Yay for spring baking! And carrot cake cookie sandwiches!
Why do I love these cookies?
So, carrot cake is definitely one of my very favorite spring desserts.
It's filled with delicious spices, is generally very moist and tender, has loads of sweet carrots and is layered and topped with CREAM CHEESE frosting.
Seriously, how can you go wrong?
Well today's carrot cake dessert has all of those things, but it's even better (yes, it's possible).
I love that you can make these cookie sandwiches with any flour you please - I love whole wheat pastry because it is finely ground but still has that wholesome flavor and texture + fiber, but you can also use regular whole wheat, whole wheat white, all-purpose, gluten free all-purpose or a mixture of almond and coconut flour.
Have fun with it, friends!
These carrot cake cookie sandwiches make the BEST spring treat
The second reason this dessert is so special is because they're carrot cake cookies instead of a whole cake.
Why is that cool? 1) They're basically mini cakes, 2) they cook a whole lot faster, and I'm impatient, 3) they're portion controlled, and 4) they're stuffed with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING.
Oh, and third? They're rolled in coconut flakes to make 'em extra extra yummy.
And really, they're just super adorable.
I could keep counting the reasons, but basically these carrot cake cookie sandwiches are everything we've ever wanted in life.
PrintCarrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches
Wholesome carrot cake cookies made with whole grains, shredded carrots and raisins sandwiched with a light cream cheese filling.
- Prep Time: 15-20 mins
- Cook Time: 8-10 mins
- Total Time: 23-30 mins
- Yield: Makes 8 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven, Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cookies:
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour*
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch coarse salt
- ½ cup brown sugar or honey
- ¼ cup soft butter or oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated carrots
- ¼ cup golden raisins
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 4-ounces Neufchatel cheese or mascarpone
- 2 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
- In another medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to whip together brown sugar/honey and butter/oil. Once fluffy, add eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Whisk in vanilla extract.
- Slowing whisk wet ingredient mixture into dry ingredients, on low, until incorporated. Fold in carrots and raisins. Place batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Use a medium cookie scoop to form 2-inch mounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes, until soft but slightly browned. Allow to completely cool.
- To make filling, whip cream cheese/mascarpone on high with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer until fluffy. Whip in sugar and vanilla extract.
- Spread a 1-inch layer of filling onto the bottom side of half of the cookies. Place remaining cookies on top of the filling, bottom side down, to form cookie sandwiches. Roll edges in coconut, if desired. Keep refrigerated.
Notes
Substitution Tip: You can use whole wheat, all-purpose or gluten free all-purpose flour. You can also swap in 1 ½ cups almond flour + ¼ cup coconut flour for a lower carb cookie.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 293
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 186mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: best, from scratch, easy, simple, paleo flour, homemade, gluten free, low carb option
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