These oatmeal carrot cookies are soft, chewy, and lightly spiced. Made with oats, fresh grated carrots, and raisins, they taste like a simple carrot cake cookie!
Oatmeal carrot cookies are soft, lightly spiced cookies made with oats, grated carrot, butter, and raisins.
They taste like a cross between oatmeal raisin cookies and carrot cake.
The texture is chewy from the oats and tender from the butter and egg. The grated carrot blends into the dough and keeps the cookies from drying out. Raisins add a little sweetness and contrast.
I love that this recipe uses a fresh vegetable in a dessert without feeling overly sweet or heavy. It is similar to carrot cake in flavor but much simpler.
They bake in about 12-15 minutes and store well for several days.
They are a great way to use fresh carrots and add moisture and flavor to homemade cookies.
Looking for more sweet treats made with vegetables? Explore all my vegetable dessert recipes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Oatmeal Carrot Cookies are soft and chewy thanks to oats and fresh grated carrot.
- The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients that most home bakers already have.
- Carrot cookies combine the flavors of oatmeal cookies and carrot cake.
- They are easy to make and beginner-friendly.
- The dough can be prepared ahead and baked later.
- These cookies store well for several days without drying out.
- They make a great snack for lunchboxes or afternoon tea.
- The recipe makes a manageable batch of about 18 cookies.
Carrots
Carrots are a surprisingly useful ingredient in baking. When grated finely, they release moisture and natural sweetness into the dough. This is why they work so well in recipes like carrot cake, carrot muffins, and cookies.
In oatmeal carrot cookies, the grated carrot helps keep the cookies soft and tender. It blends into the dough without overpowering the flavor. Instead, it supports the warm cinnamon and oat flavors while adding a subtle sweetness.
Fresh carrots work best for this recipe because they contain more moisture than pre-shredded carrots.
Ingredients
- Carrot. Fresh grated carrot adds moisture, natural sweetness, and subtle flavor. Use freshly grated carrot rather than pre-packaged shredded carrot for the best texture.
- Butter. Butter gives the cookies richness and helps create a tender texture. Unsalted butter works best, but salted butter can be used if you reduce the added salt slightly.
- White Sugar. White sugar provides sweetness and contributes to lightly crisp edges.
- Brown Sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture and a slight caramel flavor that complements oats and cinnamon.
- Egg. The egg binds the dough and helps create structure in the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract. Vanilla adds depth and rounds out the flavor of the cookies.
- Oats. Oats give these cookies their chewy texture and classic oatmeal cookie flavor. Rolled oats are ideal.
- All-Purpose Flour. Flour provides structure so the cookies hold their shape.
- Ground Cinnamon. Cinnamon adds warmth and complements the carrot and oats.
- Baking Soda. Baking soda helps the cookies rise slightly and creates a soft texture.
- Salt. A small pinch of salt balances the sweetness.
- Raisins. Raisins add bursts of sweetness and a classic oatmeal cookie flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Peel and grate/shred the carrot, then set aside.
Beat the butter and both sugars together with an electric mixer in a mixing bowl for a few minutes until thick and combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla for a minute or so until light.
Whisk the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Add to the mixing bowl along with the grated carrot and raisins and mix, by hand, gently until combined.
Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheets an inch apart.
Bake the carrot cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges begin to turn brown.
Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Variations
You can easily adapt oatmeal carrot cookies depending on what you have available. Try adding:
- Chopped walnuts for crunch.
- Shredded coconut for texture and sweetness.
- Replace raisins with dried cranberries.
- White chocolate chips for a sweeter cookie.
- Chopped pecans.
- Orange zest for brightness.
- Replace cinnamon with pumpkin spice.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are very versatile and can be served in many ways.
- Serve with afternoon tea.
- Pack into lunchboxes.
- Pair with coffee as a simple dessert. Try it with Hawaij Coffee.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Add to a homemade cookie platter.
- Serve with cream cheese frosting drizzle or try Apple Frosting.
- Serve alongside carrot cake for a themed dessert table.
- Enjoy as an after-dinner snack.
- Serve as Milk and Cookies For Santa.
Storage, Freezing, Make-Ahead Advice
Oatmeal carrot cookies store very well.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to three months.
- Freeze the cookie dough balls before baking if you want fresh cookies later.
- Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator before baking.
If the cookies become slightly firm after a few days, warming them for a few seconds in the microwave can soften them again.
Recipe Tips
- Use freshly grated carrot. Pre-shredded carrots are often too dry.
- Chill the dough for at least one hour. This helps the cookies keep their shape.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added.
- Bake until the edges are lightly golden. The centers will continue setting as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before moving them.
FAQs
Yes. Quick oats will work, though the texture may be slightly softer and less chewy.
No. When used in small amounts, grated carrot actually improves cookie texture and keeps them soft.
Yes. Shape the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray before storing in a container.
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📖 Recipe
Oatmeal Carrot Cookies
Equipment
- Grater
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Cookie sheets
Ingredients
- ¾ cup grated carrot 100g. Approx 1 large carrot.
- ¼ cup butter room temperature, ½ stick; 60g
- ¼ cup white sugar 50g
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar 50g
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup rolled oats 80g
- ½ cup all-purpose flour plain flour, 70g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch salt
- ¼ cup raisins 40g
Instructions
- Peel and grate/shred the carrot, then set aside.
- Beat the butter and both sugars together with an electric mixer in a mixing bowl for a few minutes until thick and combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla for a minute or so until light.
- Whisk the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl, then add to the mixing bowl along with the grated carrot and raisins and mix, by hand, gently until combined.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheets an inch apart.
- Bake the carrot cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges begin to turn brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
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