When I was in Junior High and my wallet was empty, I made my dad a bunch of cookies for his Christmas present. With ingredients that he and Mom had purchased! I was a smart one! I made some of his favorites: oatmeal (with nuts and raisins!), chocolate chip, pecan sandies, and these Old Fashioned Carrot Cookies.
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Old Fashioned Carrot Cookies are soft cookies that have only seven ingredients. They are irresistible with the orange glaze!
Make them gluten-free!
I make gluten-free Old Fashioned Carrot Cookies using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour. The original recipe called for shortening which would also make them dairy-free, but I much prefer to use butter.
Of course, you can make Old Fashioned Carrot Cookies any size you want! I love using my small scoop to form them, though. It makes the the perfect size of cookie to accompany a cup of afternoon tea.
I bake them on a parchment lined baking sheet and let them cool entirely on a wire rack before glazing them.
Orange Glaze for Old Fashioned Carrot Cookies
You'll be tempted to think there are no carrots and only oranges in these cookies after you put the orange glaze on them. Indeed, I think the carrots are only used for their moisture and color!
Although you could use bottled orange juice, the flavor is so delicious using the zest and juice of a fresh orange! The consistency should be spreadable, almost drippy. The orange I used was very juicy and even the juice from only half of it was too much! I had to add more powdered sugar to thicken it back up.
Have you been wondering if my dad ate all those cookies by himself? The answer is that he absolutely did not! With four boys in the house, he had lots of help and they were all gone by the end of Christmas day!
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If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment below and a star rating. Also, if you are on Instagram, post a photo and tag me @tammycirceocheznous so that I can see your delicious dish!
Recipe
Old Fashioned Carrot Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour such as Bob's Red Mill
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cooked, mashed carrots
FOR THE GLAZE
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- zest of one orange
- juice of 1 orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and mix well.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine well, then add the cooked, mashed carrots.
- Drop by small spoonfuls onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Glaze each cookie before serving.
FOR THE GLAZE
- Add the zest of the orange to the sugar. Using a whisk, add the orange juice a little at a time until the consistency is spreadable, but still a bit drippy.
Catherine maxey
I skipped the glaze and added the zest to the batter along with 2tsp orange extract. Great flavor. Fluffy.
Tammy Circeo
I'm sure they were really tasty. If you simply MUST skip the glaze, I completely agree with adding the zest to the batter ... good call!
Darlene
Could, I add dates to this or walnuts. Please tell me what you think.
Tammy Circeo
I totally think you could. I'm a purist when it comes to Carrot Cake ... no nuts, no pineapple, no raisins ... so I feel the same about Carrot Cookies. BUT, it's not to say that adding them wouldn't be tasty! Go for it!
Mary Ann Ricke
How many cookies does this recipe make. Thank you.
Tammy Circeo
It totally depends on how large you make the cookies, but I usually get 36-40 cookies. I don't like to make them too large!
Becky
These taste so close to my grandma's recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Tammy Circeo
OH ... I'm so glad they brought back good memories for you! We've enjoyed them for many years. Even with the gluten-free flour blend!
V. Cobb
Oh...terrible. I followed your recipe exactly. Grainy, and you can really taste the baking powder.
Tammy Circeo
I'm so sorry you didn't meet with success. My mom has been making this recipe for 50 years or so and neither she nor I have ever experienced what you are describing. Is it possible that you used self-rising flour? It already has baking powder in it so adding the 2 teaspoons of baking powder in addition would certainly make it overpowering. Or perhaps you put 2 TABLESPOONS of baking powder? I know I have made that type of mistake before!