It’s safe to say I crush hard on cookies. I know you do too. Cookies are just… great: they’re unpretentious, cute, sweet, and easily adaptable to whatever you desire. Now, only to find a man who fits that bill… ahem, I digress.
These cookies are money. They’re cake inspired of the carrot variety and they embrace cookie greatness at it’s best.
Eating 2 before an afternoon nap is what weekend life is all about.
Chewy, thick pillows of raisin studded carrot cookies slathered with a honey spiced cream cheese frosting in the middle.
Grab your glass of milk now – you’re going to need it.
Inside – Out Carrot Cake Cookies – adapted, slightly, from Gourmet | April 2004
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 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 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium)
1 scant cup walnuts (3 ounces), chopped
1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 ounces)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup honey
print a shopping list for this recipe
preparation:
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 Baking sheets with parchment paper.
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, nuts, and raisins at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.
Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, 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.
Greg says
Good gracious. They looked great without the icing. Then you go and frost them. Wow. Wonderful recipe.
bakerbynature says
I’m all nutty with my sugar like that 🙂
Reem | Simply Reem says
These are just so perfect….
Carrot cake is my favorite and the cream cheese dressing is divine in itself…
So make this a super perfect indulgence for me.
bakerbynature says
Perfect-o! You should give them a go and indulge yourself, love!
Cheryl Barker says
Well these are totally healthy with carrots in them and all! 🙂 Fyi, I don’t post many recipes on my blog, but right now I have a super yummy recipe for potato soup posted. Come check it out if you’re in the mood for soup! 🙂
bakerbynature says
Sounds great, Cheryl! I love soup – definitely heading over to check it out 🙂
Erika @ The Teenage Taste says
Now these are my kind of cookies – I love carrot cake and I am a cream cheese frosting addict! 😛
bakerbynature says
Well then these are made for you, lovey 🙂
Caroline says
You’re killin’ me Ashley!! These look so fluffy and delicious. I’m a cookie fiend…well, really, I’m just a sweets lover in general. I would gladly eat these cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wish I could just grab that cookie right out of the screen.
bakerbynature says
We are on the same page when it comes to loving out sweets! P.S. these make an awesome breakfast 🙂
Emmy (Wine and Butter) says
Ashely! These look amazing!! I’m guessing you could also sub in whole wheat flour (if you felt that way inclined) and they would still taste great! I also love the cream cheese and honey frosting option. I think, basically, these are pretty much a health food. Kind of no worse than a bagel and cream cheese… right? right?
In other news, I just had the last of my (your) white choc bars this AM and Im already stoked to do the new version tomorrow! xox
bakerbynature says
Yay Emmy, promise to let me know how they come out, mmk?! And these cookies are actually probably less in calories than a bagel and cream cheese… but you would know that better than I.
bakerbynature says
It’s way safer than having a big ol’ layer cake hanging around, ya know?! Did I mention how excited I am that I received your cookie book from the giveaway?! We’re making more cookies soon! x
Three-Cookies says
You marketed this well, I think I would need at least two of these
bakerbynature says
2 before the nap, and another one with your coffee after – trust me,mmk? xx
Jesica @ PencilKitchen says
eating 4 before my 2nd afternoon nap is MY weekend life… :p These look great!
bakerbynature says
Glad we’re living the dream 🙂
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
This has my name written all over it. Carrot cake is my favorite cake flavor, hands down. And cream cheese frosting in between the cookies? Amazing.
bakerbynature says
Carrot cake is where it’s at! And these cookies really captured the taste and texture of the classic cake – perfecto!
Samantha says
Thirds look delicious if I omit raisins and add pineapple should I add a tad more flour?