Martha Stewart Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe

By anabelle

Fact checked by Edward Harrington

Updated October 30, 2026

Martha Stewart carrot cake cookies take everything you love about the classic layer cake and turn it into a soft, poppable treat. Each one has a tender, cake-like crumb scented with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, plus plenty of grated carrot to keep it moist. A tangy cream cheese frosting and a scatter of toasted pecans bring the familiar finishing touches. This version is inspired by Martha Stewart’s straightforward American baking style, and it comes together with one bowl for the cookies and one for the frosting.

From start to finish you’re looking at about 35 minutes, with 20 minutes of prep and 12 to 15 minutes in the oven per sheet. The dough mixes up quickly with an electric mixer and doesn’t need chilling, which makes these a good fit for a weeknight batch, a holiday cookie platter, or a potluck where you want something a little different from the usual chocolate chip.

Why This Martha Stewart Carrot Cake Cookies Works

Two things do most of the heavy lifting here: finely grated carrots and a light hand with the flour. The carrots add moisture and a subtle sweetness, while mixing only until the flour disappears keeps the crumb tender instead of tough.

The spice blend is warm rather than hot, so the carrot and pecan still come through. Toasting the pecans before chopping deepens their flavor and gives the soft cookies a little contrast in every bite.

What You’ll Love About It

You get all the flavor of carrot cake in a single cookie you can hold in one hand. The cream cheese frosting takes about a minute to beat together, and the cookies stay soft for days. They also freeze well, so a batch can carry you through the week.

Ingredients

This makes 24 frosted cookies. Have everything at room temperature before you start, especially the butter, cream cheese, and egg.

For the Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (105g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (110g) finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots) — grate on the small holes of a box grater so the shreds disappear into the dough.
• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans

For the Frosting

• 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened — full-fat brick cream cheese, not the spreadable tub kind.
• 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt

Equipment

• Electric mixer — hand or stand, for the dough and frosting.
• Two baking sheets — line both; you’ll bake one at a time.
• Parchment paper — keeps the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup easy.
• Mixing bowls — one medium for dry, one large for wet.
• Whisk — for combining the dry ingredients.
• Box grater — use the fine side for the carrots.
• Wire rack — for cooling the cookies completely.

How to Make Martha Stewart Carrot Cake Cookies

Step 1: Heat the Oven and Line the Pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. You’ll bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven, so the second pan waits its turn.

Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until evenly combined. Set aside. Whisking first keeps the leavener and spices from clumping in one spot.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup (113g) softened butter, 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup (105g) packed light brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. The mixture should look pale and slightly airy, not grainy.

Step 4: Beat In the Egg, Vanilla, and Carrots

Beat in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until fully incorporated, then mix in 1 cup (110g) finely grated carrots. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point, which is normal and will smooth out once the flour goes in. Don’t worry if it looks a little wet.

Step 5: Combine and Fold In the Pecans

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans. Don’t overmix here, or the cookies will turn out tough instead of tender.

Step 6: Scoop and Flatten the Dough

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1 1/2 inches/4cm wide) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches (5cm) apart. Gently flatten each cookie slightly with the back of a spoon. The dough is soft, so a light press is all you need.

Step 7: Bake and Cool

Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops spring back lightly when touched. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frosting warm cookies will melt it right off.

Step 8: Make the Frosting

While the cookies cool, beat 4 ounces (113g) softened cream cheese and 2 tablespoons (28g) softened butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt, then beat until creamy and spreadable, about 1 minute.

Step 9: Frost and Store

Once the cookies are completely cool, spread about 1 teaspoon of frosting on each one. Store frosted cookies in the refrigerator. Any extra frosting keeps in the fridge for about a week and is good on quick bread or graham crackers.

What to Serve With It

• Hot coffee — a plain cup balances the sweet frosting.
• Cold milk — the classic pairing for any frosted cookie.
• Fresh fruit — orange segments or apple slices lighten the plate.
• Afternoon tea — a mild black tea works with the warm spices.

Tips for the Best Results

Grate the carrots on the fine side of the box grater so no long shreds poke through the dough. Toast the pecans and let them cool before folding them in, since warm nuts can soften the dough. If your kitchen is warm, chill the scooped dough for 10 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.

Easy Variations

• Extra crunch — swap 1/4 cup (30g) of the pecans for chopped walnuts.
• Coconut twist — fold in 1/3 cup (30g) sweetened shredded coconut with the pecans.
• Raisin lovers — add 1/2 cup (75g) raisins and cut the pecans to 1/4 cup.
• Bars instead — spread the dough in a greased 9-inch (23cm) square pan and bake 22 to 25 minutes.

Storing and Reheating

• Room temperature — keep unfrosted cookies airtight for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator — store frosted cookies chilled for up to 3 days.
• Freezer — freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months, frosted for 1 month.
• Make ahead — scoop raw dough and freeze up to 2 months, baking from frozen with 2 to 3 extra minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

These values are estimates per serving and will vary with your ingredients and portion size.

FAQs

Can I make this Martha Stewart carrot cake cookies recipe ahead of time?

Yes. Bake and cool the cookies a day ahead, then frost them the day you plan to serve. You can also scoop the raw dough onto a lined sheet, freeze it solid, and bake straight from frozen whenever a craving hits.

What can I use instead of pecans?

Walnuts are the closest match, and sunflower seeds work if you need a nut-free version. Either way, toast them first and use the same 1/2 cup (60g) amount so the dough stays balanced.

Why did my cookies come out dry?

Overmixing the flour or overbaking past 15 minutes will dry them out. Stop mixing as soon as the flour streaks vanish, and pull the sheet when the edges are set and the tops spring back lightly.

Where did carrot cake cookies come from?

Carrot cake has roots in older European bakes that used carrots as a sweetener when sugar was scarce. The cookie form is a more recent American spin, taking the cake’s spice, carrots, and cream cheese frosting and shrinking them into a handheld treat.

Martha Stewart-Inspired Carrot Cake Cookies

Print Recipe

These soft, cake-like cookies capture the warm spice and tender crumb of classic carrot cake in a portable treat. Grated carrots keep them moist, while a tangy cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of toasted pecans add the familiar finishing touches. Inspired by Martha Stewart’s classic American baking style.

• Author: Anabelle McLean
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 15
• Total Time: 35
• Yield: 24 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (105g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (110g) finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans

For the Frosting

• 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully incorporated, then mix in the grated carrots. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is normal.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the toasted pecans. Avoid overmixing, which can make the cookies tough.
6. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1 1/2 inches/4cm wide) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches (5cm) apart. Gently flatten each cookie slightly with the back of a spoon.
7. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops spring back lightly when touched. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. While the cookies cool, make the frosting: in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until creamy and spreadable, about 1 minute.
9. Once the cookies are completely cool, spread about 1 teaspoon of frosting on each cookie. Store frosted cookies in the refrigerator.

Notes

Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Frosted cookies should be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze frosted cookies, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For make-ahead convenience, the cookie dough can be scooped and frozen raw for up to 2 months; bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition

• Calories: 170
• Sugar: 15g
• Sodium: 105mg
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 27mg

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