Prep your pan and oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Grate the carrots. Use the fine holes on a box grater. Lightly squeeze out excess moisture with a paper towel—don’t wring them dry, just remove the wetness on the surface.

Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg and vanilla until the mixture looks creamy and well combined.

Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Combine wet and dry. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on low until just combined—no streaks of flour.

Fold in the good stuff. Stir in the grated carrots. If using, add coconut, nuts, and raisins. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.

Portion the dough. Scoop into 2-tablespoon mounds and place 2 inches apart on the sheets. For thicker cookies, chill the scooped dough for 20–30 minutes first.

Bake. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look a touch soft. Don’t overbake if you want that chewy center.

Cool. Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Optional cream cheese drizzle. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and 1–2 tablespoons milk until smooth and drizzle-able. Drizzle over cooled cookies. For a firmer set, chill the cookies briefly after drizzling.