Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

These stuffed carrot cake cookies take everything you love about carrot cake and put it in cookie form. A moist spice cake filled with carrots and warming spices is stuffed with a cream cheese frosting for the perfect bite.

Stuffed carrot cake cookies on a cookie sheet with some split open.

Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookie Recipe

Carrot cake is always a good idea, but sometimes, there isn't time to go all in on a full cake. That is where these stuffed carrot cake cookies come into play. They take everything that you love about carrot cake and turn it into a cookie — cream cheese frosting and all.

These stuffed carrot cake cookies are a great springtime or Easter treat. Freshly grated carrots are the base of the spiced batter that is filled with raisins and walnuts. The cookie doesn't stop there, either! It is filled with sweetened cream cheese that tastes just like the signature cream cheese frosting on top of a classic carrot cake.

When making these cookies, it is best to start with the filling. The cream cheese filling gets frozen, so it oozes out to the perfect consistency when it goes in the oven. You can make the filling and freeze it while making the rest of the cookie dough.

Now, when it comes to carrot cake, raisins and nuts are sometimes controversial. While I am a fan, I know a LOT of people who would rather leave them out. This recipe works either way. Leave them in or take them out, either way you'll have a delicious cookie.

Stuffed carrot cake cookies stacked on top of each other with Easter eggs and more cookies in the background.

Looking for more Easter ideas? These Oreo Blondies With Chocolate Eggs and Cadbury Egg Brownie Cookies are great for your celebration.

Why I Love These Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

Springtime Treat - The fresh carrots make a great sweet treat for the spring.
A Cookie in a Cake - You get the whole flavor of a carrot cake in cookie form.
Seasonal Favorite - These cookies are great for an Easter or seasonal celebration.

Stuffed carrot cake cookie cut in half on parchment paper.

Ingredients Needed For Lemon Rosemary Bundt Cake

See below for all the details on what you'll need to make the full recipe.

Carrots - Grate your own for the best flavor.
Warming Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves round out the spices.
Cream Cheese - Cream cheese combines with sugar, salt, and vanilla to form the filling.
Brown Sugar - Keeps the cookies soft and fluffy.
Mix-ins - Chopped walnuts and raisins are optional but a great addition.

How To Make Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

Prepare.
Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment. Set to the side.
Make the filling.
Combine the cream cheese with sugar, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth and set in the freezer to set.
Prepare the ingredients.
Grate the carrots and chop the walnuts and raisins if using. Set to the side.
Combine the dry ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Set to the side.
Mix the wet ingredients.
Cream the butter with the sugars, then add in the eggs and vanilla.
Make the dough.
Add the dry ingredients to the batter, followed by the carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Mix until just combined.
Stuffed the cookies.
Scoop two cookie dough balls separately and flatten them into discs. Then, add a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling between each cookie dough disc, making sure it is fully covered. If any of it is peaking out, it will run out of the sides.
Bake the cookies.
Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes. When the cookies start to firm up around the edges, they are ready to take out of the oven. Let the cookies fully cool on a cooling rack.

An overhead shot of stuffed carrot cake cookies with Easter eggs.

Make Ahead and Storage

These cookies are best made fresh. Because they are soft and contain fresh ingredients, they can turn fast. If you need to make the cookies ahead of time, it is best to do so and place them in the freezer. Any extra cookies can be placed in an airtight container and saved for 2-3 days. They can also be kept in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Tips and Variations

Drain the carrots - Fresh carrots have extra water that can impact the batter. To avoid it messing with the recipe, grate the carrots onto a paper towel and squeeze out excess water.
Don't overstuff—If the cookies are overstuffed, the filling will ooze out. Make sure the filling is completely covered before placing them in the oven.
Lumps in cream cheese - If you want a smooth cream cheese filling, make sure to leave the cream cheese out at room temperature before you start to make the filling. When it is warm, it is much harder for it to develop lumps.

Stuffed carrot cake cookies with Easter eggs on a parchment paper.

FAQs

What is the best way to grate carrots for stuffed carrot cake cookies?

A traditional box grater is the best way to grate carrots for the cookies. The small shredded size will provide the best-sized carrots.

Should you peel carrots before grating for carrot cake?

Peeling carrots improves the texture of the stuffed carrot cake cookies, so it is very helpful.

Can I use pre-shredded carrots for the cookies?

While you can use pre-shredded carrots for the cookies, it is best to use fresh carrots. Pre-shredded carrots are often very dry and lack flavor.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Total Time 32

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
12 tbsp, 1.5 sticks, unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup grated carrots
¼ cup chopped raisins
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Cream cheese filling

6 oz brick of cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set to the side.
Make the cream cheese filling. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Place in the freezer to chill.
Prepeare the carrots by grating them. Chop the raisins and walnuts. Set to the side.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set to the side.
In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the eggs and vanilla, continuing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add in the dry ingredients, followed by the grated carrots, walnuts and raisins. Mix until just combined.
Scoop the cookie dough the make the cookies. Scoop two cookie dough balls separately and then flatten them into discs. Add about a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in between the two cookie dough discs. Make sure the balls of the cream cheese are fully covered with the dough. If any of it is peaking out, it will run out of the sides.
Bake the cookies in the oven for 8-12 minutes. When the edges of the cookies are golden brown and firm, they will be done. Let the cookies cool on a baking rack and enjoy while warm.