Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies are created by filling two soft carrot cake cookies with a generous swirl of cream cheese icing! The soft carrot cake cookies are packed with coconut and pecans, making a delicious whoopie pie, full of texture and flavor.
This whoopie pies recipe makes the perfect sweet treat for spring, Easter, or any other time of the year. Using my tried and true Moist Carrot Cake Recipe was key to making this fabulous treat.
Why You Should Make These
- If you love carrot cake, these gems will rock your world!!
- They have built in portion control!!
- A slice of carrot cake enveloped in cream cheese frosting has many more calories than one of these frosting-filled sandwich cakes.
- They freeze well so you can get temptation out of your sight and save some for lat
The family did pretty much revolt when I let them know I made a carrot cake version of their beloved traditional chocolate whoopie pies. Katie first asked if I added nuts. Ummm, yeah. The picky hubby doesn’t do nuts, either, and I think coconut is even higher on his dislike list. Our oldest was over for our usual Sunday night family meal and though he was a willing taste tester, his response was that they “taste like carrot cake.” Period. Well, I guess I would have been disappointed if they didn’t! Not so helpful.
Plus, they’re incredibly delicious! I gave up sweets for Lent, but “some” say that Sunday is a free day. Since I wasn’t getting any usable feedback from the family, I considered it my duty to give these filled carrot cake cookies a taste. I was only going to eat half, but I just couldn’t let that poor little remnant go uneaten. I even thought of nibbling on a second until I snapped out of my sugar coma and came to my senses. Carrot cake desserts are very high on my favorites list. These carrot cake whoopie pies were terrific!
Reader Endorsement:
From Amy: Delish! Many compliments. Made mini versions. Added chopped toasted nuts and toasted coconut to the outside of the filling. Added nice color and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whoopie Pies originated in New England by the Pennsylvanian Amish, and are two soft cookies or mounds of cake with a creamy filling. Typically chocolate, there are also spiced cookie, pumpkin, and now carrot cake versions. The traditional chocolate whoopie pies have a vanilla cream filling, but my favorite is a marshmallow creme-based filling. This cream cheese filling is pretty darn tasty, too.
According to Wikipedia, whoopie pies are also known as Black moons, gobs, black-and-whites, bobs, BFO, and Big Fat Oreos.
The cakes can get too moist if stored at room temperature. I recommend keeping them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap or place a layer of waxed paper between layers if you stack them. Bring them to room temperature to serve for the best flavor and texture.
Yes, they freeze well for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before serving plus, as noted above, bring to room temperature for the tastiest indulgence.
Tips for Making Whoopie Pies
- I’ve used a Whoopie Pie Pan (affiliate link) for baking up my chocolate whoopie pies and red velvet whoopie pies, but I found these worked just fine baked on a baking sheet.
- PRO-Tip: To make them consistent sized, use a 2 1/2-3-inch diameter biscuit cutter and draw circles, leaving 2 inches of space between them, on a piece of parchment. Flip it over and place it on a baking sheet. Use that template to drop and spread out your dough.
- Let the carrot cake “cookies” completely cool before filling them. If you want to get fancy, you can use a piping bag and a star tip to swirl the frosting on the flat bottom of one of the whoopie pies, then add the top with the flat side down.
- If the nuts are the only thing keeping you from trying this recipe, it’s perfectly fine to omit them!
Ingredient Notes
- Eggs, Butter, Cream Cheese should be at room temperature for the best blending and incorporation. Set them out 1-2 hours, but nor longer, before you plan to use them.
- Nuts should be toasted, cooled then chopped. Roasting brings out the natural oils and makes the nuts more flavorful. Cook for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees, shaking the pan at the halfway point and watching carefully as they can easilly burn.
- Sift the powdered sugar to prevent lumpy filling.
- Always use real, not imitation, vanilla extract. There is a world of difference in the flavor, and imitation won’t provide the best results.
More Carrot Cake Recipes:
- Carrot Cake Roll from Crazy for Crust
- Cheesecake Filled Carrot Cake
- Old Fashioned Carrot Cake
- Classic Carrot Cake
- Carrot Cake Muffins
- Caramel Filled Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- More Cake Recipes
- More Cookie Recipes
Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
All the spectacular flavors of carrot cake in whoopie pie form!
Ingredients
For cookies:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups grated carrots (2-3 carrots)
- 1/2 cup chopped, roasted pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.
- In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and both sugars until light. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in the flour mixture just until combined, then add the carrots, nuts and coconut. Chill the batter for an hour before scooping.
- Using a medium cookie disher, drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes each or until the cakes spring back when pressed with a finger. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely before filling.
- To make the filling, beat together the cream cheese and butter till combined. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, and beat until smooth.
- To assemble the whoopie pies, spread or pipe the filling onto the flat side of one cake. Top it with another cake, flat-side down. Repeat with the rest of the cakes and filling.
Notes
Adapted from Serious Eats.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1 whoopie pieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 287mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 3g
57 Comments on “Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies”
Definite keeper. Hope to try with raisins.
Oh boy, these sound great for spring! And made with ingredients we can pronounce:@)
Question: for the filling 1 1/4 c powdered sugar is listed twice. Is this a typo or does the recipe call for 2 1/2 cups? Thank you! Am making it now and the batter alone for the pies is scrumptious.
Hi, Anna, Definitely a typo!! Just 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar needed. Hope you enjoy!!! Off to edit 🙂
Whoopie pies actually originated with the Amish in PA. Maine & PA argue this fact. And the original chocolate ones are not filled with marshmallowy filling. It’s a sweetened vanilla cream. I’m originally from Lancaster, PA
Thanks for clarifying, Cindi! I grew up in the Midwest, so these were new to me as an adult. My kids loved the marshmallow filling, so I’ve never tried any other options 🙂
Such a great recipe for the upcoming Easter weekend. Kids will be so happy when I make these again.
Who doesn’t love a whoppie pie?! These are such a fun dessert for Easter!
I love it! Really delicious!
I love this idea even more than carrot cake.
Carrot cake is the best! Whoopie pies are the best! Together? It’s can’t get any better! Can’t wait to make these.
I’m going to have all the kids around for Easter help me make these!
My family gobbled these up in a hurry!
These are the whoopie pies of my dreams! My preschooler has been begging to make them and we’re both on a carrot cake kick so this recipe is perfecto! Thank you!
I always think of spring as a time for whoopie pies – wrapped up and tucked in a picnic basket! I love the the idea of a carrot cake version – bookmarked for some upcoming concert picnics!
I love this idea! Carrot cake whoopie pies combines two of my favorite things! And carrot cake is of course a ‘hidden veggie’ which I love 😉 I must try this recipe!
Are you open to adopting me? 🙂 I promised to LOVE every single thing you cook.
Wowza these whoppie pies are wonderful.