Chewy Brown Butter Carrot Cake Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft chewy cookies with brown butter, grated carrots, walnuts and warm spices. Ready in 32 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cookie Base

01 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
02 - 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
10 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

→ Mix-ins

13 - 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
14 - 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
15 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
16 - 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

→ Cream Cheese Glaze

17 - 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
18 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
19 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
20 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter foams, turns golden brown, and develops a nutty aroma, about 4–6 minutes. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
02 - Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled brown butter. Whisk until fully combined. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract until mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until evenly distributed.
04 - Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined—be careful not to overmix. Fold in oats, grated carrots, chopped nuts, and raisins if using.
05 - Cover bowl and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes to enhance chewiness and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls, arranging them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 11–13 minutes, until edges are set and centers appear slightly underbaked. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until creamy and well combined. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The brown butter creates these incredible toasty notes you cannot get from regular butter
  • They stay perfectly chewy for days, unlike other cookies that turn rock hard
  • Nobody expects carrot cake flavors in cookie form, which makes them a delightful surprise
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the butter, it is what makes these cookies special
  • Underbaking slightly is crucial because they continue cooking on the hot baking sheet
  • The dough needs to chill for at least 30 minutes or the cookies will spread too thin
03 -
  • Use the large holes on your box grater for carrots, not the fine side
  • Room temperature eggs prevent the butter from seizing when you mix them
  • Weigh your ingredients if possible for consistent results every time

Return