Name: Carrot Cookies for Easter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter; 1 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla; 2 cups flour; 1 tsP baking soda; 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 cup grated carrots ((packed)); 1/2 cup raisins (to taste add more if you like); 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal; Purchased caramel ice cream topping; 1/4 cup cream cheese (softened); 1 cup icing sugar; 1/4 tsp vanilla; tbsp milk to thin (use as needed)

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An Easy to Make Gourmet Oatmeal Cookie

These old-fashioned carrot oatmeal cookies are chewy, lightly sweet, and full of cozy spice. They have a hearty oatmeal texture with grated carrot and raisins mixed throughout, giving them a chew you expect from a classic oatmeal cookie. This is not a cake-like cookie, but a true oatmeal cookie with a slightly crunchy texture and warm flavor.

If you enjoy classic oatmeal cookies and want something a little different without straying too far from tradition, this recipe is a great choice. The flavors are inspired by carrot cake, but the texture stays firmly in cookie territory, making these a nice option for everyday baking or seasonal treats without being overly sweet.

Two carrot cookies drizzled with cream cheese icing and caramel being served on a white plate for Easter. There is also a large green bowl full of carrot cookies in the background and two faux carrots.

Old Fashioned Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

These carrot oatmeal cookies are full of texture. The oatmeal and raisins give them a hearty bite, while the warm spices and carrot add flavor without making the cookies soft or cakey. They bake up nicely on their own, but you can add a light drizzle if you like for a little extra sweetness.

Carrot Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients

Carrot Cookie Dough

3/4 cups butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup grated carrots (packed)
1/2 cup raisins (to taste)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
Caramel Ice Cream Topping (optional)

Cream Cheese Drizzle

1/4 cup cream cheese softened
1 cup icing sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla
milk to thin

How to Make Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then stir in the vanilla.

Mixing butter, granulated and brown sugar together for making carrot Easter cookies.

In a second bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

A bowl full of dry ingredients for making an Easter cookie recipe. Their is a large white bowl, with flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking powder with text labels on top.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined.

Mixing together a bowl of cookie dough, with a jar of oatmeal and fresh grated carrots on the side for making a carrot cookie recipe for Easter.

Stir in the old-fashioned oats, followed by the grated carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts. The dough will be thick and firm.

Adding walnut and raisins to an Easter cookie recipe.

Step 3: Scoop and Bake

Scoop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing the cookies a few inches apart.

Using a cookie scoop to place carrot Easter cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Lightly press the center of each cookie with a floured fork to flatten slightly.

Carrot oatmeal cookies pressed with a floured fork for an Easter cookie recipe.

Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking at the 10-minute mark. Once baked, remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the parchment-lined sheets.

Cream Cheese and Caramel Drizzle (Optional)

Making the cream cheese icing is very simple. Add 1/4 cup of softened cream cheese to a small bowl or measuring cup and beat until smooth. Mix in 1 cup of icing sugar and the vanilla. If the icing is too thick to drizzle, add milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.

A bowl full of cream cheese drizzle for carrot cookies.

Once the cookies have cooled, drizzle the icing over the tops using a small spoon. You can also add a caramel drizzle for a richer finish, using store-bought caramel sauce warmed slightly if needed.

Carrot cookies on parchment paper drizzled with cream cheese icing and then caramel sauce.

Carrot Cookies for Easter

A special gourmet cookie recipe for Easter. These carrot cookies are the perfect blending of old fashioned oatmeal with carrot cake flavours including cream cheese icing.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Ingredients

¾ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsP baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
1 cup grated carrots (packed)
½ cup raisins to taste add more if you like
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
Purchased caramel ice cream topping

Cream Cheese Icing Drizzle

¼ cup cream cheese softened
1 cup icing sugar
¼ tsp vanilla
tbsp milk to thin use as needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla until combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
Add the old fashioned oatmeal and blend, scraping the sides of the bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Stir in the old fashioned oats, then fold in the grated carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts. The dough will be thick.
Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies a few inches apart.
Lightly press the center of each cookie with a floured fork to flatten slightly.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking at the 10-minute mark. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets.

Cream Cheese Icing

In a small bowl or measuring cup, beat together 1/4 cup softened cream cheese, 1 cup icing sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Once the cookies have cooled, drizzle the glaze over the tops using a spoon.
Warm store-bought caramel sauce slightly if needed, then drizzle over the cooled cookies.

A bowl full of carrot cookies and some faux carrots are in the background. The amazing carrot cookie is broken in half where you can see the layers of raisins, oatmeal, cream cheese and caramel.

More Cookie Recipes to Try

A tray of oatmeal raisin cookies with peanut butter being served with a glass of milk.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Peanut Butter Recipe

Looking for another oatmeal cookie to try? These oatmeal raisin cookies with peanut butter have a softer, chewier texture and make a nice contrast to crunchy oatmeal cookies.

A tray of no bake peanut butter coconut cookies cooling on a tray. The front cookie is close up and you can see the chewy coconut fudgy layers inside the cookie.

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies – an Old Fashioned Cookie Recipe

If you enjoy oatmeal cookies, these no-bake peanut butter cookies are another old-fashioned favorite with a chewy texture.

The Best Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

This old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookie recipe is the kind grandmas have made for generations. It’s chewy, sweet, and full of rich brown sugar flavor.