Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

These are SO good.  My kids and dinner guests were all enjoying them, and I love to sneak in a few extra vegetables wherever I can.  I also love making individual desserts, whether they are cupcakes or fancy cookies, because you can send some home and the togo box doesn't just look like a hacked up cake...not that there were any of these left to give away!  :)  Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Whoopie:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup raisins or chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

After you cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs and vanilla extract.  Then add the dry ingredients.  I love a fine mesh strainer to sift the dry goods directly into the wet.  This way you aren't working with two different bowls.

The dough was a bit crumbly.  I grated the peeled carrots directly into the bowl and added the raisins.  Fold everything in together.  Use about 2 T of dough for each cookie.  I rolled the dough into little balls.  Next time I would press down the balls a bit before baking so that the sandwiches aren't too thick.

Sandwich together the cookies with a healthy dollop of cream cheese frosting, although the carrot cake cookies were delicious enough to stand alone.

Click here to print recipe.