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
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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.
Rach says
Yum!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
You had me at honey spiced cream cheese! These sound amazing.
Kelly says
Love the idea of delivering a carrot cake in cookie form – inventive and fun. Your pictures are wonderful too.
Ingrid @ Silly & Hungry says
I smiled at your “these cookies are money” comment, but what hooked me into making them was your “honey spiced cream cheese” description. Mmmm.
bakerbynature says
Mmmmm is right! And there was definitely some extra cream cheese spread left… it doubles as a bomb pretzel dip 🙂
Cassie says
These sound amazing, Ashley! I actually have lots of carrots that need to be used, I should give these a try!
bakerbynature says
Yess!! That’s how I found myself making these, too. I always have an abundance of carrots for some reason, but I love carrot cake – and now these cookies – so it’s no biggie 🙂 xx
Divya Yadava says
OOOhh..it’s like carrot cake whoopie pies. I love how creative you are!
bakerbynature says
I was thinking they looked like whoopie pies too! They’re just a lot denser of a cookie – not a bad thing, eh?
Emma says
I’m actually not much of a cookie fan… weird? Yes. However, I am a fan of napping. I want to nap now, and then again in the afternoon and then probably maybe kinda at night. I’ve tried to crawl under my small cubicle desk before, but my fellow students are here in the room too, so I’m easy to spot. My legs are too long.
Would cookies make my legs shorter?
bakerbynature says
Hmmm… can’t make any promises there 🙂
Courtney says
A weekend nap?? When does that happen? Oh, it does sound heavenly, especially with one of these lovelies beforehand. Num.
bakerbynature says
I have a feeling once I meet prince charming and have a few kids, my weekend nap sessions will slowly be replaced with playdates and toddler chasing… am I right? But yes, cookies + naps are essential – schedule your self one in soon! x
yummychunklet says
How fun and creative!
bakerbynature says
They were really fun to make! And eating them…well, obviously delish! xx
Kate M. says
Brilliant. It’s the only word that fits these. 🙂
bakerbynature says
Thanks, Kate 🙂
xx