Servings
Font
Back
0 from 48 votes

Carrot Cake Blondies

These soft, chewy carrot cake bars with cream cheese frosting are perfect for your Spring gathering. These carrot cake blondies taste even better than carrot cake!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Bars:
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter (melted)
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup grated carrot (from about 2 carrots)
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Pecans (for garnish)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt. Watch it carefully as you want it to turn to a light golden color. Remove from heat and immediately add brown sugar. Whisk brown sugar for 3 minutes until smooth.
  2. Let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grate carrots with a grater or pulse them in a food processor. Stir carrots into the butter-sugar mixture. Stir in egg and vanilla.
  3. Stir in flour and salt. Add cinnamon and pecans, if using.
  4. Line a 8 x 8 aluminum baking pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into the pan and evenly spread to the edges. Bake for 19-23 minutes. Let cool. To expedite cooling, place in the freezer.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a mixing bowl, cream together softened cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla whip for 2 minutes longer.
  2. Once the bars have cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. For easier cutting, chill before cutting. For a sharp, clean-cut, I suggest using a plastic knife.
  3. Keep refrigerated.