Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Filling
Carrot Cake Cookies are sandwiched together with cream cheese frosting in these cute little whoopie pies, making them an easy-to-serve, hand-held dessert, perfect for a springtime get-together or Easter celebration!
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Now that we are nearing spring, I officially have Easter on the brain. The weather is getting warmer, the grass is beginning to green up, the flowers are starting to bloom, and lots of yummy spring produce is hitting the stores and farmers markets. And as much as I love incorporating those fresh, delicious veggies into salads and Easter-worthy side dishes, it's even more fun turning them into dessert...enter Carrot Cake Cookies!
Raise your hand if you love carrot cake? I always enjoy it when I have the opportunity to eat it, but I must confess that I don't really think to make it until Easter time rolls around. And as much as I love cake in general, sometimes it's fun to try a new spin on a classic dessert. That's why I'm so excited about this Carrot Cake Cookies recipe!
These little babies are basically carrot cake with cream cheese frosting reincarnated as lightened-up, mini whoopie pies. The Carrot Cake Cookies themselves are very cake-like, tender, and sweet, and the filling is only the best type of frosting ever. Okay, so perhaps that's my opinion, but I think you'll agree that this cream cheese filling is a perfect complement to the cinnamon-spiced, carrot-studded cookies.
On top of all of that deliciousness, these cute little Carrot Cake Cookies are perfectly portioned and would be easy to serve and eat at any springtime or Easter gathering. Think about it...all the yumminess of carrot cake without having to slice a cake, serve it on plates, and eat it with forks. Just let everyone grab a cookie and dessert is done!
I think children will be especially fond of these, and you can inwardly cackle at the thought that they're ingesting nutritious carrots as a part of their sweet treat. Maybe I'm the only one who cackles at such hidden-veggie trickery?
Honestly, though, the first time I made these, my kids knew that these cookies contained carrots and that didn't slow them down in the least. 🙂
Ingredients
So what do you need to make these yummy and adorable Carrot Cake Cookies?
- Carrots. Shredded. Obviously. 😉
- Brown sugar. Packed.
- Butter. Unsalted.
- Oil. Any neutral oil will work (such as sunflower oil).
- Orange rind. Grated. Optional but recommended, as it lends a pop of brightness.
- Vanilla extract + cinnamon. For flavor.
- Egg.
- All-purpose flour, baking soda, + salt.
- Cream cheese + powdered sugar. For the Carrot Cake Cookie filling!
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies
(The below summary is intended to give an overview, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
- Combine shredded carrots with a bit of brown sugar in a sieve and allow to drain for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, orange rind, vanilla, and egg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, remaining brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add the carrot mixture and the butter mixture and stir until just combined.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets and gently pat dough down to form 2-inch circles.
- Bake at 350° until set. Allow Carrot Cake Cookies to cool on the pans for 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the cream cheese filling by combining cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt and beating with a mixer until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low until well-combined.
I hope you have a chance to try these Carrot Cake Cookies this spring! They're a little bit different and a whole lot delicious, and I think they'd be a perfect addition to your spring festivities or Easter celebration.
I'm pretty sure that my kiddos will be requesting them this Easter...and again and again after that, all year long. And I'm pretty sure that I'll happily oblige them, because let's just say that the kids weren't the only ones who adored these tasty little carrot cake whoopie pies. 🙂
More Spring and Easter Recipes
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
- Easter Bark
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham
- Spring Salad with Mixed Berries, Candied Almonds, & Honey Citrus Vinaigrette
- Honey-Glazed Carrots with Thyme & Lemon
- Springtime Asparagus Tart with Ham & Mushrooms
- Lemon Sheet Cake with Lemon Glaze
Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar, DIVIDED
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, DIVIDED
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, such as sunflower
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind, OPTIONAL
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, DIVIDED
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅜ teaspoon salt, DIVIDED
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Combine carrot and 3 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl; toss to coat. Place carrot mixture in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl; allow to drain for 10 minutes. Discard liquid.
- Place 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt. Add oil, orange rind, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and egg; stir with a whisk until well combined.
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour, remaining brown sugar (about ½ cup), cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add carrot mixture and butter mixture; stir until just combined.
- Drop dough by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets for a total of 28 cookies (14 per baking sheet). Gently pat down dough to form 2-inch circles.
- Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until Carrot Cake Cookies are set. Remove pans from the oven and allow to rest for 3 minutes. Transfer cookies from pans to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Combine cream cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, remaining ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed 1 minute or until well combined (do not overbeat).
- Spread about 1 tablespoon icing on flat side of 1 cookie; top with another cookie, flat side down. Repeat procedure with the remaining cookies and filling.
Notes
- Macerating the carrot with sugar helps to break down the carrot's tough fibers, ensuring that it will be tender after the short cook time.
- After scooping dough onto baking sheets, gently pat it down so that cookies bake generally flat; aim for 2-inch circles.
- When assembling the cookie sandwiches, press together gently so filling flattens and spreads all the way out to the edges.
- If your carrot pieces are too thick, they won't have time to adequately soften in these cookies. Shredded carrots will work fine, but if you buy matchstick carrots in a package from the produce section, be sure to chop them finely before using in this recipe.
- I used coconut oil (melted and cooled) with good results in lieu of another oil in this recipe, since that's what I typically use in my baking.
- There is a definite undertone of orange from the zest, so if you don't care for citrus in your carrot cake, feel free to reduce or omit it.
- I only got 12 total sandwich cookies (24 individual cookies) out of this recipe, despite using a tablespoon to measure them out. If you want to end up with 14 sandwich cookies by the end, I suggest using a scant tablespoon of dough per cookie.
- The next time I make this recipe, I plan on substituting the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour for an even healthier variation.
Nutrition
Recipe reprinted, with permission, from Cooking Light, on March 24, 2014, as part of a social marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group, Cooking Light, and Real Simple. All opinions are my own. Post was updated on February 19, 2024.
Now I'm hungry! These look and sound delicious. 🙂
Thanks, Robin! They were a hit with everyone who tried them around my house. 🙂
I love carrot cake and cookies - so win- win 🙂 Lovely recipe.
Thank you, Amberjane! I'm happy to hear that this recipe appeals to you and I appreciate your kind words. 🙂
OK. You got me. I've been trying to be good and stay away from the sweets, but your picture keeps popping up everywhere, making me DROOL. Carrot cake and cookies are my favorite treats, and you've managed to combine them into ONE. There goes my diet. :o)
Too funny, Danielle...I'm glad you finally succumbed to checking out this recipe. 😉 If it makes you feel any better, at least these cookies are portion-controlled and somewhat lightened up... 😉
You are bad! Really really bad. I love baking cookies. This is a very intriguing recipe. Who doesn't love
carrot cake? And who doesn't love cookies? What a splendid idea. I am going to make these!!!!
I am on my way to bring my popularity level up a notch or two. Yay!
Ha, Carol...I hope you enjoy these! I have no doubt you're already quite popular, but sharing yummy cookies never hurts. 😉
your photo was so pretty I had to come ad take a peek at this recipe. I LOVE carrot cake and a cookie would be delicious!
Thanks so much, Rese! If you love carrot cake, you definitely should try these. 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by!
These look so good. I love carrot cake anything. Wish I could have these for breakfast right now.
Thanks, Mindie! I might possibly have had one (or two) of these for breakfast for several mornings in a row. Shhhh...don't tell! 😉
JUST saw these in my Cooking Light! Good to read they were good!! Your photos are GREAT!
(stopping in from the PM FB group!)
Thanks so much for stopping by and for the kind words, Wendy! There are lots of goodies in this issue of Cooking Light! I had a hard time narrowing down what to make, but I'm glad I chose this one...they were a big hit. 🙂
Wow! I want to reach into my computer screen and steal one (actually all) of these cookies! They look amazing! My husband loves carrot cake, so I bet he would love these too! Definitely pinning!
You are too sweet, Katie...thanks for the comment and the pin! 🙂
Carrot Cake is my Favorite and these look Amazing!
Thank you, Aerian! I hope you have a chance to try them! 🙂
These are the perfect cookie! My husband would die for them. 🙂
Thanks so much, Dorothy! Based on the comments for this recipe so far, it sounds like carrot cake is really popular with guys in general (at my house, too!). 🙂 I'm glad you stopped by...have a great evening!
I was just thinking I wanted to make something like this for Easter. These look so good with all the frosting!
Thanks, Laura! The cookies would be good as-is, but the frosting definitely puts them over the top! Hope these work out for you as an Easter treat. 🙂
These look so delicious...and carrot cake is one of the Hubby's faves too! I agree, they would be a perfect part of the Easter goodies. Thanks, once again!
Deb
You're welcome, Deb! And I hope your hubby enjoys these! Carrot Cake is my brother's favorite cake, so I'm going to have to make these for him sometime as well. 🙂 Hope your week is going well!
These are so pretty and look absolutely delicious. I subscribe to Cooking Light as well, but am behind on my magazine reading. Thank you for sharing these -- I need to get into my magazine now. 🙂
Thanks so much, Marcie...this issue of Cooking Light is definitely a fabulous one! I had the hardest time narrowing down what to make. I'm glad you stopped by...have a great afternoon! 🙂
Stopping by from Totally Talented Party and I'm so glad I came by. I printed and pinned this scrumptious recipe. Carrie, A Mother's Shadow
I'm glad you came by as well, Carrie! 🙂 And thanks so much for the pin...I hope you enjoy this recipe!
These look fabulous, and I love that they are from Cooking Light! I am glad for your note about the coconut oil, because that is what I have in my house currently. Pinning and will definitely try. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome, Jill...thank YOU for the comment and the pin! I use coconut oil in just about all of my baked goods and it worked perfectly in these as well. And yes, so nice that Cooking Light lightened them up a bit on top of making them cute and tasty! I hope you enjoy these if you have a chance to try them...thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Samantha, these cookies look wonderful and who doesn't love carrot cake? Great size, too! Ok, we have an addiction of magazines in common, my friend - hubby keeps joking we need to rent a storage unit JUST for the magazines (let's not even talk about the craft supplies! lol) I totally agree that magazines are the ultimate relaxation and will never give them up! 🙂 Thanks for sharing and pinning these beautiful cookies!
Ha, Cindy...so glad to hear I'm not alone in my magazine addiction! I have the hardest time throwing them away when they're full of so much good stuff, so I can definitely understand the potential need for a storage unit. 😉 Thanks for stopping by and pinning, as always...hope you're having a fabulous Tuesday!
Carrot cake is the best thing about the spring!! Love that you made it in cookies...bite size, guilt free 🙂
So true, Zainab...small cookies = freebie calories, right? 😉 Hope your spring is off to a great start!
I loovveee carrot cake and these sandwiches look amazing. Great recipe 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thanks, Eric! If you love carrot cake, these sandwich cookies have your number. 😉 I appreciate you stopping by...hope you're having a great week!