COOK: Carrot Cake Cookies

 I'm going to warn you right away, if you make these cookies you might end up eating the whole batch, they are so good!

I'm not a fan of cake, in fact I only make cake once a year for KC's birthday, since the kiddos were old enough to ask for a birthday dessert they have picked anything but cake!  That said, I do like a good carrot cake, and since March is my birthday month I've had carrot cake on my mind, so when the last Cookie Friday came up I decided to make Carrot Cake Cookies.  

The cookies aren't very sweet by themselves, the frosting isn't super sweet either, but you can leave off the frosting if you want to keep these a bit healthier.  You could also throw in some raisins if you want, or maybe some white chocolate chips, you can leave the nuts out, or add them on top of your frosting, if you make these with any variations leave me a comment and let me know how they turn out!

Carrot Cake Cookies

Makes about 42 cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1 Cup Salted Butter

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar (Packed)

1/3 Cup Sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger

2 Cups Shredded Carrots (You can use a box grater, but I used my food processor)

1 Cup Walnuts (Pecans are traditional but I prefer walnuts)

Frosting:

4 Ounces Cream Cheese

1/4 Cup Salted Butter

3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preparation:

For the cookies:

Set oven to 350 degrees, and line cookie sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone mat (I use these cookie sheets and these silicone mats).

In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer cream butter until fluffy, then add in both sugars and mix on medium/high for about 2 minutes.  Add in vanilla and eggs and mix until combined.

In another bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.  

Slowly add dry ingredients into wet mixture while mixer is on low.  Mix until everything is incorporated.  Add in carrots and nuts and mix.

Using a 1 1/2 Tablespoon cookie scoop (or a soup spoon) drop balls onto prepared cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Bake for about 12 minutes, bottoms should be slightly brown.  Let cool about 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

For the frosting:

In a medium bowl ,with a handheld mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter.  On low speed add in vanilla and powdered sugar until incorporated, turn mixer up to medium high and mix another 2 minutes until frosting is smooth.  

When cookies have cooled completely frost using a small spatula, or you can use a piping bag and tip, I used a Wilton #32 Star Tip.

Store cookies in an air tight container up to two days, in the fridge up to a week (if they last that long!)

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