Carrot Cake Cookies with Cheesecake Filling
Soft, cinnamon-spiced carrot cake cookies with a hidden cheesecake center that melts during baking. Made with real grated carrots, warm spices, brown sugar, and a frozen cream cheese filling wrapped inside each cookie. The ultimate handheld carrot cake experience.
- Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield16 cookies 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cheesecake Filling
- 2/3 cup brick cream cheese (150g), at room temperature
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar (32g)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Carrot Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (215g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g), softened
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (110g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (65g)
- 1/2 cup grated carrots (56g), blotted to remove moisture
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Instructions
Prep
- Prep the Carrots: Grate carrots on the fine side of a box grater. Measure ½ cup (56g) lightly packed. Spread onto a plate, lay a paper towel on top, and press gently to absorb moisture. Repeat with fresh towels 2 more times until carrots feel noticeably drier.
- Make Cheesecake Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer on high until smooth and creamy. Spoon teaspoon-sized dollops onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes until solid.
Cookie Dough
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until incorporated, then mix in blotted grated carrots on low.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Fold into the butter mixture until just combined.
Assembly and Baking
- Assemble Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Using a 1½-oz scoop, portion dough. Flatten in palm, press a frozen cream cheese ball into center, wrap dough around completely, and roll smooth. Place 2-3 inches apart.
- Bake and Cool: Bake 12-14 minutes until puffed and lightly golden. Let sit on sheets 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge if keeping longer than 2 days.
Notes
Blotting grated carrots is essential — excess moisture makes the dough too wet and cookies spread too thin. Use the fine side of a box grater for carrots that disappear into the dough. Cream cheese filling must be frozen solid before wrapping in dough. Ensure enough dough to fully encase each cream cheese ball using a 1.5-oz scoop. Store in the refrigerator if keeping longer than 2 days as the cream cheese filling is perishable.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Cookie, Dessert, Snack
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 11
- Sodium: 140
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 19
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 30
