Levain Bakery Carrot Cake Cookies

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These Levain Bakery Carrot Cake Cookies are everything you love about carrot cake in a soft, thick cookie. Made with shredded carrots, warm spices, white chocolate chips, dried apricots and pecans, they are rich, flavorful, and perfectly chewy. A delicious spring dessert that’s easy to make at home!

A brand new cookie was just released at Levain Bakery — and you know that I have been busy in my test kitchen trying to create a copycat version of their Spring Carrot Cake Cookie recipe.

I just got home from a Caribbean cruise and I had my phone on airplane mode for 7 straight days and it was HEAVENLY! I highly recommend getting away from it all, if at all possible. As soon as I turned on my phone and pulled up Instagram, I saw that Levain Bakery was releasing a new cookie, so my interest was piqued. A carrot cake cookie is the perfect recipe for Easter, and I was so excited to get into the kitchen and start experimenting.

There is a lot of analysis that goes into creating recipes — especially baking recipes — since it is all about the ratios. When you introduce new ingredients like carrots or dried apricots that can add moisture, you have to tweak things to compensate. I created a base recipe and then went to work. My first attempt was close, but I felt I could do better, so I made some changes.

Here’s what I found….

Carrots contain moisture, which can create a cakier texture, if too much is added without some balance. On my first attempt, I placed the grated carrots on several paper towels to get out some of the moisture. On my second attempt, I made sure to squeeze the carrots with several rounds of paper towels to make sure they were good and dry. Why? There are a few reasons — one is that it creates a cakey texture, and two is that it can create a gummy center. This will be a cakier cookie than my classic Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe but we don’t want it to go into scone territory.

Another ingredient that can add some moisture is the dried apricots. They also add some chewiness and natural sweetness, which means we can use less sugar. I decided to use 3/4 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of brown sugar since brown sugar contains more moisture than granulated sugar and we don’t need that so instead of using more brown sugar than granulated sugar, we kept it even.

The white chocolate chips adds some sweetness as well and the pecans add not only crunch but help to bulk up the cookies as well. I love the addition of the pecans! We want these to be thick so we make sure to weigh them in at 6 ounces.

What would I add? Glad you asked. I would love to top these with a cream cheese frosting or a sweet glaze.

Ingredients:

Here is what you need to make the Levain Bakery Carrot Cake Cookies. Scroll down to the bottom to the recipe card to see amounts and instructions.

Cold Butter – Helps create that thick, dense Levain-style cookie texture
Brown Sugar + White Sugar – Brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, while white sugar helps with structure
Eggs – Keep the dough firm and prevent spreading
Vanilla Extract – Enhances all the flavors
All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure for thick cookies
Cornstarch – Makes the cookies extra soft and tender
Baking Soda – Helps the cookies rise slightly
Salt – Balances the sweetness
Cinnamon + Nutmeg – Adds warm, classic carrot cake flavor
Finely Grated Carrots (squeezed dry) – Depending on the size of your carrots, you may need about 2 carrots. I like to use the finest grater.
White Chocolate Chips – My favorite brands are Ghirardelli and Guittard.
Dried Apricots – Adds a chewy texture and subtle sweetness.
Pecans – Adds crunch and balances the sweetness

How to make the Best Levain Carrot Cake Cookies:

PREP CARROTS. Don’t skip this! Finely grate the carrots, then place them in paper towels or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This is key for the right texture.
CREAM BUTTER AND SUGARS. In a large bowl, combine the cold, cubed butter with the brown sugar and white sugar. Mix for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture is well combined but still slightly chunky.
ADD EGGS AND VANILLA. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
MIX IN DRY INGREDIENTS. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
FOLD IN MIX-INS. Gently fold in the grated carrots, white chocolate chips, chopped apricots, and pecans until evenly distributed.
CHILL DOUGH. Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to help the cookies hold their thick shape while baking.
SCOOP AND SHAPE DOUGH. Divide the dough into large portions (about 5–6 oz each) and loosely shape into tall mounds. Do not flatten.
BAKE. Bake at 385°F for 10–13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops are pale and slightly soft. The cookies should look thick and slightly underbaked in the center.
LET COOKIES SET. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes before transferring. This helps them set and develop the perfect texture.

Tips for Bakery Style Cookies:

Don’t skip squeezing the carrots, this prevents soggy cookies.

Use cold butter for thick cookies that don’t spread.

Keep the dough chunky and don’t overmix for best texture.

Bake at a higher temperature for crisp edges and gooey centers.

Slightly underbake for that soft, bakery-style middle.

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

Your butter may be too warm, or the carrots may not have been squeezed dry enough.

Can I make these smaller?

Yes! Just reduce the bake time by a few minutes, but they won’t have the same thick Levain-style look.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! Chill it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also freeze the cookie dough for 2 months. When baking from frozen, I recommend to let the cookies thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as normal.