Carrot Cake Shortbread Cookies
These carrot cake butter shortbread cookies are a delightful collision of classic flavors- a buttery shortbread consistency, infused with the warmth of cinnamon and spices and the tangy sweetness of cream cheese frosting.
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carrot cake shortbread cookies are a marriage of favorites
These carrot cake shortbread cookies are a delicious combination where all the best qualities of carrot cake meet all the best characteristics of a classic shortbread cookie.
What really sets these apart is the subtle sweetness of grated carrots, adding a hint of earthiness in each bite. They are a symphony of textures, from the tender crumble of the shortbread to the chewy bits of carrot scattered throughout. Topped with a delicate cream cheese frosting, they offer a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, making them utterly irresistible for any carrot cake enthusiast craving a unique twist on a beloved treat.
Ingredients you’ll need to make these carrot cake shortbread cookies
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup table sugar
- 2 sticks of butter, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 cup grated carrot
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, optional
Ingredients for cream cheese frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- pinch cinnamon
Instructions for making carrot cake shortbread cookies
step 1: cream together the butter and sugars
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and table sugar for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
step 2: Add the salt, vanilla, egg, spices and carrot
Scrape the butter and sugar down from the sides of the bowl, and add in the salt, vanilla, egg, spices, and carrot and beat on medium speed until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
step 3: Mix together the flour and nuts
In a separate bowl, combine the nuts and flour.
step 4: Slowly incorporate the flour
Turn the mixer onto the lowest speed and slowly begin adding in the flour walnut mixture a few spoonful’s at a time until all the flour and wet ingredients are blended together well.
step 5: Chill the dough, then roll out & shape
Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator to allow it to chill for at least two hours, but up to overnight. One it has chilled, take it out and roll it on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Then use a cookie cutter to cut it into shapes, or alternatively, use a pizza slicer to make square cookies. Place them close together on a baking sheet 1/4 – 1/2 inch apart. (These cookies should not spread.)
step 6: Bake the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are a a ight golden brown. Allow them to cool before icing.
To make the cream cheese frosting
In the bowl of your stand mixer, add in the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and butter. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Then, turn the mixer onto medium high speed for 15-20 seconds to whip the frosting.
tips and tricks
- Chill your dough at least the full two hours before rolling it out. It is way easier to roll out chilled dough.
- Be careful not to overwork the dough after adding the flour or your cookies will lose the wonderful melt-in-your-mouth shortbread quality
- Check the bottoms of the cookies for doneness. If the center looks dark and undercooked, give it another minute or two. You want the cookies to be fully baked.
- Shortbread cookies change in texture as they cool. They will be slightly soft when they first come out but then harden and firm up as they cool.
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Carrot cake shortbread cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup table sugar
- 2 sticks of butter room temperature
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 cup grated carrot
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and table sugar for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup table sugar, 2 sticks of butter
- Scrape the butter and sugar down from the sides of the bowl, and add in the salt, vanilla, egg, spices, and carrot and beat on medium speed until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 egg, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 cup grated carrot
- In a separate bowl, combine the nuts and flour.2 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- Turn the mixer onto the lowest speed and slowly begin adding in the flour walnut mixture a few spoonful's at a time until all the flour and wet ingredients are blended together well.
- Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator to allow it to chill for at least two hours, but up to overnight. One it has chilled, take it out and roll it on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Then use a cookie cutter to cut it into shapes, or alternatively, use a pizza slicer to make square cookies. Place them close together on a baking sheet 1/4 – 1/2 inch apart. (These cookies should not spread.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are a a ight golden brown. Allow them to cool before icing.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add in the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and butter. Turn the mixer on the lowest speed until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Then, turn the mixer onto medium high speed for 15-20 seconds to whip the frosting. Spread over the cooled cookies.
