Martha Stewart Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe

Martha Stewart’s carrot cake cookies are not what I expected. They are sandwich cookies, two thin oat wafers with grated carrots and currants baked in, pressed together with a cream cheese filling that has lemon juice in it. The whole batch makes 18 cookies and takes about an hour.

I made these because I wanted something that tasted like carrot cake but could go in a cookie tin. They are easier to hand out at a party than cupcakes and people always ask what the filling is.

Try More Dessert Recipes:

• Carrot Cake
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Oatmeal Cookies

Why Are There Oats In A Carrot Cake Cookie?

I had the same question. Martha uses a full cup of rolled oats in the dough, and they give the cookie a chewier bite than a regular sugar cookie would have.

Without the oats, the wafer would be too thin and crispy to hold the cream cheese filling. The oats bulk it up just enough so the cookie does not crack when you press the sandwich together.

Carrot Cake Cookies Ingredients

The cookie dough and the filling are made separately. Martha uses currants instead of raisins, and the filling has a little lemon juice in it that cuts through the sweetness in a way I did not expect.

For the cream cheese filling:

• 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed, finely grated, peeled carrots
• 1/3 cup dried currants

How To Make Martha Stewart Carrot Cake Cookies

1. Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and beat until combined. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Mix the cookie dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and egg yolk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined, then mix in the oats, grated carrots, and currants.
4. Shape and flatten: Drop the dough by level tablespoons onto the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten each one with the palm of your hand.
5. Bake: Bake at 350°F, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the edges are crisp, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Assemble the sandwiches: Turn half the cookies over, bottom side up. Dollop about 1 teaspoon of the chilled cream cheese filling onto each one. Top with the remaining cookies and press gently to spread the filling to the edges. Serve immediately.

Can You Eat Them Without The Filling?

You can. Martha says the unfilled cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. I have eaten them plain and they are good on their own, kind of like a spiced oatmeal cookie with a carrot twist.

But the filling is what makes them taste like carrot cake. Without it, they are just a nice cookie. With it, people actually say “this tastes like carrot cake” and that is the whole point.

What About The Thumbprint Version?

Martha also has a carrot cake thumbprint cookie recipe that uses a different dough and presses an indentation into each cookie before baking. The filling goes into the thumbprint instead of being sandwiched.

I prefer this sandwich version because the filling stays cold and does not bake into the cookie. The thumbprint version is prettier for a platter, though, so it depends on what you are going for.

How These Hold Up

Once you fill them, serve them right away. The cream cheese filling softens the cookies fast, and by the next day they are more like a soft sandwich than a crisp one. That is not terrible, but it is not what you want.

I make the filling and the cookies separately the day before, keep them apart, and assemble right before I need them. Martha says the filling can be made up to five days ahead and kept in the fridge, which makes this a great make-ahead dessert if you plan it right.

FAQs

1. Can I use raisins instead of currants? I have swapped in golden raisins and it works fine. Currants are smaller and blend into the cookie better, but raisins are easier to find. Chop them a bit first.
2. How many cookies does this make? Martha says 18 sandwich cookies, so 36 wafers total. I get exactly that when I use a level tablespoon to portion them.
3. Can I freeze the unfilled cookies? Yes. I have frozen the wafers flat on a baking sheet, then transferred them to a freezer bag for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature and fill when ready.

More Dessert Recipes:

• Lemon Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Gingerbread Cookies

Nutrition Facts

(1 sandwich cookie, makes 18)

• Calories: 185
• Total Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 35mg
• Sodium: 95mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 20g
• Protein: 2g