Carrot cake cookies are a tasty, old-fashioned cookie filled with warming spices, hearty oats, crunchy walnuts, and sweet raisins. Serve them as they are or take them to the next level by sandwiching them with cream cheese frosting!
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Wash and dry the carrots. If the carrots are in good shape don’t bother peeling. Grate finely and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until well combined, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon and stir the dough by hand until halfway mixed. The dough will seem dry but don’t worry, it will all come together.
Add the grated carrots, oats, walnuts, and raisins to the bowl. Fold the dough together until the ingredients are well distributed and the flour is just mixed in.
Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the dough is not quite set. Be sure not to overbake, as this will result in dry cookies.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve as is, or sandwich together with your favorite frosting.
Notes
Grate the carrots using the small holes of a box grater for a finer texture.
You can adjust the spices in the recipe to suit your taste preferences.
Store unfilled carrot cake cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you make carrot cake sandwich cookies, store them in the refrigerator.
You can freeze scoops of unbaked cookie dough in an airtight container or a ziplock bag for up to 2 months. To bake, place frozen dough balls on prepared baking sheets and bake as directed, adding an additional 1-2 minutes to the baking time if needed.