If you are the kind of person who accidentally--ooops--doubles the recipe for cream cheese icing anytime you are making it so that it will be available throughout the week to top, I don't know, berries...graham crackers...your fingers, then you are the kind of person I'd like to vacation with.
Mostly because you are probably also the kind of person who would accidentally double the amount of booze and avocados we'd need to bring and then--ooops--start mixing margaritas and whipping up guacamole by 11am.
It also stands to reason that you may be the kind of person who sees a "light" carrot cake sandwich cookie recipe that calls for more vegetables than sugar as a chance to accidentally tart it up with coconut and coconut oil and then skip flattening their mounded tops and then--ooops--over stuff them with cream cheese frosting until they (and you, as you maneuver your mouth around them) lose all semblance of diet-ness, dignity, and decorum.
Carrot cake whoopie pies
Makes 14
Adapted from Cooking Light
- 2 cups shredded carrot (about 5 carrots)
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, divided
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional)
- 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 4 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.
In a fine mesh sieve, toss the shredded carrots with 2-1/2 Tbsp. of the brown sugar and rig it over a bowl to catch the liquid that drains out as the carrots get a head start at tenderizing. Don't then, as we regret, try a sip of what's released unless you're having a hypoglycemic episode.
Whisk the butter, the coconut oil, 1/2 tsp. of the vanilla extract, and the egg in a small bowl.
Combine the flour, the remaining brown sugar (about 1/2 cup), the coconut (if using), the cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and the baking soda in a larger bowl and mix well. Add the sugared carrots and the other wet ingredients, folding together until the team is united yet not overworked.
Drop 14 tablespoonfuls of dough (no more, no less--or else you are doing it wrong) onto each of the prepared baking sheets, for a grand total of 28 whoopie pie "shells."
Bake them for 10-12 minutes and let them sit for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove any unseemly edges, taking care to swallow the evidence.
In the meantime, make their insides by beating the cream cheese, the butter, the remaining 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract, and the remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt on medium speed until pale and feathery. Add the powdered sugar and beat another minute or so.
Using an offset spatula, spread a bountiful blob of filling onto the flat side of 14 cookies and then play matchmaker with their tops.