Introduction

These Vegan Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are a delightful twist on a classic dessert. Packed with shredded carrots and warm spices, they’re soft, chewy, and topped with a luscious vegan cream cheese frosting. Perfect for sharing or treating yourself to a cozy snack.

The image shows six carrot cake cookies on a wooden surface, each with one thick layer of white creamy frosting spread on top. The cookies are light brown with visible bits of grated carrot and small pieces of nuts. The frosting looks smooth and creamy, decorated with scattered small pieces of chopped nuts and a few strands of bright orange grated carrot. A small white bowl filled with chopped nuts is placed near the cookies. The wooden surface has a rustic, worn look. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegan butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 Tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup shredded carrots (loosely packed, about 58 grams)
1 flax egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan butter (room temperature, for frosting)
6 Tablespoons vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons cornstarch (to thicken frosting as needed)
Crushed pecans or walnuts (optional, for topping)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the flax egg and grate the carrots. Set these aside before starting the dough.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, cream together 1/2 cup vegan butter, brown sugar, and white sugar using an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add shredded carrots, flax egg, and vanilla bean paste to the bowl. Mix for about 20 seconds until combined.
Step 4: Layer in the all-purpose flour first, then add rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt on top. Mix until a thick cookie dough forms.
Step 5: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or up to 24 hours if preferred.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) about 10 minutes before baking. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Step 7: Use a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to place 10 evenly sized scoops of dough on the tray, spacing them 2 inches apart. Do not flatten the dough; cookies will spread while baking. Bake one tray at a time.
Step 8: Bake for 12-13 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned and centers remain slightly soft but no longer glossy or raw.
Step 9: Remove the baking tray from the oven and immediately tap it on the counter to create a wrinkly texture and gently deflate cookies. For perfectly round cookies, swirl each warm cookie inside a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie.
Step 10: Let cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 11: To make frosting, whip 1/2 cup vegan butter and 6 tablespoons vegan cream cheese together until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 12: Gradually add powdered sugar and cornstarch, mixing well until incorporated. Whip an additional few minutes for extra fluffiness.
Step 13: Frost the completely cooled cookies using a spatula or piping bag. Optionally, sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts and extra shredded carrot. Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Measure shredded carrots by weight (around 58 grams) for consistent moisture and texture.
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour to prevent cookies from spreading too much.
Add chopped pineapple or raisins for a fruity twist in the dough.
If the frosting is too soft, add a little more cornstarch, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach desired thickness.
Swap rolled oats for quick oats to change the texture slightly.

Storage

Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If frosted, keep them chilled to prevent the frosting from melting. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months and thaw before frosting. Reheat frosted cookies gently at room temperature before serving.

How to Serve

A stack of four thick, round carrot cake cookies with a rough textured brown-orange base filled with visible bits of grated carrot and nuts. Between each cookie is a thick, creamy white frosting layer, smooth but slightly whipped in appearance. The top cookie has a generous spreading of the same white frosting, decorated around the edges with small pieces of chopped walnuts and a few thin shreds of bright orange carrot. A woman's hand with dark purple painted nails is holding the top cookie, lifting it slightly from the stack. The cookies are on a wooden surface with a blurred white bowl of nuts in the background and a white marbled texture as the overall setting. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that measures cup-for-cup. Be sure your rolled oats are certified gluten-free as well.

What is a flax egg and how do I make one?

A flax egg is a vegan egg substitute made by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it forms a gel-like consistency.