Spiced Crumbl Carrot Cake Cookies

Author: Laura Bennett Published: 02/05/2026

These Crumbl carrot cake cookies are gently spiced with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves, then lovingly topped with a creamy homemade cream cheese frosting. They’re the perfect cozy holiday treat you can enjoy anytime!

Love Crumbl cookies? You absolutely have to try these homemade versions.

At the start of the year, I kept getting asked about the Crumbl carrot cake cookie, but I had to wait until they brought it back for another run before I could try it. Once I finally got my hands on one… WOW. I knew right then I had to recreate these for Thanksgiving week—they’re that good and just the right size for a sweet little treat.

They’ve got a unique texture that falls between cakey and classic cookie — kind of the perfect middle ground. I think we nailed it here!

Why These Cookies Shine

This cookie recipe is the perfect festive treat for the holidays—pair it with Gingerbread Latte Cookies on your cookie platter.
It’s simple and kid-friendly, so the whole family can help bake together.
The cookies finish with just the right touch of crunchy nuts on top.
They work wonderfully for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter — for another carrot-forward option, try this Carrot Cake Roll — or really anytime you want.
You don’t have to wait months for them to come back in stores — now you can enjoy these anytime at home!

Ingredients You’ll Need

1/2 cup butter softened
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp heavy cream at room temperature
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp butter, salted or unsalted, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Pecans for topping

Baking and Frosting Steps

Soften butter and cream cheese and bring heavy cream and egg yolk to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
Finely shred the carrots and squeeze out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
Beat together the softened butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add the shredded carrots, vanilla extract, egg yolk, and heavy cream; mix until well combined and smooth.
Stir in all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt; mix just until no dry flour remains.
If the dough is sticky, chill it for 15–30 minutes to make scooping easier.
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls, place them spaced on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten each to about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
Bake the cookies for 12 minutes.
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Optional: lightly toast pecans in a dry skillet for 3–4 minutes until fragrant, let cool, then chop.
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fully combined.
Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat for 4–5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and creamy; if too soft, chill 10–20 minutes.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto each cooled cookie and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Tips for Perfect Cookies

Using room-temperature ingredients helps make the butter and cream cheese mix super smooth — so soften the butter, cream cheese, and make sure the heavy cream and egg yolk are close to room temp before you start.

Measure your flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off. Too much flour will weigh down your cookies and make them dense.
Shred your carrots finely, and then squeeze out the extra moisture using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Too much liquid will make the dough too wet and cause the cookies to spread too much.
Once you add the flour, mix just until the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing here can toughen the texture.
When scooping the dough, try to make each ball the same size. Gently flatten them about 3/4 to 1 inch thick so they bake evenly and reach that perfect height.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a full 20 minutes before moving or frosting them. Frosting warm cookies will cause the frosting to melt and slide right off.
If your cream cheese frosting feels too soft to pipe, pop it in the fridge for 10–20 minutes to firm back up. Alternatively, chill the cookies before frosting.
If you love the nutty crunch, lightly toast your pecans in a dry skillet for 3–4 minutes until they smell amazing, then let cool before chopping and topping your cookies — it makes a big flavor difference, as in our Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pecan Snowball Cookies.

Flavor Swaps and Add-Ins

If you want to mix things up while keeping that classic carrot cake charm, try some of these swaps and add-ins:

Mix in 2–3 tablespoons of well-drained crushed pineapple or 1/4 cup raisins into the cookie dough — these add natural sweetness and a little extra moisture (just be sure to drain the pineapple well so the dough doesn’t get too wet).
Switch up the nuts: replace pecans with chopped walnuts on top, or fold 1/4 cup walnuts right into the dough for a nice surprise inside.
Add in 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) for a chewy texture boost.
If cream cheese frosting isn’t your thing, try a brown butter buttercream or a simple vanilla buttercream frosting for a delicious twist.
Want to make smaller, party-size cookies? Double the recipe to yield 16 cookies, then bake for about 9 minutes instead of 12. Frost and decorate just like the big ones!
For gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (bake times might change a bit — see our gluten-free, paleo Lemon Cut Out Cookies for texture pointers). For dairy-free: swap in vegan cream cheese and plant-based butter — just know the texture and chill times might vary.

Storing, Freezing, and Serving

After frosting, keep your cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. When you want to serve, pull them out and let them sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes to enjoy their full flavor and soft texture.

Freezing options:

Unfrosted cookies: Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm (around an hour), then stack them with parchment paper between each cookie in an airtight container or freezer bag. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temp before frosting.
Frosted cookies: Lay them out on a sheet and flash-freeze until the frosting is firm, about an hour. Then layer with parchment paper and store airtight. Thaw slowly in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temp before serving. This flash-freeze step also works well for protecting delicate toppings on brownies with cream cheese frosting.

Make-ahead tips and dough storage:

You can form the cookie dough into balls and keep them wrapped in the fridge for up to 48 hours before baking. If the dough is sticky, chill it for 15–30 minutes first — makes scooping easier.
To freeze dough balls, lay them out on a sheet pan and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen and add 1–2 minutes to the baking time, keeping an eye on doneness — this same freeze-and-bake method works beautifully for classic chocolate chip cookies too.

For reheating, gently warm a single cookie in the microwave for 8–12 seconds at medium power to take the chill off. Or pop several into a 300°F (150°C) oven for 4–6 minutes. Avoid high heat or long reheating, as that dries them out.

FAQs and Troubleshooting

How do I store these Crumbl carrot cake cookies?

Keep these carrot cake cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. When you’re ready to enjoy, just bring them back to room temperature — this brings out their soft texture and flavor the best.

Can I freeze Carrot cake cookies?

Absolutely! Freeze unfrosted cookies in a single layer for about an hour, or until solid, then stack them neatly in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking.

When ready to eat, thaw them overnight in the fridge and then let come to room temperature before enjoying — this approach also works for other spiced bakes like Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. This way, you get that freshly-baked vibe anytime!

How to make catering-sized Crumbl carrot cake cookies?

If you want to make smaller, catering-sized cookies, double the recipe to make 16 cookies instead of 8 large ones. Bake these smaller cookies for about 9 minutes instead of 12, then frost and decorate the same way you would the larger cookies. For a crowd-pleasing platter, pair them with Crumbl Cookies and Cream Milkshake Cookies.