Description
These Carrot Cake Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with warm spices and finely grated carrots, reminiscent of classic carrot cake in a handheld treat. Topped with a luscious browned butter cream cheese filling, these sandwich cookies are perfect for snack time or dessert, delivering all the cozy flavors of carrot cake with the convenience of a cookie.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup finely grated carrots
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup raisins and/or chopped nuts (optional)
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
- 8 oz full-fat brick-style cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set it aside to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, and ground cloves until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed for even mixing. Add the finely grated carrots and mix until well incorporated.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla bean paste until the mixture is combined and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Add Oats and Optional Ingredients: Stir in the old fashioned oats and, if using, the raisins and/or chopped nuts to distribute evenly throughout the dough.
- Scoop Dough onto Baking Sheet: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, portion 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers remain slightly soft. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Brown the Butter for Filling: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring often. Continue cooking until the butter foams, smells nutty, and turns golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully scrape the browned butter into a medium bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes until mostly solid but soft at room temperature.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: In the stand mixer bowl, beat the browned butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla bean paste and salt, mixing again to combine.
- Add Confectioner’s Sugar: Gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar, about 3/4 cup at a time, scraping the bowl sides as needed, until the filling is smooth and fluffy.
- Assemble Sandwich Cookies: Pipe or spread the cream cheese filling onto the flat side of half of the cooled cookies, then top with the remaining cookies to form sandwiches. There might be a little filling leftover, which can be enjoyed separately or stored for later use.
Notes
- Make sure the butter for browning is watched carefully to prevent burning; it should smell nutty and turn a golden brown color.
- Grating carrots finely ensures they mix well into the dough and contribute moisture without large chunks.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before assembling to prevent the filling from melting.
- For variation, use chopped walnuts or pecans instead of raisins in the cookie dough.
- The recipe yields 18 sandwich cookies, so plan accordingly if you need more or fewer servings.
