Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies

Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies combine the classic flavors of carrot cake with a sweet cream cheese filling. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion, these stuffed cookies are sure to impress!

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Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time13 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 33 minutes mins

Servings12 cookies

Ccarrot cake stuffed cookies combine the best parts of a classic carrot cake—moist spiced cake, sweet carrots, and luscious cream cheese frosting—into a convenient, portable cookie. Their deliciously creamy center sets these cookies apart, frozen before baking to ensure they stay rich and smooth while the cookie bakes to golden perfection. With just the right balance of sweetness and spice, these stuffed cookies offer a fun and delicious way to enjoy all the flavors of carrot cake in every bite.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

MAIN INGREDIENTS: cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ground nutmeg, unsalted butter, light brown sugar, egg, shredded carrots

QUICK STEPS: Prepare cream cheese filling, freeze for 2 hours, make carrot cake cookie dough, stuff dough with frozen cream cheese filling, shape dough into balls, bake for 13-15 minutes, cool for 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME AND YIELD: 2 hours 33 minutes, yields 12 cookies

WHY THIS RECIPE: These carrot cake stuffed cookies offer a delightful surprise with every bite—a soft, spiced cookie exterior and a rich, gooey cream cheese center that stays perfectly creamy thanks to the unique frozen filling technique. It’s the ultimate way to enjoy classic carrot cake flavors in a fun, handheld form, combining warm spices, sweet carrots, and tangy cream cheese in one indulgent treat that is perfect for any occasion.

PRO TIP: Ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature before mixing the dough. This allows the ingredients to combine more smoothly, resulting in a softer, more evenly textured cookie.

Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies Ingredients

You’ll love the irresistible flavors of our easy carrot cake cookies, thanks to a sweet cream cheese filling and a warm and cozy, perfectly spiced cookie dough.

Substitutions and Additions For Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

Substitutions:

Light Brown Sugar: You can use dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor or even an equal amount of coconut sugar for a different taste.

Shredded Carrots: If you don’t have fresh carrots, you can use pre-shredded carrots, though the pieces might be a bit larger. Make sure to finely chop them if needed.

To make shredding fresh carrots even easier, you can use a food processor instead of a grater.

Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: If you’re out of one or the other, you can use a pumpkin pie spice blend or just increase the amount of the other spice to maintain the flavor.

Vanilla Extract: Almond extract can be a great alternative, providing a slightly different but complementary flavor to the cookies.

Additions:

• Chopped Nuts: Add a quarter cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans to the dough for extra crunch and a nutty flavor.
• Raisins or Dried Cranberries: Mixing in a quarter cup of raisins can add a chewy texture and a hint of natural sweetness, enhancing the carrot cake theme.
• Coconut Flakes: Stir in a quarter cup of coconut flakes for additional texture and a tropical twist.

How To Make This Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies Recipe

STEP ONE: Start by combining the room temperature cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl.

Stir these together with a spoon or a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and creamy. This step is crucial for achieving the velvety texture of the filling.

PRO TIP: Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid lumps in your filling. To speed up the process, cut the cream cheese into small chunks and allow them to warm up on the counter for 15-20 minutes.

STEP TWO: Once your filling is smooth, use a small cookie scoop or spoon to form 12 dollops, each about two teaspoons in size.

Place these on a parchment-lined tray and cover lightly with plastic wrap.

Freeze them for at least two hours, or overnight, until they are solid. This will make them easier to handle when stuffing your cookies.

STEP THREE: Preheat your oven and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

PRO TIP: ​Parchment paper helps your cookies bake more evenly and keeps them from sticking to the pan.

STEP FOUR: In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg.

Stir these ingredients together to distribute the spices and leavening agent evenly throughout the flour.

STEP FIVE: In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

This should take a few minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.

Getting this mixture smooth and airy is key to a light cookie texture.

STEP SIX: Add the egg and additional vanilla extract to your creamed butter and sugars. Continue to beat the mixture for another 30 seconds to a minute until it’s well combined and smooth. 

STEP SEVEN: Fold in the grated carrots. Make sure you’ve squeezed out any water with a paper towel first.

Mix at low speed until the carrots are evenly distributed through the batter.

STEP EIGHT: Gradually add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing at low speed until the dough comes together and is no longer crumbly.

Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.

STEP NINE: Using a large cookie scoop, scoop a leveled amount of dough. Create a well in the cookie scoop’s center of each dough ball, and place a frozen cream cheese dollop inside.

Mold the dough around the filling, ensuring it is completely enclosed. Then, roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball.

Arrange these on your prepared baking sheets, spaced about two to three inches apart.

PRO TIP: If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chilling it for about 30 minutes can make this process easier.

STEP TEN: Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake until the edges are lightly golden.

The exact time might vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them to prevent over-baking.

STEP ELEVEN: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

This resting period helps the cream cheese filling set, and the flavors meld together beautifully. Moving them too quickly might cause the stuffing to leak out of your cookie.

Serve and enjoy!

Troubleshooting Tips for Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies

Our recipe testers are sharing their best advice to help you avoid common problems with this stuffed cookie recipe. 

Properly Measure Your Ingredients​

Instead of using your measuring cups and scoop to dip into flour and other dry ingredients, use a large spoon to drop spoonfuls into your measuring cups. This helps ensure your ingredients aren’t becoming ‘packed down,’ which can lead to an improper balance of dry to wet.

Use Room Temperature Ingredients

Ensure the cream cheese, butter, and egg are at room temperature before starting. Cold ingredients don’t become light and fluffy and can create flat fillings and batters that might even have lumps. However, using room temperature ingredients helps them to incorporate more quickly and evenly.

Drain Your Carrots Well​

After you grate your carrots, it may seem like they are relatively dry. However, grated carrots will have plenty of moisture in them, which might cause your cookies to become wet and thick. Make sure you squeeze them with paper towels to remove plenty of moisture before adding them to your dough.

Stuffing The Cookies​

Ensure the frozen filling goes into the very center of the cookies. Roll the dough balls carefully so the filling doesn’t break through the sides of the dough when baking.

Baking Tips​

If your dough feels warm and sticky or your kitchen is especially hot, you can put your baking sheet of dough balls in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking your cookies. This will help the cookies spread less and keep the stuffing from leaking.

This also helps ensure you have chewy cookies and the bottoms don’t get too crispy.

You can check your cookies halfway through the baking time, and if they seem to be baking unevenly, rotate the baking tray.

How To Serve Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

Of course, these carrot cake cookies are a great treat to serve around Easter time, but these moist spice cake cookies fit well at plenty of events.

Classic Dessert Platter: Arrange the cookies on a cookie platter and garnish with powdered sugar. Complement the moist cookies and tangy cream cheese frosting with gingersnap cookies and apple cheesecake bars.

Create a Carrot Cake Theme: Serve along with carrot cake cookies, carrot cake cupcakes, and carrot cake cheesecake bites. These desserts’ warm, spiced flavors make them perfect for winter and autumn gatherings.

Afternoon Tea: Pair the cookies with a selection of teas, such as Earl Grey or chamomile. If you want to make your snack time even more special, sip on sangria while you enjoy your cookies.

Family Gathering: Serve these cookies alongside a variety of other homemade treats like brownies, lemon bars, and cream cheese chocolate chip cookies. There will be something for everyone on your cookie platter!

Serve these stuffed carrot cookies at family holiday dinners, birthday parties, or office potlucks. They are a unique treat sure to please a crowd!

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How To Store Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies

Here’s how to store your cookies to maintain their quality and taste, whether you’re planning to enjoy them right away or save them for later.

MAKE AHEAD: You can make the cream cheese filling and freeze it up to 24 hours in advance. The cookie dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. This allows you to bake fresh cookies whenever you need them.

IN THE FRIDGE: Once baked, store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. This will help maintain their moisture and keep the cream cheese filling fresh. Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before storing to prevent condensation inside the container.

IN THE FREEZER: For longer storage, place the cooled cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. To prevent them from sticking together, you can layer the cookies with parchment paper. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw the cookies in the fridge overnight.

Why These Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies Are The Best

​Our recipe developers and kitchen testers agree that this recipe is one we’ll be making again and again. There are plenty of reasons to love these delicious cookies!

Classic Carrot Cake Flavor: These cookies deliver the beloved taste of carrot cake in cookie form!

Cream Cheese Surprise: The creamy center adds an unexpected surprise to every bite.

Kid-Friendly: Little helpers will love rolling the dough and filling the cookies.

Perfect Taste and Texture: The combination of soft cookie dough and creamy filling is dessert perfection, and the warm spice palate makes these cookies a true comfort food.

Carrot cake stuffed cookies combine the classic flavors of carrot cake with a creamy surprise inside, making them a fun and tasty treat for any occasion. Enjoy the convenience of a homemade dessert that’s both impressive and easy to make!

Fun Stuffed Desserts You’ll Love

• Cookie Dough Cupcakes
• Nutella Stuffed Cupcakes
• Peppermint Patty Cookies
• Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies
• Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

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Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies

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Carrot Cake Stuffed Cookies combine the classic flavors of carrot cake with a sweet cream cheese filling. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion, these stuffed cookies are sure to impress!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 33 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cookies

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Ingredients

  

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Cream Cheese Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Carrot Cake Cookie Dough

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup finely shredded carrots, water squeezed well from the shredded carrots with a paper towel

Instructions

 

Cream Cheese Filling

• To a small mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Use a small spoon or rubber spatula to combine the ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Be sure that your cream cheese is very soft in order to get a nice smooth texture to the filling.
• Using a very small cookie scoop or small spoon, scoop out 12 (approximately 2 teaspoon-sized) dollops and place them onto a small, parchment-lined, freezer-safe cookie sheet or baking pan. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and freeze the cream cheese dollops for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight) or until frozen solid.

Carrot Cake Cookie Dough

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
• To a large mixing bowl add the room temperature unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed using a handheld mixer for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• To the beaten butter, add the large egg and vanilla extract. Beat again for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and the egg is fully incorporated. Add the shredded carrots and mix on low just until the shredded carrots are fully incorporated.
• Add the flour mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until all the flour has been incorporated, the dough comes together, and it’s no longer crumbly. The dough will be very thick and just slightly sticky to the touch.
• Using a 2-inch or 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out a leveled scoop of dough. Using your finger, carefully create a well in the center of the dough while it’s still in the cookie scoop. You will now have dough that lifts taller than the edge of the scoop. This will make it easier to stuff and shape the slightly sticky cookie dough.
• Place one of the frozen cream cheese dollops into the well of the carrot cake cookie dough, then gently cover the cream cheese with the sides of the dough that has been pushed up on the sides of the cookie scoop.
• Squeeze the cookie scoop handle to release the dough ball into the palm of your hand, and gently roll the dough to create a smooth ball. Place the ball onto one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all the cookies have been filled and shaped and placed onto the prepared baking sheets. You should be able to fit 6 cookie dough balls, spaced about 2-3 inches apart, onto each of the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies (with the baking sheets evenly spaced) in the center of the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
• Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet on the counter for at least 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows the cream cheese filling to set up and firm before serving.

Notes

• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid lumps in your filling. To speed up the process, cut the cream cheese into small chunks and allow them to warm up on the counter for 15-20 minutes.
• Parchment paper helps your cookies bake more evenly and keeps them from sticking to the pan.
• If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chilling it for about 30 minutes can make it easier to make the stuffed dough balls.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1278IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

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