These Orange Glazed Carrot Cookies are sure to be a hit at any gathering. They're soft, moist, and covered with the most delicious orange glaze that will make you reaching for more. Add in the surprising (not-so-secret) ingredient and these cookies are unlike anything you have ever had before!
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If you need a fun, unique, and delicious dessert to bring to a get together, this orange carrot cookies would be high on my list! The flavor combo with the soft, tender cookie and the vibrant orange flavorful glaze is unforgettable.
In fact, my friend Jana (this is her Grandma's recipe, by the way) brought these to a cookie exchange we went to and they were so good I had to have the recipe and background scoop.
These cookies actually won a prize at the cookie exchange party! You really can't even taste the carrots, to be honest, but they add a wonderful softness and texture that sets these cookies apart.
Jana called them her "Grandma's Secret Ingredient Orange Glaze Cookies" because none of the grandkids would purposefully eat a cookie knowing its made with carrots. She said that when she was growing up, she just thought they were "orange cookies" and had no idea they had carrots in them until she was older.
For some more amazing recipes that you can use shredded carrots in check out my Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe, or these delicious Morning Glory Muffins, and Easy Carrot Bread. If you love anything orange flavored, my sister-in-law Deborah's Knotted Orange Rolls will satisfy those cravings!
Why We Love this Orange Cookie Recipe
- It's really unlike any cookie you have ever had! The combination of flavors makes them very unique with the orange glaze.
- They're really quite easy and hardly take any time to bake.
- These cookies are great year round but they are such a fun holiday favorite! They are perfect for Easter and Spring with the carrots and oranges and the orange citrus makes these cookies great for the Christmas holiday season.
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Carrots - You will need three large carrot or 4-6 medium carrots.
- Egg - Helps bind everything together.
- Butter - Regular salted butter is all you need. Make sure it's room temperature for easier mixing.
- Sugar - Granulated white sugar will add sweetness to the cookie..
- Vanilla Extract - Enhances the flavor of the cookie.
- All-purpose Flour - This will give structure to the cookie. My favorite method for measuring flour is to scoop and measure. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup.
- Salt - This will help balance all the flavors.
- Baking powder - A necessary ingredient to help your cookies rise.
- Walnuts or Pecans (opt) - These cookies taste great with or without nuts so it's your preference if you want to use them.
- Powdered Sugar - Use the powder sugar to add sweetness for the glaze.
- Orange - One orange is all you need for the zest and orange juice to go in the glaze.
How to Make This Recipe
- Prep and preheat. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. You don't have to use parchment paper but I love it for the easy clean up!
- Grate and steam carrots. Grab your washed carrots and grate them with a grater or a food processor (affiliate link). You can use the big holes or small holes. You will need about one cup of grated carrots which would be three big carrot, 5-6 small carrots, or a couple of handfuls of baby carrots. Add the grated carrots to a steamer basket over simmering water. Put the lid on and steam for 5-7 minutes until the carrots have softened. Transfer the softened carrots to plate and spread them out to cool.
- Cream butter and sugar. Grab a large mixing bowl and cream the butter and sugar together until creamy, soft, and light.
- Mix ingredients. Add the cooled carrots, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add dry ingredients. Next add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the carrot cookie dough. If you are using nuts, add them in at the end.
- Make the glaze. Combine melted butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, and 2-3 tablespoons of the fresh orange juice in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well until combined, adding more orange juice as needed to get a glaze that is thin enough to dip the cookies in but not too thin.
PRO TIP: I like to have my glaze all ready to go before I put my first batch of cookies in. You will want to glaze them while still warm so it is nice to have it ready.
If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more orange juice. Prep for glazing by setting up a cooling rack over a baking sheet to catch any excess glaze. You can even put parchment paper on the cookie sheet for easy clean up.
- Bake cookies. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet using a small cookie scoop (about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie). Bake for ten minutes or until the tops are slightly browned. They bake pretty quickly so keep an eye on them. You want them to be a pretty soft cookie so do not overbake. Let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
- Glaze cookies. You will want the cookies still warm to glaze. Spoon the glaze onto the cookies or carefully dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze. If you find the glaze is sliding right off the cookie then your glaze could be a bit too thin or your cookie still too hot. A bit of the excess glaze will drip off and that's ok. Let the cookies set for 30-60 minutes for the glaze to harden before enjoying.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, no problem. If you want to get a jump start on the recipe, feel free to steam the carrots the day before and just store them in the fridge.
No! Just like carrot cake or any baked good with carrots, the carrots will bake right in and get soft so you can hardly even taste them.
You can thicken the glaze by adding more powder sugar. Also, make sure your cookie isn't too hot before glazing them or it will just drip right off. Another tip is to glaze them when they are warm for that nice glazed cookie look and then adding a bit more glaze on top when cooled.
Storage and Freezing
- The cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days. Store in an airtight container in a single layer.
- These cookies freeze quite well. You can freeze with or without the glaze. Let them cool completely before freezing. If freezing with the glaze, I would stick them in the freezer for about thirty minutes to let the glaze harden before stacking cookies on top of one another. You can put wax paper between the layers. Place in a freezer safe container.
- When ready to use, pull the cookies from the freezer and thaw on counter.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes You'll Love
- Frosted Swig Sugar Cookies
- Copycat Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
- Cutler's Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Orange Glazed Carrot Cookies
Ingredients
Carrot Cookie
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 3 large carrots or 4-6 smaller ones)
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (282g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Orange Glaze
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Wash, then grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater (no need to peel first). Add the carrots to a steamer basket and place over simmering water with a lid on top. Steam the carrots for 5-7 minutes to soften. Transfer the softened carrots to a bowl or spread out on a plate to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy and light.
- Add the cooled carrots, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the carrot dough. Mix until just combined. Add the nuts at the end, if using.
- Make the glaze by combining melted butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, and 2-3 tablespoons of the fresh orange juice in a medium mixing bowl Whisk well until combined, adding more orange juice as needed to get a glaze that is thin enough to dip the cookies in but not too thin. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more orange juice.
- Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet using a small cookie scoop (about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie). Bake for ten minutes or until the tops are slightly browned. Do not overbake. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to get ready for the glaze.
- While the cookies are still warm, spoon the glaze onto the cookies or carefully dip the tops of each cookie into the glaze. Let the excess drip off and let the cookies set up for at least 30-60 minutes for the glaze to harden before enjoying.
