This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

Love carrot cake? Then you’ll love these Carrot Cake Brownies! This easy dessert combines two favorite treats in one: fudgy brownies with carrot cake! Chocolate meets spice in this delicious treat.

Pin it now to save for later

Pin Recipe
Close up shot of carrot cake brownies cut into squares with a cream cheese glaze


My husband, Mel, has a serious weak spot for anything carrot cake, so I’ve made it a mission in life to create as many different kinds of carrot cake desserts that I can. Today it’s carrot cake brownies – a mash-up of two favorite desserts that are oh-so-amazing!

Rich and Fudgy Carrot Cake Brownies

I took my zucchini brownies (the same ones I used as a base for the vegan brownies) and turned them into Spring’s newest favorite chocolate treat: carrot cake brownies!

It’s a rich chocolate brownie that is infused with the spice flavors of carrot cake: cinnamon and ground ginger. And carrots, of course.

Don’t be scared of the carrots in the brownies, really. They aren’t overwhelming. Think of a carrot cake – is all you taste the carrots?

The carrots in these brownies really give a little texture and a hint of carrot cake flavor. The cinnamon and ground ginger really go the extra mile. Paired with chocolate, it’s like magic.

As amazing as these are plain, I top them with a cream cheese drizzle because I can’t have carrot cake without cream cheese frosting. I love the drizzle because you get the cream cheese flavor, but the bars still look like brownies.

I love these brownies, but Mel LOVES them, and that’s the only endorsement I need. Make a batch for the brownie and carrot cake fans in your life – I think they’re going to love them.

Table of Contents

Overhead shot of carrot cake brownies cut into squares next to a cup of shredded carrots

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil: I like using oil in these brownies – it keeps them fudgy!
  • Sugar: I use both brown and granulated in this recipe
  • Eggs: eggs help brownies get their fudginess
  • Chocolate: These brownies use unsweetened cocoa powder (you can also use Dutch Process)
  • Vanilla and Salt: typical brownie ingredients
  • All-purpose flour: you don’t need much for brownies!
  • Carrot Cake Ingredients: Cinnamon, ground ginger and shredded carrots make these into a fun springtime dessert.

How to Make Carrot Cake Brownies

1. Mix: Mix the oil, both kinds of sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger.

2. Stir: Slowly stir in the flour, and then stir in the grated carrots.

3. Bake: Pour the batter into a prepared baking pan. Bake the brownies for 25 to 28 minutes at 350°F. Cool them in the pan before adding the cream cheese drizzle.

Cream Cheese Drizzle

First, mix cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl with a mixer. Add the vanilla and one tablespoon of milk. If the drizzle is too thick, add up to one more tablespoon of milk to thin it.

Drizzle over the top of the cooled brownies before slicing and serving them.

Close up shot of carrot cake brownies cut into squares with a cream cheese glaze

Recipe Tips

  • Don’t use pre-shredded carrots for this recipe. It’s so much better with freshly grated carrots – the pre-shredded kind are too thick and are often dried out. Trust me – it’s worth grating your own!
  • When you measure the carrots, don’t pack them in the cup. You should measure a loosely packed heaping ½ cup for the best results.
  • If you want to frost the brownies instead of doing a drizzle, just reduce the amount of milk to make a thicker icing for the brownies.
  • Store them in an airtight container, and they will keep for several days at room temperature. Or you can freeze them for up to three months. If you love chocolate, carrot cake, and cream cheese icing, these brownies hit all the marks! It’s such an easy dessert bar to make and a fun twist on two classics. I hope you love them as much as we do!

More Brownie Recipes to Try

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @crazyforcrust on Instagram or hashtag it #crazyforcrust

Close up shot of carrot cake brownies cut into squares with a cream cheese glaze

Carrot Cake Brownies Recipe

5 from 8 votes
Fudgy brownies filled with the flavors of carrot cake topped with a cream cheese drizzle.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Yield 16 brownies
Serving Size 1 brownie
Rate RecipePrint Recipe

Ingredients
 

For the brownies:

  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ cup (62g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (55g) shredded carrots (heaping cup, don't pack them)

For the glaze:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
  • ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
  • Stir together oil, sugars, and eggs. Stir in cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and ground ginger. Slowly stir in flour. Stir in grated carrots.
  • Pour into prepared pan and bake 25-28 minutes. Cool before frosting.
  • To make frosting: Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar with a hand mixer. Add vanilla then add 1 tablespoon milk and mix until smooth adding up to 1 more tablespoon milk for desired consistency (whether you want to frost them vs drizzle as I did).

Recipe Notes

  • Start with regular carrots and shred them yourself – don’t be tempted to start with pre-shredded carrots. Those are too thick and stiff for this recipe.
  • Don’t pack your carrots, instead loosely add them to the cup. Using a heaping 1/2 cup is fine.
  • I used 2 tablespoons milk in the frosting as more of a drizzle, use less for thicker frosting.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 799IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below

Close up shot of carrot cake brownies cut into squares with a cream cheese glaze with recipe title on top of image

Chocolate meets spice in these delicious Carrot Cake Brownies. This is the perfect springtime treat for any brownie or carrot cake lover!

Last Updated on February 26, 2022



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

Learn More About Me
Learn to Bake in 4 Days!
Get my tips, tricks and recipes to take your baking to the next level for FREE!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




104 Comments

  1. I cant believe you combined carrot cake with brownies! I am gonna have to run to the store tonight to make these. They look so yummy!

    Reply

  2. My husband doesn’t eat sweets, like at all. Ever. What’s up with that? How is that even humanly possible? Is it a guy thing? Anyway, these carrot cake brownies are definitely MY thing–I love, love, love carrot cake, and these sound so good! LOVE! And thanks for including my carrot cake ice cream–yikes, my pictures have come a long way. 🙂

    Reply

  4. My husband LOVES carrot cake..he would love if I made this recipe for him! Thanks so much for sharing:)

    Reply

  5. These look absolutely fascinating!

    Your husband’s willpower cracks me up. I can’t even keep chocolate chips in plain view because Scott will eat them all. He eats everything!

    Reply

  6. I could eat carrot cake everyday and I love baking it. I usually eat it with thick cream cheese on top. First time I see a recipe for the carrot cake brownies, that is interesting. Great pictures!

    Reply

  7. I know I would love these…. since carrot cake is a fave of mine! Wish I could resist desserts as often as your hubby… I’d be a lot lighter!

    Reply

  8. I don’t get your husband. I can’t have one bite of anything!!! You did a smashing job with this brownie Dorothy! They aren’t your typical carrot cake batter, and I like that. It’s a nice change.

    Reply

  9. I absolutely love both carrot cake AND brownies, but I have never thought to combine the two. It sounds like a winner, in my book! 🙂

    Reply