Today’s recipe for Carrot Cake Cookies is from an “At the Market” feature in the May Bon Appetit. Along with some info about carrots (they’re a super food, packed with vitamin A, etc. etc.) they discuss where carrots came from, how to pick good ones, and ways to use them. There was a soup that sounded good, a recipe for pickled carrots, and this cookie. Surprise! I made the cookies first.
Carrot Cake Cookies Notes
These cookies were soft and thick carrot cake cookies. I suspect mine were a little puffier than most because I didn’t pack my brown sugar very firmly and less sugar sometimes means less spread. Aside from halving it, I followed the recipe as written then sandwiched the cream between the cookies so they’d be easier to pack. They're certainly easier to transport than a carrot cake. Are they as good as carrot cake? Hmm, no. But they’re tasty and a good way to get a carrot cake fix when you don't need a whole cake.
Here's the adapted version of the recipe. You can find the original on Epicurious.
Recipe
Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup oats
- ¼ cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg (48 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup coarsely grated carrots
- ⅓ cup walnuts toasted and chopped
Filling
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar plus more to taste
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Soak the raisins and oats in the ¼ cup of hot water for about 15 minutes.
- Beat butter until creamy. Add both sugars, egg, and vanilla and beat just until mixed. Add the cinnamon and flour and stir until blended.
- Mix in soaked raisin mixture, carrots and nuts.
- Drop mounds of dough onto parchment lined baking sheets spacing at least 2 ½ inches apart.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time on center rack for 12 -14 minutes or until edges are browned and centers appear set. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 4 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack.
- Prepare Filling. Beat all the ingredients except for the cream together in a bowl. Gradually add the cream, beating until icing is smooth and spreadable.
- Sandwich the icing between two cookies.
Anna says
That recipe is next on the list....or at least the carrot cake cookie list.
Shannon says
Anna,
I made something like this before and they were gone within 10 minutes.
Sheila in MD says
I really like the Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookie recipe on Epicurious with a couple of changes...I always sub craisins for the raisins and use a regular cream cheese icing as the filling rather than the mix of cream cheese and honey. They get RAVE reviews. Wonder how they compare the ones above...one of those cookies that I have a hard time trying a different recipe for as I like these so much!
Marcia says
Our HS boys' lacrosse team has a whoopie pie booth at our local car show every year & this is one of the recipes I use. It's super popular & a nice alternative to the traditional WP's. This year I also made banana w/cream cheese filling, lemon with traditional filling, and chocolate - some stuffed with coconut filling & some with strawberry. We do love our whoopie pies here, lol!!
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
Those look fantastic!! Thanks!
Stacie @ Imperfectly Healthy says
Wow, those look awesome! I pretty much love anything with a good amount of frosting, but I really like carrot cake to begin with, so I would LOVE these!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
Ohmigosh I love that you stuffed them with frosting. How delicious!