let the caramel cool for 20-30 minutes. It will thicken significantly as it cools - if it gets too thick later on, microwave it for 5-10 seconds to loosen.
For the cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Prep a sheet pan by placing parchment paper on top of the sheet pan. Set aside.
- In a stand size mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium high speed until smooth and creamy. About 3 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter room temperature, ⅓ cup dark brown sugar packed, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
- On a medium-low speed, and the whole egg, and mix for 20-30 seconds. Scrape the bottom and the sides. Add the egg yolk and mix for 20 more seconds.1 whole large egg room temperature, 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- Add in the shredded carrots, vanilla extract, and mix on low until smooth. This should take about 30-45 seconds.½ cup carrots finely shredded, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and mix on LOW just until the flour mixture disappears.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon salt
- With a kitchen scale or a large cookie scoop, weigh out 4 ounces balls, or scoop out 6 equal cookie balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Place the sheet pan in the fridge while you make the crumb topping. You can also use a large cookie scoop!
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, the center will look soft. Let the cookies completely cool in the pan.
Cinnamon Streusel Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour in the cooled melted butter and mix with a fork or spatula until clumps form. You want crumbly clusters, not dough. If it looks too sandy, squeeze some together with your hands.½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- Spread evenly on the prepared pan and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden and set.
- Let cool completely, then break into large pieces.
Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then beat for 2 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.4 oz cream cheese softened, ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar, then vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until combined.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, Pinch of salt
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat 2-3 more minutes until light and fluffy. If too soft to pipe, chill for 10-15 minutes.
Assembly
- Make sure cookies are completely cool before decorating.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 8B (or another small star tip) with the cream cheese frosting. Pipe a tight swirl starting in the center of each cookie and working outward.
- Fill a second piping bag or zip-top bag with salted maple caramel, snip the tip, and drizzle across the frosting.
- Press streusel pieces into the frosting, using a mix of big and small chunks for texture. Add the chopped candied pecans (if using!)½ cup crushed candied pecans
- Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
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