Years ago Epicurious published a recipe called Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookies, two carrot flavored cookies with cream cheese icing sandwiched between them.
The majority of reviewers said they’d make the cookies again, but a lot of people said the cookies spread and recommended more flour. Being in a carrot cake mood, I had to see for myself.
Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookies Notes
The recipe was perfect as written. Well, almost. I used a standard cream cheese frosting in place of the honey cream cheese filling, but didn't make any major changes to the dough and got some very nice cookies. I think the people who had issues with spreading may have left out the nuts because this recipe did not need extra flour. That being said, I did test with a little extra flour and the cookies were still good, just rounder and a little less crumbly. But so far these are probably the best carrot cake sandwich cookies I've tried.
This recipe is still one of our all-time favorites. They are similar to the ones at Trader Joe's, so if you like theirs you can make them at home.
Recipe
Inside Out Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour (5 ounces/140 grams**)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (100 grams)
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (90 grams)
- 1 large egg (48 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup coarsely grated carrots 2 medium – 110 grams
- 1 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
- ⅓ cup raisins
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 1 ⅓ heaping cups powdered sugar plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Beat butter until creamy. Add both sugars, egg, and vanilla and beat just until mixed. Add the flour mixture and stir until fully blended.
- Mix in carrots, nuts and raisins.
- Drop 24 to 26 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 together the softened butter and cream cheese, then gradually add sugar, beating and scraping bowl often. Beat in the vanilla.
- Sandwich the icing between two cookies.
Anna says
Terri,
Thank you, thank you! I actually dug this recipe up last week and was making it and other carrot cake cookies just to make sure this one was still the favorite. I made so many they all started to blur together, but in the past this has always been the recipe I've used for gatherings and such. Since you've given it a thumbs up I'll keep it here. Agree on the chilling.
Terri Levin says
Wow, these cookies are a winner, so amazing. I made this for the first time and my husband and I just loved them. We enjoy them best chilled. I will definitely be making this again soon! Thanks and Happy Holidays!
PS My husband declared them one of the best all time cookies. Thanks for sharing.
Anna says
Hi Jay,
The cookies are really good, but why not just use a carrot cake recipe? If you have two six inch pans or just want to use one nine inch, the Divorce Carrot Cake (it goes by other names) is really good.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2020/10/31/divorce-cake/
And here's a similar one that you could halve or quarter.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2019/01/21/six-layer-carrot-cake/
Jay says
Hello, has anyone tried to make this into a cake recipe? I want to attempt making a mini carrot cake with a few layers of that delicious frosting. Any tips on how to make the consistency more fluffy like a cake?
Anna says
Hi Eve! So glad to hear that. And I agree they are better cold. We keep them in the freezer. Thanks for the good review :).
Eve says
Made this last night, for a second time, because my boyfriend requested them. His whole family loved them so much. They said they would pay for these if they were sold at a bakery! The ratio of cream cheese/butter/sugar was the perfect consistency. I left out the walnuts/raisins and added a little more flour, like you suggested, and it came out perfect. I refrigerated most of them because I think they taste even better cold. I will definitely be making these often. Thank you so much for sharing your version of these cookies.
Anna says
Hi Howard, it means a lot to me that you took the time to leave a comment, so thanks for the kindness. Mostly, I'm just glad you liked the recipe!
Howard says
I don’t usually comment on these sites, but these were so tasty that I just had to do it! I actually used a cookie scooper and made about 8 big flat cookies. I used a piping bag to spiral the creme and make cookie sandwiches. Will definitely make them again, but next time make them smaller.
Anna says
Diane, I'd like to hear what other people say too. My personal favorite way is to freeze them. For long term freezing you can wrap them individually and put them in a freezer bag. For shorter term (like a day or two), just shove them in the bag and seal tightly.
Diane says
Anyone have any suggestions as the best way to store these ?
Jennifer J-W says
These look delicious! I like coconut in carrot cake (either the cake or frosting or both) so I'll make these with my next bunch of carrots that need to be used up and add some.
d says
These look so great! Can't wait to try them.
Shari says
Any suggestions if I DO want to make it without nuts?
Darlene says
I'm heading out to the farmers market, and I'm excited to suggest Carrot Cake as another flavor of Whoopie Pie to the Amish bakers there. These remind me of the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies they already make. I can't tell the size of your cookies, but I bet if you wrapped them individually in plastic wrap, they would be a big hit at a bake sale.
Sonya says
These look delicious, and I enjoyed learning about how the nuts may have affected the spread. Also giggling because my sister and I were just teaming up to help her make the best possible carrot cake for her boyfriend 🙂
Anna says
The Disney World ones, last time I checked, are really large, brown and flat. These are a bit smaller and probably lighter in texture.
Sue says
I like the idea of an inside out carrot cake cookie!
Stephanie @ Plain Chicken says
we eat something similar at Disney World - can't wait to try these!