Carrot cake cookies are chewy, buttery, and filled with shredded carrots, coconut, and pecans. Like a delicious fusion between a classic chocolate chip cookie and carrot cake!

Stack of carrot cake cookies on a counter top.

You're going to love these carrot cake cookies because they're buttery, chewy, and soft like a classic chocolate chip cookie, but filled with all the best flavors of a carrot cake. Freshly shredded carrots, shredded coconut, pecans, and spices fill these cookies to the brim with flavor.

Carrot cake cookies are great any time of year, but I particularly love making them for Easter. Similar to my carrot cake whoopie pies, these cookies are filled with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, so they'd also be a perfect fit for fall.

Ingredients and substitutions

Unsalted butter - The butter and salt listed in the recipe can be substituted with salted butter if needed.
Sugars - We're using a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe for optimal texture and flavor. Granulated sugar helps aerate the butter when creaming the two together, which helps lift your cookies as they bake. Brown sugar adds a caramelized, molasses flavor and chewy texture to your cookies.
Egg - Room temperature egg incorporates seamlessly into the dough and adds moisture and structure.
Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavor of your cookies.
All-purpose flour - Adds structure to your cookies and balances the wet ingredients in the recipe. I haven't tested this recipe with other types of flours, so I can't say for sure how your cookies would turn out with substitutions. To avoid wasting ingredients, I highly suggest searching for a recipe that has been developed with the type of flour you'd like to use.
Leavening - You'll need baking soda for the proper lift in this recipe. It cannot be substituted with baking powder, the two are not interchangeable.
Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cookies and balances the sweetness without making your cookies "salty".
Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg add a warm, cozy spice flavor to these cookies.
Carrots - Shredded carrots add a slightly sweet flavor to your cookies, as well as added moisture and structure. I don't recommend omitting them from the recipe because other ingredients have been reduced to account for the addition of carrot. A finely grated carrot blends in seamlessly when baked, and a larger grate adds more texture to your cookies.
Pecans - Can be substituted with walnuts or almonds.
Shredded unsweetened coconut - Adds a chewy texture and coconut flavor to the cookies.

Toasted coconut

For this recipe, I highly recommend toasting your shredded coconut for added depth of flavor. This step is optional, but only takes a few minutes and adds extra flavor to your cookies.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread your shredded coconut into a thin layer. Bake for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the edges begin to lightly brown. Stir and return to the oven for another 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully because the edges of your coconut can brown (and then burn) quickly.

You can also brown your shredded coconut in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat. This method can take anywhere from 3-6 minutes. Stir continually so it browns evenly.

Cookie tips and tricks

Making carrot cake cookies and baking on a sheet pan.

Check out my full post, 10 tips for baking cookies, for my best tips on baking a perfect batch of cookies. Here are my favorites:

I recommend chilling cookie dough for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator. This helps the flavors meld and also helps prevent cookies from spreading too much when baking.
When scooping, I suggest using a Medium OXO Cookie Scoop to make all your cookies the same size.
Room temperature ingredients blend together seamlessly to create an even, smooth dough. When beaten, the eggs, butter, and sugar form an emulsion, which traps air in the dough, helping your cookies rise in the oven.
Properly measuring flour is an issue I see frequently. If you have issues with your cookies not spreading, tasting bland, or turning out extra thick and tall, you probably measured too much flour into your cookie dough.
To properly measure flour, use a kitchen scale and measure by weight. If you don't have a scale, use the spoon and level method. Use a spoon to stir your flour, then spoon flour into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. By scooping flour directly from a container with your measuring cup, you're compacting the dough into the cup. This can add up to 25% more flour to your dough.
Use parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat) to prevent cookies from spreading too much while baking. A greased baking pan causes cookies to spread more than they should.

Freezing

Yes, carrot cake cookies (and dough) can be frozen for up to three months when stored in an airtight, freezer safe container.

To thaw frozen cookies, transfer to the countertop and allow to thaw for at least 30 minutes.

Cookie dough can be baked from frozen. Your cookies will spread slightly less in the oven and will need an additional 1-2 minutes of baking time.

Carrot cake cookies laying on a countertop next to a cooling rack.

Are carrot cake cookies healthy?

While "healthy" is a relative term, taking a look at the ingredients of this recipe will tell you that carrot cake cookies are much like any other cookie recipe.

Yes, shredded carrot does add a small amount of extra nutrition like beta carotene, fiber, and potassium. However, these cookies still contain plenty of butter, sugar, and flour, just like a regular cookie recipe.

I don't recommend making carrot cake cookies if you're looking for a "healthy" cookie recipe. Instead, make these cookies if you love the taste of carrot cake and the texture of a chewy chocolate chip cookie - this recipe is the best of both worlds!

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