Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

Stephanie, Alex and I went on an epic five and half hour journey to that blogger utopia Kinokuniya, the Japanese bookstore on 6th avenue.  It was everything the bloggers who had gone before us had promised: a three floor mecca of craft books, stationary supplies and amazing gardening books. However, the highlight of the day was a delicious carrot cake whoopie pie.  $1.50 at Kinokuniya’s cafe.  I came home and baked up a batch using the recipe below.  We had friends over for delicious Greek take out last night and these cookies were universally consumed with moans and then demands for seconds, so I think they count as a major hit. NB: If you don’t have silpat mats ($18), they are a kitchen gadget well worth investing in.  They are the spanx of the cooking world.

Adapted from Gourmet (RIP!)

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium)
1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 ounces)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup honey

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots and raisins at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Chill dough in freezer for 15 minutes.

Drop 1 tablespoon batter per cookie 2 inches apart on silplat mats and bake on baking sheets, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes total. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and honey in a food processor until smooth.

Sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling in between.  These are good the first night, but if you store in an airtight container, they get amazingly moist and whoopie pie like on the second night.