Name: Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; ½ cup quick oats; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon cloves; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; 1 cup unsalted butter (softened); ¾ cup white sugar; ¾ cup brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 ¼ cups shredded carrots; ½ cup chopped walnuts; ½ cup cream cheese (softened); ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened); 3 cups confectioners’ sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts (for garnish)

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Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies are honestly my favorite way to get everything I love about carrot cake in one handheld bite. The cookies are soft, warmly spiced, and packed with shredded carrots and crunchy walnuts, and that thick swirl of cream cheese frosting on top is tangy, sweet, and dreamy. You’re going to want to make a double batch.

Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

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I make these for Easter, spring gatherings, and bake sales when I want something that stands out on the dessert table. The air fryer makes them incredibly easy to pull off, they’re simple to gift, travel well, and look like they took way more effort than they actually did. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies Ingredients. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

How to Make Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies with Step-By-Step Instructions

Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.

Let me walk you through each step so your cookies come out perfectly golden and ready for that cream cheese frosting.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Start by whisking together the all-purpose flour, quick oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.

Getting everything combined here means the spices distribute evenly through every cookie, so no bite is short on flavor.

Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.

A good stand mixer or hand mixer makes this step easy and gives you that ideal creamy base that helps the cookies stay soft after air frying.

Add the Eggs, Vanilla, and Carrots

Add both eggs and the vanilla extract, mixing until everything is smooth and well combined. Stir in the shredded carrots at this stage.

The carrots are the main ingredient that adds natural moisture and that unmistakable classic carrot cake flavor, making these cookies so satisfying. A box grater or mandoline slicer makes shredding carrots a breeze.

Combine and Fold

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just fully combined, but be careful not to overmix, or you’ll develop too much gluten in the dough, which can make the cookies tough.

Fold in the chopped walnuts at the end. The walnuts add a hearty crunch that balances the softness of the cookie perfectly. I love toasting them first in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes to bring out their flavor and add extra depth to the cookies.

Scoop and Air Fry

Scoop the cookie dough with a cookie scoop and form it into balls, then place them in your lined air fryer basket, leaving enough space between each one so they can spread slightly, and the cookies bake evenly.

Air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and cooked through. Bake the cookies in batches if needed. After a few minutes in the basket, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Air fry cookies at 320°F (160°C) for 10 minutes, until golden; bake in batches if necessary.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat the softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until completely smooth.

Add the confectioners’ or powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, then continue mixing with your hand mixer or stand mixer until the frosting is creamy and fluffy.

Frost and Finish

Spread or swirl the cream cheese frosting using a piping bag over each cooled cookie. I like to use a piping bag set with my favorite star tip to create those beautiful swirls.

Sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts on top, then finally, serve. Enjoy!

Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies

Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies are my favorite thing to bake every spring because they deliver everything I love about carrot cake in one soft, chewy, perfectly spiced cookie. The dough is loaded with shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, and warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg that fill every bite with that warm, bakery-spiced flavor you expect from a great carrot cake. The air fryer bakes them up soft and thick faster than a traditional oven, which makes them perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, and spring brunches when I already have a lot going on in the kitchen. Top them with tangy cream cheese frosting and toasted walnuts and they look absolutely stunning.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 25

Course: cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies

Servings:

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Mandy Applegate

Ingredients

For the cookies:

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter softened
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups shredded carrots
½ cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ cup cream cheese softened
¼ cup unsalted butter softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup quick oats, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
In a large bowl, beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
1 cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup white sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar
Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Stir in the shredded carrots.
2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 ¼ cups shredded carrots
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts.
½ cup chopped walnuts
Scoop cookie dough balls and place them in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each one.
Air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar mixing until creamy.
½ cup cream cheese, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frost each cooled cookie and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

Notes

Here are a few things I’ve learned from making these Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies that will help yours turn out just right.

Shred the carrots fresh: Pre-shredded store-bought carrots tend to be too thick and dry. Freshly grated carrots on the fine side of a box grater give you the right texture and moisture for the dough.

Don’t overmix after adding the flour: Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Overmixing at this stage develops gluten, making the cookies tough instead of soft and chewy.

Don’t skip the chill if your dough is soft: If your cookie dough feels too soft to scoop cleanly, refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes before air frying. Chilled dough holds its shape better in the air fryer basket.

Cool completely before frosting: The cream cheese frosting will melt and slide right off a warm cookie. Give them enough time on the wire rack to cool all the way through before you frost them.

Soften your cream cheese properly: Cold cream cheese leads to lumpy frosting. Pull it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you make the frosting so it blends completely smooth with the butter.

Store properly: Once cooled and frosted, keep them refrigerated for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container, layering them with parchment if you’re stacking them, or freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months and frost them fresh before serving.

Nutrition

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How to Store Leftovers

Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cookies need to be stored in the fridge. Place them in an airtight container, and they’ll stay fresh for 3 to 5 days.

If you’re stacking them, put a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to keep the frosting from sticking. For longer storage, freeze the cookies unfrosted in a single layer on a baking sheet for about an hour, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container.

They’ll keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 2 hours, then add frosting fresh before serving for the best results.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies

They’re rich and flavorful enough to stand on their own, but a hot drink alongside them makes the whole experience even better.

A mug of chai tea or a lightly spiced latte complements the cinnamon and ginger notes in the cookies beautifully. A cup of freshly brewed black coffee is another great pairing because the slight bitterness balances the sweet cream cheese frosting.

For a dessert spread, serve them next to a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a small bowl of fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or mandarin segments to cut through the richness of the frosting and add a bright contrast that keeps things from feeling heavy.

More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home

I think you’ll also love these other easy air fryer dessert recipes.

Air Fryer Lemon Brownies
Air Fryer Easter Bunny Cookies
Air Fryer Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
Air Fryer Lemon Pound Cake
Air Fryer Coffee Cake

About the Author

A woman with long brown hair is smiling and standing with her arms crossed. She is wearing a sleeveless, black and white diamond-patterned dress.

Hey there! I’m Mandy

Mandy Applegate is a home cook, food blogger, and writer who believes the best meals are the ones shared with the people you love.

She’s all about easy recipes that taste amazing, the kind that make ordinary days feel a little more special and remind you why cooking at home matters.

She has been published on NBC, the Daily News, the Boston Herald, and the Chicago Sun-Times, amongst many others.

Air Fryer Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients You’ll Need