Soft, spiced, and packed with shredded carrots, these sandwich cookies bake up with crisp edges and a chewy center. The cookies that stay tender, perfect for holding a thick layer of tangy cream cheese filling. The rich frosting contrasts with the warm spices and sweet carrots, making each bite just the right mix of smooth, chewy, and sweet. It’s everything you love about carrot cake—just in a handheld form.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Gradually add to butter mixture mixing until just combined. Mix in oats, carrots and raisins. Chill for at least 1 hour, until firm.
Preheat oven to 350º and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using an ice cream scoop, shape dough into balls using about 1-2 tablespoons of dough. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
FROSTING: Use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth, add butter and beat until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until smooth.
Place as much frosting as you like on half of the cookies and sandwich them together.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
Use the small holes of a box grater to grate the carrots, don't use pre-grated carrots, they are too thick.
You can just frost each cookie instead of making them into sandwich cookies.
These freeze great and since they're a chewy cookie they don't take long to thaw.