Description
Delight in these Carrot Cake Cookies Stuffed with Cream Cheese, a perfect blend of spiced carrot cake flavors and creamy filling baked into soft, chewy cookies. This recipe combines grated carrots, warming spices, and oats in the dough, while the cream cheese center adds a luscious surprise in every bite, making it an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups grated carrots
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly until fully incorporated.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir in the grated carrots and rolled oats to the wet mixture. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Stuff the Cookies: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the dough and flatten it in your palm. Place a teaspoon of softened cream cheese in the center. Top with another tablespoon of dough and carefully seal the edges around the cream cheese to enclose the filling completely.
- Bake the Cookies: Arrange the filled dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spaced adequately. Bake them at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes until the edges turn a golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to make stuffing easier and to avoid tearing the dough.
- Grate the carrots finely to blend well with the dough and influence the texture positively.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep the cookies tender and soft.
- If you prefer a more intense spice flavor, you may increase cinnamon by ½ teaspoon and add a pinch of ground cloves.
- Cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend.
