Chewy Brown Butter Carrot Cake Cookies

This recipe for Brown Butter Carrot Cake Cookies makes soft, chewy and moist cookies just like your favorite homemade carrot cake! They are packed with freshly grated carrots, brown butter and warm spices. They also stay soft and chewy for a whole week, so you will never suffer a dry stale one. If you love the idea of turning carrot cake into cookies, then check out my Cream Cheese Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies too!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Soft, moist and chewy cookies - these cookies have the softest and chewiest texture! They are very moist and they stay chewy for a whole week.
• Brown butter cookies - In this recipe, you will brown the butter which is a technique common in French cooking called "beurre noisette". It translates to "hazelnut butter" since the butter actually takes on nutty flavors once it is browned. Brown butter does two things for this recipe: 1) it adds incredible depth of flavor, 2) the cooking process removes the moisture from the butter to account for the added moisture from the carrots so that the cookies will be chewy instead of cakey. Too much moisture in cookie dough will make cakey cookies and I want these to be chewy.
• Fresh grated carrots - there are freshly grated carrots right in the cookie dough and it works great!
• Cookies taste just like carrot cake - this recipe is so great because these cookies taste just like carrot cake all in one portable cookie! There are fresh grated carrots right in the cookie dough, and a blend of sweet spices just like traditional carrot cake.
• Cream cheese frosting decoration - I decorate these cookies with a simple cream cheese icing dyed orange and green to make little carrots on top of each cookie.

INGREDIENTS FOR CARROT CAKE COOKIES

• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works just fine in this recipe to make cookies with a soft and chewy texture.
• Spices - a fragrant blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger is just right here! Carrot cake has a mild spice taste, and this blend suits these cookies perfectly.
• Granulated sugar - granulated sugar helps to give the cookies a golden brown top and caramelized edges.
• Brown sugar - brown sugar adds rich molasses undertones to complement the sweet spices and also helps to create chewy cookies. You can use light or dark brown, but I prefer light brown in this recipe.

• Brown butter - browning butter is a process where you cook the butter over the stove until all of the moisture boils away and the milk solids (proteins and sugars) turn golden brown through a reaction called "Maillard browning" to give the butter a nutty, caramelized taste and aroma.
• Eggs - one large egg will bind this cookie dough.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will enhance the spices. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Grated carrots - you will need ⅔ cup of shredded carrots which is about 75g from about 1 large carrot. Make sure you weight the carrots because if you use too much, it will add too much moisture to the dough and the cookies won't bake properly. Also, it is important that you blot the moisture out of the carrots after you weigh them with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as you can. Do this 3 times for best results.
• Cream Cheese - the filling for these cookies is made with just 2 ingredients! All you need is cream cheese and regular sugar.

HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER

If you've never made brown butter, you MUST try it. It adds amazing complexity and richness in the form of nutty, caramel-like flavors that enhances many recipes.

• STEP 1). First melt your butter over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Make sure to use a stainless steel saucepan so you can see what's happening. If you use a dark pan it may be difficult to monitor the change in color.
• STEP 2). Once melted, let the butter come to a simmer. It will crackly as it boils. This is the sound of the water content (approximately 15%) evaporating out. Stir the butter constantly as it melts to ensure it cooks evenly and so the brown bits don't catch at the bottom. Stirring will bring them up to the surface above the foam so you can watch the color change.

• STEP 3). As the moisture evaporates, the butter will start to foam. This is the point when the browning starts to happen. Keep stirring the butter. Keep a close eye on the butter and DO NOT WALK AWAY.
• STEP 4). Eventually the crackling will settle down and the foam on the surface will become very dense to the point that you cannot see the clear butterfat beneath it. The foam will turn golden and as you stir you should see little brown flecks coming up into the pan. This is the sign that you are done! The butter will turn a golden color and you’ll know it’s done by the smell... it will have a toasted, caramelized and nutty aroma.
• STEP 5). Immediately pour it out into a clean bowl and let it cool before using it in the recipe.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Brown the butter. First melt the butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Continue cooking, letting it boil gently and crackle. Once all of the moisture boils off, a dense foam will begin to appear at the surface and it will start to smell nutty as the milk solids brown. Stir the butter constantly. When the foam subsides and you see the golden brown bits, it is ready.
• STEP 2). Cool the butter. Immediately pour the hot brown butter off into a clean bowl. You should be left with golden yellow liquid butter and lots of nutty brown flecks. Let it cool until for about 15 minutes so it is no longer hot. If the butter is too hot, the cookies will be greasy.
• STEP 3). Shred the carrots. Use the fine or medium size on your box grater - do not the largest size. If the carrot shreds are too large then they won't bake into the cookie dough as nicely.
• STEP 4). Cream butter and sugar. Combine the brown butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk or beat until combined. It will look more like wet sand than a pale and aerated mixture.
• STEP 5). Mix in egg. Add the egg mix until well combined. Mix in vanilla.
• STEP 6). Mix in carrots. Add the grated, blotted carrots and mix until well combined.
• STEP 7). Add dry ingredients. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add them into the bowl with the wet ingredients and fold them in gently. Fold in pecans. Do not over-mix.
• STEP 8). Bake. Scoop up portions of cookie dough and roll into smooth balls. Place them onto lined baking sheets and bake until evenly golden. Let them cool on the trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR CARROT CAKE COOKIES

• Blot the grated carrots with paper towel. Do this at least 3 times with 3 different paper towels. This sill absorb excess moisture from the carrots so that you don't add too much extra water to the cookie dough. Moisture is the nemesis of chewy cookies!
• Let the brown butter cool. If the brown butter is too hot when you add the sugar and other ingredients, then it will not incorporate evenly the cookie dough will be greasy.
• Measure flour accurately. Too much flour can make these cookies more dry and crumbly instead of soft and chewy. For the best results, weigh your flour.
• Do no over-mix on the last step. Just fold the dry ingredients in until they are combined. Over-mixing the dough will make it a bit gluggy as the moisture from the carrots reacts with the gluten proteins in the flour.
• Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet. The cream cheese filling makes these cookies delicate while warm, so let them cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

RECIPE FAQ

How do you make carrot cake cookies?

The ingredients for carrot cake cookies are similar to Carrot Cake! Instead of oil, this recipe uses butter to make thick, soft and chewy cookies. The proportions of wet ingredients are less than a cake batter.

Can I make carrot cake cookies without nuts?

Yes, you can leave out the pecans from this recipe, or you can use walnuts if you prefer them instead.

How to decorate carrot cake cookies?

I've decorated these cookies with cream cheese icing and made little carrot designs. This is completely optional but I think it looks so cute! I divide the icing in half, add green food coloring to one part and mix red and yellow in the other half to make orange icing. Then I draw on little carrots with the orange icing and pipe the tops with green icing. I actually just use a zip-top plastic bag to do it and snip off the corner, so you don't even need a piping bag.

What makes carrot cake cookies soft and chewy?

It's the carrots! Carrots contain a lot of water so it keeps these cookies soft and chewy, but make sure you only use ½ cup and blot the moisture away since too much moisture will make the cookies too soft.

What spices are in carrot cake cookies?

I use a simple combination of cinnamon and nutmeg to complement the brown butter. You can also add ¼ teaspoon ground ginger if you'd like.

How do I store carrot cake cookies?

You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze carrot cake cookies?

Yes! You can freeze these cookies. To freeze them, first place them on a tray lined with parchment and freeze them individually for 2 hours before transferring to a freezer bag for storage.

Gimme all the cookies!

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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 decoration!

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 14 cookies

Ingredients

  

Cookie dough:

• 1 ½ cups 215g all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup 113g unsalted butter, browned
• ½ cup 110g packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• ⅔ cup 75g finely grated carrots
• ½ cup 55g chopped pecans

Icing:

• 3 oz 85g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoon 25g granulated sugar
• milk to thin it out

Instructions

 

• First, brown the butter. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Continue cooking, letting it boil gently and crackle. Once all of the moisture boils off, a dense foam will begin to appear at the surface and it will start to smell nutty as the milk solids brown. Stir the butter constantly. When the foam subsides and you see the golden brown bits, it is ready. Immediately pour the hot brown butter off into a clean bowl. You should be left with golden yellow liquid butter and lots of nutty brown flecks. Let it cool until for about 15 minutes so it is no longer hot.
• Combine the brown butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk until combined. It will look more like wet sand than a pale and aerated mixture. Add the egg and whisk it in until evenly incorporated, smooth and creamy-looking. Mix in vanilla. Add the grated, blotted carrots and mix until well combined.
• Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add this into the bowl with the wet ingredients and it in gently. Fold in pecans. Do not over-mix.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop up heaped tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into smooth balls. Place them onto lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Let them cool on the trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
• To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and sugar using a hand mixer until smooth. Gradually add milk ½ teaspoon at a time to thin it out so you can easily pipe it. You should only need about 1 teaspoon or so of milk. Place two-thirds of the frosting in one small bowl and the rest of it into another bowl. Add a few drops of food dye to colour one bowl orange, and the other one green. Pipe one carrot on top of each cookie and let dry for about an hour until set before storing.

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