These Carrot Cake Blondies are one of my all-time favorite spring treats. They have the texture of a dense, chewy blondie and the flavor of a classic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. They aren't fluffy like a cake; they're much closer to a cookie! You still get that recognizable carrot-and-cinnamon flavor profile, just in a totally reinvented way.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 9
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Soft and chewy with warm spices, sweet carrot cake notes, and a rich buttery blondie base.
- 🍚 Best Served With: A scoop of vanilla cream cheese ice cream or as a dessert spread for spring events.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, bake up to 2 days ahead and store airtight at room temperature or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I adore carrot cake, and these carrot blondies capture what makes a traditional carrot cake great, just in an easier recipe. They're great when you're short on time, but still want to make an impressive and delicious dessert. Dress them up for a special occasion or make them to satisfy a craving.
If you love carrot cake, I recommend that you also try these carrot cake cookies and this carrot cake cheesecake. These carrot cake truffles are super delicious too.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's not expensive: The ingredients used in this recipe won't break the bank, so there's no need to worry about the cost of this dessert.
- It's easy to make: This carrot cake blondie recipe is incredibly simple! There's no need to worry about layers like you would with a carrot cake. The steps are similar to those for homemade brownies.
- It's a crowd-pleaser: Everyone loves these blondies, so I find myself making them for several occasions. It's one of the most asked-for Easter desserts in my house.
Ingredients
- Butter: Melting the butter gives these blondies their dense texture. Allow it to cool slightly so you don't risk scrambling the eggs.
- Brown sugar: This is key for moist and chewy blondies. You can't substitute granulated sugar because it will make them more cake-like. This is why I use all brown sugar for these s'mores blondies, too.
- Carrots: Grate fresh carrots as finely as possible for the best texture. Use a fine grater or a microplane if you can.
- Cream cheese: Use softened cream cheese for a smooth and creamy frosting. Cold cream cheese causes lumps.
- Walnuts: You may use walnuts or pecans, but walnuts are classic for this recipe! I add them to the top to keep them crunchy.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add cinnamon to the frosting: Stir in 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the cream cheese frosting to give it a subtle, warm spiced flavor to complement the carrot blondies.
- Add more spices to the blondies: Include some more warm spices like ½ teaspoon of nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon of cardamom to enhance their signature flavor.
- Make them nut-free: Omit the walnuts to make these carrot blondies nut allergy-friendly.
- Cream cheese swirl: Make carrot cake blondies with a cream cheese swirl by using ¼ cup of granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar in the frosting and adding an egg yolk. Carefully swirl the mixture into the batter before you bake it with a butter knife.
How to Make Carrot Cake Blondies
To get started, preheat your oven to 350F and grease an8x8 baking dish before you get started.
Step 1: Make the batter and bake it. Combine the wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients, and pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake the blondies for about 20 minutes.
Step 2: Frost the blondies. While your blondies cool, prepare the frosting, then spread it on top. Garnish with walnuts and serve a carrot cake blondie with a cup of hot chocolate made with Easter hot cocoa bombs.
Expert Tips
- Shred the carrots early: I like to shred the carrots up to 24 hours in advance. It saves some time when you're preparing and baking the blondie batter. Keep them in an airtight container with paper towels avoid them drying out.
- Avoid overbaking: When these blondies are ready, the edges will be set, but the center will be a little soft. If you overbake them, they get very hard and dry, and tend to fall apart when slicing.
- Storage directions: Put your carrot blondies in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
These carrot cake bars have similar flavors but with a fluffy cake texture.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy a scoop of gingerbread ice cream with carrot blondies for an ultimate spiced dessert.
- Prepare a dessert tray for Easter or another special occasion, including marshmallow popcorn bars, Easter chocolate-covered Oreos, and coconut candy with the blondies.
- This light blue Jack Frost cocktail is made for the holidays, but the spiced rum pairs perfectly with this carrot cake blondie recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! They are best frozen without the frosting because it becomes a little watery as it thaws. Wrap the carrot blondie squares in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw them at room temperature.
Measure your dry ingredients accurately. Too much extra flour or baking powder can give the blondies a cakey texture. Also, avoid overmixing the batter, as you'll trap too much air and develop the gluten, which can cause a cakey result.
Carrot cake flavored blondies are dense and chewy, while carrot cake bars are light and fluffy. They are made with cake batter and sliced into bars rather than made into layers.
Check out this carrot cake sheet cake if recipes like this appeal to you.
More Delicious Dessert Bar Recipes
Do you like dessert recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Carrot Cake Blondies
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup crushed walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and coat an 8x8 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Combine your melted butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to whisk the ingredients together.
- Add the eggs and whisk again until just combined. Gently whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Make sure no dry pockets remain in your batter.
- Gently fold in the carrots and then transfer your batter to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until you can cleanly remove a toothpick from the center of the pan.
- Let your blondies cool for 30 minutes while you prepare your frosting. Whisk the cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a mixing bowl. Spread the frosting over the blondies and then top with the walnuts.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- If you want to freeze your carrot cake blondies, they are freshest without frosting. Keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months!
- Avoid overbaking the blondies because they can become very dry, crumbly, and difficult to eat.
- Measure your dry ingredients accurately to prevent your carrot blondies from becoming cakey instead of dense and fudgy.
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