CARROT CAKE MIX SANDWICH COOKIES

We’ve all grown up eating sandwich cookies; chocolate sandwich cookies, Oreos, cookies with vanilla cream, you name it! However, as I love cookies, I keep trying different recipes and variations to come up with something unique, something delicious, and something that can be whipped up in just a few minutes.I have seen many people making carrot cake mix sandwich cookies. Now, I know how tempting a carrot cake is; however, I had never tried carrot cake cookies. So I decided to give it a try.

The result? these carrot cookies are my new favorite dessert! They turned out heavenly! So, I decided to share my version of the carrot cake mix sandwich cookies with you all!

Why We Love delicious Carrot Cake Cookies?

I’m sure you must have tried a carrot cake at least once in your lifetime. And I’m sure you know how amazing it is with all the tiny pieces of chewy carrots and the smooth cream cheese frosting.

Now, how about transforming that cake into a cookie? And adding the cream cheese frosting as filling? Sounds great, right? That’s because it is! And that’s why we love carrot cake cookies.

The grated carrots, rolled oats, carrot cake mix, and, obviously, the frosting combines to make the ultimate soft and chewy sandwich cookies. And the best part is that it only takes under 20 minutes to prepare them.

You can bake a batch of these cookies to welcome spring, Easter, or even during the holiday season. These chewy cookies will be deal for your next potluck supper, a quick late-night snack, or something you can enjoy any day of the year with a cup of milk.

How to Make Carrot Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies?

These easy carrot cake sandwich cookies are quick and effortless to make. It’s a simple recipe that requires mixing all the dry and wet ingredients with a hand mixer and then folding in the carrots, oats, and walnuts.

While cookie dough balls are baking in the oven, you can use that time to prepare the cream cheese filling. Just mix the butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and cornstarch to creamy perfection, soft enough to spread easily on the cookies.

The next step is assembling. Take one baked cookie, spread the frosting on its flat side, and place another cookie on top. And voila, your carrot cake mix sandwich cookies are ready to roll!

The cream cheese frosting for this cookie recipe is so versatile; you can use it with any cookie base. For instance, you can make regular butter or chocolate cookies and turn them into sandwich cookies using this frosting.

Plus, you can also add your choice of nuts to the carrot sandwich cookies dough. I added walnuts, but you can add almonds, crunchy pecans, and cashews as well.

Ingredients for Carrot Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Here’s the list of ingredients required for this recipe:

For the Cookies

●     Carrot Cake Mix: I used the 15-ounce carrot cake mix by Betty Crocker; however, you can use any other available brand. And if it’s larger than 15-ounce, adjust the amount of butter.

●     Baking Powder: Baking powder helps make the carrot cake cookies rise and become fluffy. If you skip this ingredient, your cookies will turn out flat.

●     Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Both these spices add a warm and nutty aroma to the cookies. Plus, you need something to balance out all that sweetness!

●     Eggs: Eggs are a primary baking ingredient that bind all the other ingredients together, and make the cookies thick and puffy. Make sure to use eggs at room temperature.

●     Butter: I used unsalted melted butter, as it helps to make the dough smooth and soft. You can also use equal amounts of vegetable oil as a substitute.

●     Carrots: Use grated carrots to add extra flavor and crunchiness to your carrot cookies.

●     Rolled Oats: I used quick-cooking oats for this recipe. Oats help make the cookies soft and gives them a chewy texture.

●     Walnuts: Walnuts add an extra crunch to the cookies. You can also use cashews, coconuts, raisins, or even almonds, based on your preference.

For the Frosting

●     Butter: Use unsalted butter, softened to room temperature for a smooth frosting.

●     Cream Cheese: You can use any brand of best cream cheese, but make sure it is softened to room temperature.

●     Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps keep your frosting stiff. You can add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch if your frosting is too runny or soft.

●     Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract enhances the taste of all other ingredients and gives the frosting a sweet and delicious aroma.

●     Icing Sugar: Powdered white sugar is an essential ingredient to make your frosting soft, smooth, sweet, and easily spreadable.

Carrot Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, set aside for later.
2. In a large bowl, combine the carrot cake mix, baking powder, and spices. Then using a hand mixer, add the melted butter and eggs to the bowl and beat on low speed until fully incorporated. You can alternatively mix everything with a rubber spatula if you do not have a mixer.
3. Fold in the grated carrots, rolled oats, and chopped walnuts.
4. Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to drop 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheets. Space them a few inches apart to leave room for the cookies to spread.
5. Bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are set and it reaches desired doneness.
6. Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. As the cookies bake, you can prepare the cream cheese icing. In a medium bowl using a hand mixer beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined. Then add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix again until well incorporated and you have a smooth, easily spreadable frosting. If you want a stiffer frosting without adding more sweetness add more cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
8. Once the cookies have cooled, you can use a piping bag or an icing spatula and put the icing on the bottom of each cookie. Then grab another cookie to place on top and you have a cookie sandwich! Repeat with the rest of the cookies.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some tried and tested tricks for this carrot cake cookie recipe:

●     If you don’t want to use a carrot mixture, you can use any homemade cookie recipe and add the cream cheese frosting to the center.

●     If you’re not a fan of sandwich cookies, you can simply pipe the frosting on each cookie, and decorate it with sprinkles or nuts.

●     Use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough for equal cookie size.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. How can I store carrot cake mix sandwich cookies?

Store the frosted carrot cake cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Q. Can I freeze the cookies?

Yes, you can freeze them. Once they are completely cool, place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze them for up to 4 weeks.

Q. Can we eat the carrot cake cookies without the frosting?

The carrot cake cookies without the frosting are pretty good too! Therefore, you can eat them on their own, or with milk.

Q. What kind of carrots can I use for these carrot cake cookies?

You can use freshly-grated full-size carrots for this recipe. I won’t recommend using baby carrots as they are packed with water and can add extra moisture to the dough.