Lightly crunchy on the outside but soft and flaky in the middle, these cookies are full of flavor and colorful fun. Topped with a lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting, these cookies are a must try for carrot cake and cookie lovers alike. What a great treat these cookies are to share with your family and friends during Easter and throughout spring.
Carrot Cake Cookies
Prep and bake time: 1 hour / Makes 2 dozen
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups carrots, finely grated
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
- Prep your baking sheets with parchment paper before getting started on the cookies and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl; flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- Using cold butter, cut butter into small cubes and beat with an electric mixer for a minute. Add both brown and white sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- Crack large egg into a small ramekin, watching for egg shell pieces, then add the egg, vanilla extract and orange zest to the light and fluffy butter mixture. Beat ingredients until combined.
- Add dry ingredients one cup at a time, until combined, I usually use a wooden spoon to mix at this point.
- Stir in raisins or dried cranberries, pecans and carrots. Using a scoop, drop balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets and flatten slightly.
- Bake at 350º for 15-17 minutes or just until tops are golden. Cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, pipe cream cheese frosting on top and enjoy!
Notes
For those of you who like some spice, add 1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep and decorating time: 40 minutes / makes enough for 2 dozen
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature
2 – 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Start by prepping ingredients as listed. The butter and cream cheese should be room temperature. Sift powdered sugar into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, butter until whipped in appearance, then add in cream cheese and continue to beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- I like to add in the vanilla extract before adding the powdered sugar, this way I can gauge my perfect consistency and sweetness appropriately.
- Add in the powdered sugar about a cup at a time, beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Using a pastry piping bag or a plastic baggie (which is what I used here by clipping the edge of my baggie) fill bag with frosting and pipe design unto each cookie.
Notes
If you prefer your cream cheese frosting not over sweet and a little tangy, I suggest using 2 cups of powdered sugar. Otherwise, use the full 2 1/2 cups sugar. Allow cookies to be completely cool before decorating with frosting. These cookies can be kept in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up-to one week.
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