Name: Cut Out Carrot Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 medium carrots; 2½ cups all purpose flour (at least 11% protein); 1 cup butter softened; ½ cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 tablespoons butter ((softened)); 1½ ounces cream cheese ((regular)); 1 cup powdered / icing sugar; 1 - 2 tablespoons cream ((whole / heavy))

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These easy Carrot Cookies, are a delicious buttery cookie. Simple, easy and made even more special with a cream cheese frosting. Perfect cut out bunny cookies just for Easter!

Carrot cookies decorated on a board with some in a container.

Have you ever thought about Christmas and how it gets all the good recipes, the cookies, cakes, pastries, candies etc. and what does Easter get? Ok lots of chocolate and a tasty Easter Bread and yes I do love a slice of Colomba. But it sure isn’t a Christmas spread!

So I decided I wanted to make an easy cookie that was similar to my favorite Christmas cookies, Shortbread. These cookies are a mix between a butter cookie and a shortbread cookie. So good, and made even better with a simple cream cheese frosting.

Table of Contents

Recipe Ingredients

Carrots – chopped and cooked
Flour – all purpose flour with at least 11% protein
Butter – softened butter
Salt – if you use unsalted butter then add a bit more salt
Sugar – granulated sugar
Egg – large egg room temperature
Vanilla – vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting

Butter – softened butter
Cream Cheese – whole cream cheese
Powdered sugar – also known as icing or confectioners’ sugar
Cream – whole cream or half and half

What is the best flour for cut out Cookies?

Be sure to use a high protein, at least 11.5 – 12%, my flour is about 13%, a low protein flour will cause the cookies to spread, and believe me refrigerating the dough will not help.

How to make a Carrot Cookie Recipe

Clean and chop carrots, cook them in boiling water until tender, then mash with a fork. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl (or food processor) add the mashed carrots, softened butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, salt and the flour. Stir with a fork or pulse until almost combined.

Place the mixture onto a lightly floured flat surface, and gently knead until the cookie dough is combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the fridge and on a lightly floured flat surface roll out the dough and cut into desired shapes.

carrot shortbread how to make dough, and cut outs

Place the cut out dough the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the cream cheese frosting, in a medium bowl beat together all the ingredients until creamy and it has reached the desired thickness.

How to Store the Carrot cookies

The baked unfrosted cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5-7 days. If frosted they should be stored in the fridge and they will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

cookies on a board and in a Easter container.

How to Freeze the Cookies

To freeze the cookies, place parchment paper in between the layers of the completely cooled cookies this prevents them from sticking together when they are in the containers for freezing. It’s best to freeze unfrosted and then frost before serving.

Or you can also place the baked cooled cookies on a cookie sheet and freeze them, then move the frozen cookies to either airtight bags or containers. The carrot cookies will last up to 6 months in the freezer.

I love Easter because it is nice, quiet and relaxing. They have a saying in Italian “Natale con i tuoi e Pasqua con chi vuoi” , translated to “Christmas with your family and Easter with who ever you choose”.

So even if Easter is quiet, why not let it share in some of those cookies too? Nothing cuter than a few bunnies. Happy Easter! Enjoy.