Carrot cake is an absolute favorite at my house, in case you hadn't noticed with the carrot cake coffee cake, carrot cake granola and carrot cake waffles (LOL). But sometimes you don't want to decorate a layer cake or you want carrot cake on the go. Well, these carrot cake whoopie pies are the answer to all your problems. They are portable little handheld pieces of carrot cake stuffed with an amazing dairy free cream cheese frosting. Plus, they're made both gluten free and vegan, so everyone can enjoy them.
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Why You'll Love This Carrot Cake Whoopie Pie Recipe
- They are easier to make than a layer cake.
- They are easy to transport for meals away from home.
- It's gluten free and vegan!
Ingredients
- Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour - I use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Flour Blend in all of my recipes. You can use the flour blend of your choice just make sure it has xanthan gum. Different flour blends may produce different results. For the best outcome, weigh your flour.
- Gluten Free Oats - Again, I use Bob's Red Mill brand. If you use another brand, ensure they are certified gluten free.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda - This recipe needs both types of leavener because we want them to be fluffy like cake but also spread enough to turn out in the shape of a cookie.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg & Allspice - The spices are what make the traditional carrot cake flavor.
- Salt - Just a little to enhance the flavor.
- Sugar & Light Brown Sugar - The combination of sugars not only provides sweetness but also allows the cookie to stay soft. If you're preparing these cookies for someone with a vegan diet, make sure to use vegan sugars.
- Butter - I typically use Miyoko's Vegan Butter or Country Crock Plant Butter. If you're not vegan or dairy free, you can use regular butter in the same measure.
- Vanilla & Maple Syrup - To provide some sweetness.
- Carrots - Unlike most carrot cake recipes, this one used pureed cooked carrots. To save time, you can use either canned carrots that have been pureed or an equal measure of carrot baby food. The cookies get both their color and some of the moisture from the carrot puree. Whenever you're using packaged products, ensure they are gluten free.
- Walnuts - The nuts are optional, but I really think they add some interest to the cookies. You can substitute with pecans if you don't like walnuts.
For the frosting, you will need:
- Butter
- Cream Cheese - I like Miyokos brand vegan cream cheese the best for my frosting. If you don't have access to that brand, any vegan (or dairy cream cheese if you're not vegan) will work. You may find some vegan cream cheese produces a more watery consistency in the frosting which can be countered by adding more powdered sugar.
- Powdered Sugar - Make sure to sift your powdered sugar to remove any lumps. If you're preparing these cookies for someone with a vegan diet, make sure to use vegan powdered sugar.
- Vanilla
See the recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
How to Make These Whoopie Pies
STEP 1: Combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
STEP 2: Add the vanilla and maple syrup and beat for 60 seconds more.
STEP 3: Add the flour, leavening and spices to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
STEP 4: Once the dough is mixed, remove from the mixer and add the oats, pureed carrots and walnuts to the dough. Fold together with a spatula until it's evenly incorporated.
STEP 5: Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 30 minutes.
After dough has chilled, scoop into golf ball sized mounds and place on lined baking sheet. Flatten the balls slightly so they resemble little hockey pucks. Bake!
While the cookies are cooling, prepare your cream cheese frosting.
- Step 1: Combine vegan cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
- Step 2: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on the lowest setting until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Then turn to high speed and beat for 5 minutes until fluffy.
- Step 3: Match your cookies up by size. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of frosting on one cookie and then sandwich together with it's matching cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Refrigerate assembled cookies until ready to serve.
How to Store These Cookies
Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cookies need to be refrigerated. Store in an airtight container and place wax or parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking. Cookies should stay good for 3-4 days.
Recipe FAQS
Typically it is buttercream or marshmallow filling. However, because carrot cake is usually served with cream cheese frosting, we've used that in this recipe. If you don't like cream cheese, you can replace with vanilla buttercream frosting.
Whoopie pies are more like a handheld piece of cake. They are not quite as soft as cake to make them easier to handle.
This recipe is a cross between the softness or cake and a soft oatmeal cookie.
More carrot cake recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 ⅖ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend (207 grams) I use Bob's Red Mill
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon Allspice
- ¾ Cup Vegan Butter can substitute dairy butter
- ¾ Cup Sugar
- ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Oats
- ¾ Cup Carrots pureed
- ½ Cup Walnuts roughly chopped
For the frosting
- ½ Cup Vegan Butter can substitute dairy butter
- 4 ounces Vegan Cream Cheese can substitute dairy cream cheese
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
For the cookies
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a small bowl. Whisk together until well mixed. Set aside.1 ⅖ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon Ginger, ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon Allspice
- Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy in texture. Scrape down the bowl.¾ Cup Vegan Butter, ¾ Cup Sugar, ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- Add the vanilla and maple syrup. Beat for another 60 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.1 tablespoon Maple Syrup, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Add the flour mixture and mix on the lowest setting until just incorporated.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the oats, pureed carrots and walnuts. Stir together with a spatula until evenly incorporated.1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Oats, ¾ Cup Carrots, ½ Cup Walnuts
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and scoop into balls about the size of a golf ball. Place on prepared baking sheets leaving 2-3 inches between balls. Using your fingers to flatten the balls slighty. The dough will be stick and a little wet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 9-10 minutes, until edges are just set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. The move cookies onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting
- Combine vegan cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until it reaches a smooth consistency, 2-3 minutes.½ Cup Vegan Butter, 4 ounces Vegan Cream Cheese
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix on the lowest speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated. It will resemble a thick paste.2 Cups Powdered Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Turn the mixer to medium high speed and beat for 5 minutes until fluffy in texture.
To assemble
- Pair the cookies up by like size.
- Spread 1-2 tablespoons of frosting on a cookie and sandwich with it's paired cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Store assembles whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
Hannah Shreve says
Do you need to cook the carrots and then puree them?
Yes, unlike most carrot cake recipes, this one used pureed cooked carrots. To save time, you can use either canned carrots that have been pureed (canned carrots are already cooked) or an equal measure of carrot baby food. The cookies get both their color and some of the moisture from the carrot puree. Whenever you're using packaged products, ensure they are gluten free.
Aleksija says
Hi Tiffany-
I don't have much experience with gluten free baking, but I am pretty dang good at following a recipe. I used a scale to measure out all my ingredients and my cookies turned out flat and were falling apart. Any idea on what might have gone wrong? I still have some dough left and would like to try and salvage batch 2! Thanks!
I'm sorry to hear about your trouble. I've made these for probably 20 years and never had that issue. Did you make any changes or substitutions to the recipe? What kind of flour did you use?
Gluten free things will be a little more crumbly because of the lack of gluten, but not what I would describe as falling apart. Oatmeal cookies tend to go flat when they haven't been chilled long enough. But they could also be flat if there is too much sugar or baking soda. If it was too much sugar, the edges would be crispy and taste like toffee. If it was the baking soda, they would be too brown.
Hope that helps
Denise says
Wow are these yummy
Came out so good.
Lynda Irene says
omg...over the moon for this recipe.
being a gluten-free vegetarian is hard, let's be honest. treats are tough to come by. this is an amazing sandwich cookie recipe reminiscent of Little Debbie Oatmeal Pies - something I have been jonesing for.
love
love
love these!
thank you
I love this! 🙂