Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies are everything you look for in an elegant dessert; they’re sweet, chewy, rich, and flavorful with just a hint of warming cinnamon. A homemade buttercream is sandwiched between two carrot cake cookies to create this show-stopping dessert.
Even if you’re not traditionally a fan of carrot cake, you have to try these carrot cake whoopie pies! These moist and chewy handheld dessert sandwiches are somewhere between a cake and a cookie. Gooey, rich, and perfectly sweet, these whoopie pies feature all the classic flavors of carrot cake without being too over-the-top. The shredded carrots and homemade buttercream frosting add the perfect amount of moisture and sweetness while the cinnamon adds just a dash of warming spice. Consider yourself warned, these sweet little cakey morsels are dangerously addictive! Our second sweet little cakes are our Red Velvet Whoopie Pies are also highly addictive.
We Love This Recipe Because It’s…
- Sweet, chewy, warming, and comforting
- A one-bowl, 30-minute dessert
- A unique way to serve a classic flavor of cake
Ingredients:
- Cookies
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large carrots, shredded (approx. 2 cups)
- Filling
- 1 cup salted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1-2 Tbsp. milk (optional)
How to Make Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars until smooth and homogenous with a hand mixer.
- Once the butter and sugars are thoroughly creamed together, (use the whisk in your hand mixer), whisk in the eggs and vanilla until the eggs are fully incorporated into the mixture.
- Fold in the shredded carrots, with a wooden spoon, until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough mixture.
- Add the cinnamon, baking powder, and flour. Whisk the mixture continuously until no dry pockets of flour or other dry ingredients remain.
- Scoop balls of dough about 1-2 inches in diameter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer until the frosting is smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Use a pipping bag or Ziploc bag to pipe a ring of frosting onto half of the cookies and top them with the remaining cookies.
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my carrot cake whoopie pies not moist?
If you find that your whoopie pies are dry and crumbly, this is likely because they are baked too long in the oven. You’ll know that your whoopie pies are done baking when they spring back when lightly touched.
Can I use oil instead of butter in my carrot cake whoopie pies?
Yes. Many carrot cake recipes call for the use of oil instead of butter. However, I find that butter adds a better flavor while keeping these whoopie pies soft and moist.
How do you make carrot cake whoopie pies with a boxed cake mix?
If you’re in a pinch or simply don’t feel like making your own whoopie pie dough, you can make a similar version out of a boxed cake mix. Combine a box of carrot cake mix with ½ cup of water, ½ cup of oil, ½ cup of flour, and 3 eggs. Bake and fill as usual.
How to Store Leftover Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
Any leftover carrot cake whoopie pies can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can enjoy these pies cold or thawed to room temperature.
Recipe Variations
I enjoy the simplicity of these light and fluffy carrot cake whoopie pie cookies, but if you prefer a more complex carrot cake flavor, try tossing some mix-ins into your dough! Raisins, walnuts, coconut, pecans, or pineapple would all be delicious additions to this recipe.
Love warm fall flavors? Cinnamon doesn’t have to be the only spice you add to these whoopie pies! Feel free to add some cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom as well. You could also replace the cinnamon with equal amounts of pumpkin or apple pie spice blend.
If you enjoy adding a bit of tang to your sweet desserts, then you have to try filling these whoopie pies with cream cheese frosting instead of buttercream! You can use a store-bought version or make your own by blending together 8 ounces of cream cheese, ½ cup of butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Let your carrot cake whoopie pies cool completely before you add your buttercream frosting. Warm pies will cause the frosting to melt and make a huge mess.
- Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper for quick and easy cleanup!
- Wrapping any individual leftover whoopie pies in plastic wrap before storing them in an airtight container will help to lock in moisture and keep the pies from sticking to one another.
More Recipes:
Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies are everything you look for in an elegant dessert; they’re sweet, chewy, rich, and flavorful with just a hint of warming cinnamon. A homemade buttercream is sandwiched between two carrot cake cookies to create this show-stopping dessert.
Ingredients
- Cookies
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large carrots, shredded (approx. 2 cups)
- Filling
- 1 cup salted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1-2 Tbsp. milk (optional)
- Ingredient Notes
- Carrots—Washed, peeled, and shredded.
- All-Purpose Flour—Or your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Sugar—A mixture of white granulated and light brown sugar.
- Butter—salted.
- Eggs—Stabilize these cakey pies.
- Baking Powder—Helps to keep these whoopie pies light and fluffy.
- Vanilla—Just a splash will add tons of comforting flavor.
- Cinnamon—Gives these pies that classic carrot cake spice.
- Homemade Butter Cream Frosting—A smooth blend of butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars until smooth and homogenous.
- Once the butter and sugars are thoroughly creamed together, (use the whisk in your hand mixer), whisk in the eggs and vanilla until the eggs are fully incorporated into the mixture.
- Fold in the shredded carrots, with a wooden spatula, until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough mixture.
- Add the cinnamon, baking powder, and flour. Whisk the mixture continuously until no dry pockets of flour or other dry ingredients remain.
- Scoop balls of dough about 1-2 inches in diameter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer until the frosting is smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Use a pipping bag or Ziploc bag to pipe a ring of frosting onto half of the cookies and top them with the remaining cookies.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- It is important to let the cookies cool completely before frosting them. If the cookies are still warm, they will melt the butter in the frosting and cause it to become too runny to keep the sandwich together.
- I like to let these cookies set for about 20 minutes in the fridge after I finish assembling them, but it is not necessary.
- In addition to using cinnamon, you can also add nutmeg and cloves for some extra hints of warm flavor.
- If you do not have salted butter, simply add 2 teaspoons of salt to the mixture when you cream the butter and sugars.
- Because of the buttercream frosting, these cookies are best stored in the fridge. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 853Total Fat 42gSaturated Fat 24gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 131mgSodium 435mgCarbohydrates 114gFiber 2gSugar 72gProtein 8g
