Carrot Shortbread Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing
These carrot shortbread cookies are everything I love about carrot cake, but in a fun and simple cookie form. They’re buttery and tender, with a gentle warmth from the spices and a subtle carrot flavour. The orange zest really makes them special—it adds a fresh, citrusy note that beautifully balances the richness.
The cream cheese icing is the star of the show. It’s smooth, lightly tangy, and gives the cookies that perfect springtime feel with their soft orange and green colours—just right for Easter.
This recipe is also incredibly easy to make, with a dough that comes together in no time. It’s a perfect baking project with kids—they’ll love cutting out the carrot shapes and decorating each one. And the best part? These cookies look like carrots, taste like carrots, and even sneak in a little bit of carrot too — great for little ones who might not even notice!
Alright, let’s bake!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Tastes like carrot cake in cookie form – soft, buttery shortbread with warm spices and a hint of carrot in every bite.
- Bright, fresh flavour – the orange zest adds a light citrusy note that balances the richness beautifully.
- Cream cheese icing is the highlight – smooth, slightly tangy, and perfect for creating that cute carrot design.
- Perfect for hands-on baking – simple steps and easy dough make this a stress-free recipe that’s enjoyable from start to finish.
- Cute and creative design – a charming way to turn classic carrot cake flavours into something fun and eye-catching.
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Ingredients in this Carrot Shortbread Cookies Recipe
At a glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Carrots (about 1 medium, peeled and finely grated) – add natural sweetness, moisture, and that subtle carrot cake flavour throughout the cookies.
- All-purpose flour – forms the base of the dough and gives the cookies structure. Most all-purpose flours have a protein content of about 10–12%, which is ideal for tender shortbread cookies—not too chewy, not too cakey.
- Unsalted butter – provides richness and that classic tender, melt-in-the-mouth shortbread texture.
- Caster sugar – sweetens the cookies while blending smoothly into the dough for a fine, delicate crumb.
- Orange extract – enhances the citrus flavour and complements the spices beautifully.
- Egg yolk – adds richness and helps bind the dough together for a soft, tender texture.
- Cornflour – softens the texture and gives the cookies a light, delicate crumb.
- Salt – balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavours.
- Ground cinnamon – adds warmth and depth, giving that classic carrot cake flavour.
- Ground ginger – brings a gentle spice and slight warmth to the cookies.
- Ground nutmeg – adds a subtle, cosy note that rounds out the spice blend.
- Orange zest – brightens the flavour with a fresh, citrusy aroma and balances the richness of the dough.
How to Make these Carrot Shortbread Cookies
Here are a few key tips to help you make these delicious Carrot Shortbread Cookies with confidence. Be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, and don’t forget to watch my step-by-step video tutorial for a complete guide to the process.
- Grate the carrot finely using this side of the grater—this helps the flavour blend into the cookie without large strips.
- Place the grated carrot into a kitchen towel.
- Squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- Set aside.
- Use a fine zester to zest an orange.
- Zesting finely makes it easier to incorporate into the dough. Then juice a quarter of the orange for the icing.
- In a mixing bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar for 1–2 minutes.
- This helps release the natural oils and intensifies the orange flavour.
- Add the butter and beat with the orange-infused sugar on medium speed.
- Beat until well combined and smooth.
- Before adding the remaining ingredients, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything mixes evenly.
- Add the egg yolk and orange extract.
- Also, the grated carrot.
- Continue beating on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated.
- Sift in the plain flour, cornflour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt to remove any lumps.
- Mix on medium speed until just combined.
- When the dough starts to come together, stop the mixer.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and finish mixing by hand until the dough comes together nicely.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Sandwich one portion between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to 6 mm thickness.
- Place both rolled dough onto a baking tray and chill for 30 – 60 minutes or until firm to the touch.
- Towards the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 170°C fan.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once firm, peel off the parchment paper. Cut out as many cookies as possible using a carrot-shaped cookie cutter.
- Remove the excess dough.
- Carefully lift each cookie using an offset spatula to and transfer it onto a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Gather and re-roll any remaining dough between parchment paper. If the dough softens at any point, return it to the fridge to firm up before continuing.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C fan for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden (mine took 16 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Success
- Chill the dough – Keeping the dough firm makes it easier to cut clean shapes and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
- Roll between parchment paper – This avoids sticking and means you don’t have to add extra flour, which can change the texture.
- Don’t over mix – Once the dry ingredients are added, mix only until combined. Over mixing can make the cookies tough.
- Room temperature butter is key – Soft butter whips more easily with sugar for a smooth, tender dough.
- Full-fat cream cheese for icing – Low-fat versions can make the frosting runny, so full-fat gives the best texture.
- Icing consistency matters – Orange icing should flow smoothly for the carrot body, while green icing should stay thicker for the leaves.
- Re-roll with care – Gather scraps and re-roll gently. If the dough softens, pop it back in the fridge to firm up before cutting again.
- Have fun with decoration – The icing is the highlight—don’t stress about perfection; each cookie will have its own charm!
How to Serve
- Arrange the cookies on a sheet of parchment paper over a “bed of soil” made from crushed Oreos—fun, edible, and perfect for the carrot theme.
- Serve with a warm cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of milk for a cozy treat.
- Let everyone grab a cookie with a little “soil”—it’s interactive and adds a playful touch.
- Include them in Easter baskets or add to a dessert table for a festive spring presentation.
- Encourage kids to help arrange and decorate the display for a creative, hands-on experience.
How to Store
I like laying the baked cookies flat in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to protect the icing, even once it’s set.
- Place the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container.
- Lay a sheet of clean parchment paper over the cookies to protect the icing, even once it is set.
- Add another layer of cookies on top, then repeat with parchment paper between each layer.
- Once all the cookies are layered, seal the container with a lid to keep them fresh.
- Store at room temperature for up to 3–4 days.
- For longer storage, I recommend freezing the cookie dough instead of the baked cookies. This way, you can take out only as much dough as you need, cut out the shapes, and bake fresh cookies anytime you want.
💡 Baking tip: Depending on your oven, you may need to bake the cookies 2 – 3 minutes longer to get lightly golden edges—just keep an eye on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s best to use full-fat cream cheese. Low-fat versions can make the frosting runny and affect the texture of your icing.
Yes! The dough can be frozen before baking. Just cut out the shapes from frozen dough and bake fresh cookies whenever you want.
Baked cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
All-purpose flour is ideal because of its 10–12% protein content. Using other flours may change the texture, so I recommend sticking with all-purpose for the best results.
If the dough softens while rolling or cutting, pop it back in the fridge for 15–30 minutes to firm up. This makes it much easier to work with.
Absolutely! Any cookie cutter shapes work—you can have fun with stars, hearts, or spring-themed designs.
Orange icing should be slightly thinner to flow smoothly, while green icing for the leaves should be thicker to hold its shape. Adjust gradually, a few drops of juice or milk at a time if needed.
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Carrot Shortbread Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Chill Time: 1 hr
- Cook Time: 16 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 46 mins
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
- Category: Biscuits & Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Buttery carrot shortbread cookies with warm spices and a hint of orange zest, topped with smooth cream cheese icing for a fun and festive Easter treat!
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 45 g carrots, peeled and finely grated (about 1 medium carrot)
- 215 g all purpose flour
- 160 g unsalted butter, softened
- 80 g caster sugar
- 3/4 tsp orange extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 30 g cornflour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- zest of an orange
For the Icing
- 60 g cream cheese, full-fat and chilled
- 30 g unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g icing sugar
- 1 – 2 tsp orange juice
- gel food colouring, Orange and Kelly Green
For the Serving (optional):
- Oreo crumbs
Instructions
Preparation
- Peel and finely grate the carrots. Place the grated carrots in a kitchen towel and squeeze out the moisture. Set aside.
- Zest an orange and juice a quarter of it. Set aside.
For the Dough
- In a mixing bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar for 1–2 minutes until fragrant to release the natural oils.
- Add the butter and beat with the orange-infused sugar on medium speed until well combined and smooth.
- Add the egg yolk, orange extract, and grated carrots. Continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Sift in the plain flour, cornflour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt to remove any lumps.
- Mix on medium speed until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, then gently finish mixing by hand until the dough comes together evenly.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Sandwich one portion between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to 6 mm thickness. Place onto a tray and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Chill the rolled dough for 30–60 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
Bake the Cookies
- Towards the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 170°C fan and line a baking sheet.
- Once firm, peel off the parchment paper. Cut out as many cookies as possible using a carrot-shaped cookie cutter.
- Remove the excess dough, then use an offset spatula to carefully lift each cookie and transfer it onto a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Gather and re-roll any remaining dough between parchment paper. If the dough softens at any point, return it to the fridge to firm up before continuing.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C fan for 15–20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden (mine took 16 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Icing
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar until it resembles fine, sandy crumbs.
- Add the chilled cream cheese and beat on low speed until just smooth.
- Divide the icing into two portions: one-third and two-thirds.
- To the smaller portion, add orange juice ½ teaspoon at a time until the icing falls off the spoon in a thick, slow ribbon. Tint with orange gel food colouring.
- Colour the remaining icing with green gel food colouring. Do not add orange juice to thin it out, as this icing is for the stems/leaves and should be thicker, but still pipeable.
- Transfer each icing into separate piping bags and snip a small hole at the tip.
Decorate the Cookies
- Place the cooled cookies on parchment paper to catch any excess icing.
- Using the orange icing, hold the piping bag straight and apply gentle pressure. Starting from the wider end, pipe tight horizontal zig-zags down to the tip to mimic the natural ridges of a carrot.
- Switch to the green icing. Starting at the base of the leaf, pipe outward strokes to create the carrot tops. Add as much detail as desired.
- Continue decorating the remaining cookies, then leave them on the parchment paper until the icing is set.
To Serve (optional)
- Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs using a ziplock bag or food processor.
- Spread the crumbs over a sheet of parchment paper or a serving tray to create a “soil” base.
- Place the carrot cookies on top of the crumbs, slightly pressing them in for a fun presentation.
- Serve and enjoy—guests can grab a cookie with a bit of “soil” for extra crunch!
Notes
- Watch my video tutorial to see how easy these are to make.
- Always use full-fat cream cheese, as low-fat versions can result in a runny frosting.
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature for a smooth, creamy texture.
- Rolling the dough between parchment paper helps prevent sticking and avoids adding extra flour, which can affect the texture.
- Do not over mix the dough once the dry ingredients are added, as this can result in tougher cookies.
- For clean, defined shapes, ensure the dough is well chilled before cutting.
- I used Wilton Orange and Kelly Green gel food colouring to achieve the shades in this recipe. Feel free to use any brand you prefer, or keep it simple and decorate the cookies with the cream cheese icing as is, without colouring.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 101kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 27mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
Final Thoughts
These carrot shortbread cookies are a perfect mix of flavour, fun, and festive charm. They taste like carrot cake, smell like spring, and look adorable on your Easter table. The orange zest keeps the cookies bright and fresh, while the cream cheese icing adds that extra touch of sweetness and colour.
What I love most about this recipe is how approachable it is—you can make the dough quickly, have fun cutting and decorating the cookies, and even get the kids involved. Baking doesn’t have to be complicated to be enjoyable, and these cookies are proof of that!
Whether you’re serving them at an Easter gathering, gifting them to friends, or just enjoying a cozy afternoon treat, these carrot shortbread cookies are sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face. So roll up your sleeves, grab your cookie cutters, and have fun creating these little carrot delights.
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Happy baking and Happy Easter! 🐣🥕
