Learn how to make carrot cake snickerdoodles from scratch! These cookies taste like a true combination of the two classic desserts. The cookie dough is filled with a trio of warm spices and bits of tender carrot, rolled in a sweet cinnamon coating, and baked to perfection. Soft and chewy insides with subtly crisp outsides, along with a hint of tang so iconic of snickerdoodles’ flavor, these cookies taste sweet, cozy, comforting, and positively irresistible!
My dog loves carrot cake season.
When she hears me pull out a cutting board, its rough edges softly rumbling against its neighbors like thick plastic sandpaper as I slip it out of the cupboard, her little ears perk up, even if she was fast asleep in her bed in the other room, and she sprints into the kitchen.
She plants herself inches away from me, staring up with those cute brown puppy-like eyes, as I wash and peel the carrots. She usually stands, too eager and excited to lie down, but she’ll occasionally sit – momentarily – only to pop right back up the moment my feet move.
She knows I’m a total pushover.
So every time, I grab a fresh bowl and plop some of the peelings into it for her. As soon as I set it on the floor beside her water bowl, which happens to be right next to my baking prep area at the kitchen island, she starts chowing down as fast as her little jaw can move. Plowing through one scrap at a time, she clamps it in her teeth, moves a few inches away from the bowl, and hurriedly chews and swallows.
I laugh every time…
Those carrot peelings look like long, skinny, bright orange giraffe tongues hanging out of her mouth!
After three weeks of testing different carrot cake themed recipes, my dog almost permanently moved into the kitchen with me… And she was one very happy and well-fed girl!
In addition to this new healthy carrot sheet cake, I also made these new healthy carrot cake snickerdoodles during those three weeks. With their flavors and texture, they truly taste like the perfect blend of classic carrot cake and snickerdoodle cookies. They’d be a delicious Easter treat – or great for any afternoon where you’re feeling as indecisive as me and can’t decide which dessert you want more!
QUICK OVERVIEW – HEALTHY CARROT CAKE SNICKERDOODLES
Difficulty: Fairly simple (including for many beginner bakers!), except for one tiny part. The cookie dough is very easy to make and bake, but because it’s rather sticky, it’s a teensy bit tricky to shape and roll.
Taste: Extremely cozy and comforting with ample amounts of warm spice flavors, bits of sweet carrot, and that iconic hint of a subtle snickerdoodle tang.
Texture: Soft and chewy on the inside, with a bit of crispness on the outside from that classic snickerdoodle cinnamon sugar coating.
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY CARROT CAKE SNICKERDOODLES
Let’s talk about the ingredients you need to make these healthy carrot cake snickerdoodles! I’m assuming you have baking staples like salt, vanilla, and eggs, so we’ll focus on the more interesting and important things.
Flour. I used white whole wheat flour to make these cookies healthier. If you haven’t heard of it before, I know it can sound a little odd… But it’s not just a blend of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!
Instead, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour often comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter appearance, taste, and texture. That lets the cozy and buttery flavors of your snickerdoodles truly shine!
Hint: It’s similar to the difference between green and red grapes. They have slightly different flavors – but basically the same health benefits!
Tip: If you’d like to make your carrot cake snickerdoodles gluten free, I’ve shared my favorite ways to do that in the Notes section of the recipe!
Spices. You’ll need three of them! Cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. These are the spices I typically include in my carrot cake recipes. Cinnamon provides the familiar flavor we know and love, while allspice provides a similar cozy sweetness and nutmeg adds a deeper, fuller flavor.
Tip: I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! It has a stronger, sweeter, and richer flavor than regular cinnamon. I buy mine online here. It’s really affordable, and it tastes amazing in baking recipes, especially if you’re a big cinnamon or spice fan (like I am!).
Cream of tartar. This is the special ingredient that makes snickerdoodles, well, snickerdoodles! Cream of tartar is a fine white powder that comes from grape plants, and it’s a natural byproduct from the winemaking process.
So what does cream of tartar do in snickerdoodles?
That involves a little baking chemistry! Cream of tartar is an acid. It reacts with baking soda, which is a base. When those two ingredients interact in this cookie dough, they create a lovely soft and chewy texture. Cream of tartar is also responsible for that subtle hint of tang that’s so iconic of snickerdoodle cookies.
Kind of nerdy… But as an ex-chemist, I love tidbits like this!
Without cream of tartar, your snickerdoodles would just be cinnamon-spiced cookies. Still delicious… But not quite the same. 😉
Unsalted butter. To make this carrot cake snickerdoodles recipe a little easier, you’ll use melted butter – not softened! I rarely remember to set out butter far enough in advance to soften on its own, but that isn’t an issue here. Thank goodness!
You only need 1 tablespoon of butter too. Yes – really! That’s all. That small amount helps keep your healthy carrot cake snickerdoodles low calorie and low fat!
Sweetener. There are two options: coconut sugar and light brown sugar. Both work equally well!
If you use coconut sugar, then your carrot cake snickerdoodles can be classified as “clean eating” because coconut sugar is considered a “clean eating friendly” sweetener. It’s an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts, and it has a caramel-like flavor that’s really similar to brown sugar. (You can usually find it on the baking aisle near the regular granulated and brown sugars!)
However, the amount of sweetener that you use will determine your cookies’ thickness and how much they spread. We’ll cover that in more detail in a moment, but for now, just keep in mind that you get to choose!
Milk. This is a completely optional ingredient! If you add a bit of milk, your carrot cake snickerdoodles will be thinner and spread more. (Again, more on that momentarily!)
Carrots. A very important ingredient in carrot cake snickerdoodles! 😉 For this recipe, you’ll need finely freshly grated carrots. Not regular grated carrots, and not store-bought pre-shredded carrots either. Those don’t soften properly while baking, especially the latter… They’re really thick and dry – especially compared to finely freshly grated ones!
Use the smallest holes of a box grater to grate your carrots. The resulting carrot bits should be fairly tiny and almost a bit juicy. This extra small size ensures the carrots fully soften while baking and turn out really tender. It also helps create a better soft and chewy cookie texture!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY CARROT CAKE SNICKERDOODLES
Let’s talk about how to make the best carrot snickerdoodles! Other than one teensy tiny part, this recipe is easy and straightforward to make (you don’t even need a mixer!), but I still have some tips to make sure your cookies turn out really well.
Decide how much you want your cookies to spread. Time for more nerdy baking chemistry! In this recipe, the sugar (whether coconut or light brown!) doesn’t just play a role in the cookies’ flavor and sweetness… It actually contributes to the liquid volume! This is because {a} sugar dissolves in liquids, whereas something like flour does not, and {b} it also caramelizes and melts at higher temperatures (like the ones used to bake cookies!). Therefore…
Less sugar = less liquid volume = less spreading + thicker cookies.
More sugar = more liquid volume = more spreading + thinner cookies.
I borrowed these photos from my ultimate healthy snickerdoodles recipe (that’s why there aren’t any carrots in these cookies!), but the sweetener amounts and effects are exactly the same. For thicker snickerdoodles, use less sugar in the cookie dough. For thinner and wider ones, use more. For the thinnest and widest (like the ones in my photos!), add a bit of milk to the cookie dough too.
It’s sort of like a choose-your-own adventure book! (Anyone else remember those from childhood? Just me?…) Regardless of whether you prefer your carrot cake snickerdoodles thick or thin, I promise they’ll taste delicious! Especially if you…
Measure the ingredients correctly. Be very careful and use this method or a kitchen scale (← that’s the one I own!), especially for measuring the flour. Too much flour will dry out the dough and make your cookies cakey, dry, or crumbly, rather than perfectly soft and chewy.
Chill the dough. This is mandatory! The cookie dough will be very loose and sticky when you first mix everything together, and that’s what helps create the best soft and chewy texture in these carrot cake snickerdoodles. Chilling the cookie dough makes it a thicker and stiffer. A brief 30 minutes in the refrigerator is all it needs!
Roll – but don’t touch it! After chilling, the cookie dough will still be sticky, so do not try to touch it with your hands. Instead, use a spoon and spatula (← that’s the mini one that I use!) to drop a small amount into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Once the outside of the cookie dough is coated in cinnamon sugar, then roll it into a sphere. That mixture will act as a barrier and prevent the cookie dough from sticking to your palms!
Bake. My trick to the best soft and chewy snickerdoodles? Remove them from the oven when the centers still feel a little soft and underdone, and let them sit on the baking sheet for another 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. The heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through – without over-baking the cookies or drying out their outsides!
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY CARROT CAKE SNICKERDOODLES
Are these healthy carrot snickerdoodles low calorie, gluten free, clean eating, dairy free, egg free, or vegan?
Yes! If made with coconut sugar, these cookies are considered “clean eating” friendly. I’ve included how to make them gluten free in the Notes section of the recipe, along with how to modify the recipe to be dairy free, egg free, and vegan.
Can I substitute something for the cream of tartar?
No, the cream of tartar is what makes snickerdoodle cookies taste like snickerdoodles. It also plays a role in the cookies’ texture, so I don’t recommend substituting for or omitting it. (See the “Cream of tartar” header above for more info!)
Can I substitute something for the allspice or nutmeg?
In a pinch, you can substitute additional cinnamon for the allspice, but I don’t recommend substituting anything for the nutmeg. Its deep richness gives these cookies a true “carrot cake” flavor.
Can I use pre-shredded carrots I bought at the grocery store?
No – and I beg you not to even try! They’ll drastically change the texture of your cookies. See the “Carrots” header above for more info!
Why didn’t my cookies spread as much as yours?
There are three main culprits: (a) too much flour, (b) not enough sugar, or (c) you skipped the milk. See the “How to Make the Best Healthy Carrot Cake Snickerdoodles” section above for more info about each of these!
How should I store these carrot cake snickerdoodles? And how long do they last?
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container. When stored at room temperature, they should keep for at least three days, possibly longer – if they even last that long!
Ready to make your own? And when you do, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy carrot cake snickerdoodles!
Healthy Carrot Cake Snickerdoodles
These cookies taste like a true combination of the two classic desserts! The cookie dough is filled with a trio of warm spices and bits of tender carrot, rolled in a sweet cinnamon coating, and baked to perfection. Soft and chewy insides with subtly crisp outsides, along with a hint of tang so iconic of snickerdoodles’ flavor, these cookies taste sweet, cozy, comforting, and positively irresistible! Leftovers will keep for at least three days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature – if they last that long!
Instructions
To prepare the cookies, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla (and milk, if using!). Stir in the sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until incorporated. Fold in the carrots. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
To prepare the coating, mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl until completely combined and no lumps remain.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
{See the Notes below about rolling and shaping before beginning this step!} Using a spoon and spatula, drop a small amount of the cookie dough into the coating. Carefully rock the cookie dough back and forth in the coating. (Do not touch the cookie dough with your hands until it’s fully coated!) Once fully covered in coating, roll the cookie dough into a sphere between your palms, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and coating. (Optional: Gently flatten the cookie dough as a spreading “head start” for cookies that are thinner!)
Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the warm baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
HOW MUCH SUGAR TO ADD TO THE COOKIE DOUGH – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: This actually depends on how thick or thin you prefer your snickerdoodles!
For slightly thicker cookies, use 7 tablespoons (84g) of coconut sugar or light brown sugar. For thick cookies (that don’t spread as much while baking!), use 6 tablespoons (72g) of coconut sugar or light brown sugar.
For even thinner cookies, add 2 teaspoons of room-temperature milk (any kind will work!) along with the vanilla extract. (See the “How to Make the Best Healthy Carrot Cake Snickerdoodles” section in my blog post above for more information and visuals about what each version looks like!) For the photos in my blog post above, I used this last version (½ cup of sugar + 2 teaspoons of milk).
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour. Oat flour will also work, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flour.
CREAM OF TARTAR NOTE: I do not recommend substituting for or omitting the cream of tartar. It’s important for both the taste and texture of these cookies. (See the “Cream of tartar” header in my blog post above for more information!)
SPICE NOTES: I highly recommend using Saigon cinnamon for the best flavor! It’s stronger, richer, and sweeter than common cinnamon. I buy mine online here because it’s so inexpensive and affordable! If you aren’t using Saigon cinnamon, then consider increasing the cinnamon in the cookie dough by ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon.
In a pinch, additional cinnamon may be substituted for the allspice. However, if at all possible, I don’t recommend substituting for or omitting the nutmeg. It creates a much richer and deeper spice flavor.
IMPORTANT CARROT NOTES: Measure the carrot by cups or grams – not by “medium” carrots! Not all “medium” carrots are the exact same size.
It’s also really important to use the smallest holes of a box grater to grate your carrots – not the standard sized holes! This tiny size ensures the carrots fully soften while baking, which creates the best soft and chewy texture in your cookies.
Do not substitute store-bought pre-shredded carrots (also called “matchstick” carrots). They’re much thicker and drier, and they don’t soften properly while baking. They’ll also change the consistency of your cookie dough and the texture of your fully baked cookies.
ROLLING THE COOKIE DOUGH IN COATING: This cookie dough is sticky, and that’s intentional! It gives these cookies a really soft and chewy texture, and it allows them to spread some while baking. However, that means the cookie dough will stick to your bare hands. So in Step 4, do NOT touch the cookie dough until it’s covered with the cinnamon sugar mixture. The coating then acts as a barrier and prevents it from completely sticking to your skin!
SHAPING THE COOKIE DOUGH BEFORE BAKING: For thicker snickerdoodles, roll the cookie dough so that it’s taller than it is wide (aka a cylinder shape!). For thinner snickerdoodles, roll the cookie dough into balls, and flatten them slightly before baking.
GLUTEN FREE OPTION: For the gluten free flour, use as follows: ¼ cup (30g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, 3 tablespoons (21g) coconut flour, and ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten free flour blends (I like this one from Bob’s Red Mill) will work as well, if measured like this. Certified gluten free oat flour will also work, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than many other flours.
EGG FREE, DAIRY FREE + VEGAN OPTION: Use coconut oil or stick-style non-dairy butter (I like Earth Balance). In place of the egg, substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of Ener-G (I whisk this into the dry ingredients!) + 2 tablespoons of warm water + an extra ½ tablespoon (7g) of coconut oil or non-dairy butter. If using the milk option to make your cookies spread more, then use your favorite non-dairy milk.
DOUBLING: This recipe is easily doubled!
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover snickerdoodles in an airtight container. If left at room temperature, they should last at least three days.
FOR MORE TIPS + INFORMATION, SEE MY BLOG POST ABOVE!
{gluten free, clean eating, low fat, dairy free option, egg free option, vegan option}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Snickerdoodles
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Healthy One-Bowl Carrot Cake Bars
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Carrot Cake (two-layer cake!)
♡ Healthy Carrot Sheet Cake
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy carrot cake flavored recipes and healthy cookie recipes!
