If you love the warm, comforting flavors of homemade carrot cake, you're going to love these easy Carrot Cake Cookies! They're soft, chewy, and full of delicious carrot cake flavor, with a sweet cream cheese glaze drizzled over the top. Best of all, they come together with just a handful of simple ingredients, making them an easy addition to your holiday baking lineup.
What makes these cookies especially fun is the shortcut ingredient: a box of carrot cake mix! Combined with mashed Libby's sliced carrots and rolled oats, the dough bakes into soft, hearty cookies with just the right amount of cinnamon and spice. The carrots add moisture and natural sweetness, while the oats give each cookie a little extra texture.
And, of course, no carrot cake-inspired treat would be complete without cream cheese! The easy homemade cream cheese glaze takes these cookies to the next level. Drizzle it generously over the cooled cookies and, if you like, finish with a sprinkle of chopped pecans or cinnamon.
These Carrot Cake Cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges, holiday dessert trays, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee on a chilly afternoon. They're a fun twist on a classic dessert and an easy recipe you'll want to keep in your holiday baking rotation!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill / Rest Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes per batch
Total Time: ~40 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients:
For the Cookies
1 box Carrot Cake Mix
1 can (15 oz) Libby’s Sliced Carrots (drained and mashed)
1 cup Rolled Oats (Old-Fashioned or Quick-Cooking)
1/2 cup softened butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Easy Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1–2 tbsp milk (to adjust drizzle consistency)
1 tsp vanilla extract
You will also need:
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Baking tray
Parchment paper
Instructions:
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the dry carrot cake mix, rolled oats, and cinnamon together so the oats are evenly coated.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the pureed Libby's carrots, butter, and eggs directly to the dry mix. Stir until a thick dough forms.
Rest the Dough (10–15 Minutes): Let the dough sit in the fridge before scooping. This brief rest gives the oats time to soak up the carrot puree moisture and hydrate properly.
Bake & Glaze: Scoop onto a parchment-lined tray and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden and set.
Cool completely before adding the cream cheese glaze.
Make the Cream Cheese Glaze: In a medium bowl, beat 4 oz softened cream cheese and 2 tbsp softened butter until smooth.
Whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk until you reach a pourable, drizzle-able consistency.
Drizzle the cream cheese glaze generously over the cooled cookies using a spoon or piping bag. Sprinkle additional chopped pecans or a dash of cinnamon on top before the glaze sets.
Enjoy!
✨ Watch My Step by Step Instruction Video Here! 👇
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make: Starting with a box of carrot cake mix keeps things simple and cuts down on prep time. You only need a handful of ingredients to make these delicious cookies!
All the Flavors of Carrot Cake: Warm cinnamon, sweet carrots, and hearty oats come together to create a soft, chewy cookie that tastes just like your favorite homemade carrot cake.
That Cream Cheese Glaze: The homemade cream cheese drizzle is the perfect finishing touch, adding a little sweetness and that classic carrot cake flavor we all love.
Perfect for Holiday Baking: Whether you're putting together a Christmas cookie tray, heading to a holiday cookie exchange, or baking something special for family and friends, these cookies are sure to be a hit.
A Fun Twist on a Classic: If you love traditional carrot cake, these cookies are a fun and easy way to enjoy those familiar flavors in a bite-sized treat!
Note: This recipe and how-to video were developed in partnership with Libby’s
