Cookie baking is in full swing. I, for one, could not pick a favorite cookie if you asked me to. No matter what the season, some cookies just hit the right spot. These carrot cake cookies may not be your first recipe to jump to during the holiday season, but I’ll give you the nudge to give them a try. They. are. SO. delicious. The cookie itself bakes up fluffy and light, and the cinnamon cream cheese filing adds a nice sweetness to the subtle spice in the cookie. Add these to your list of cookies to bake and you will be sure to impress your guests. I personally think it’s a nice switch up. Soft, sweet, and one is just enough. Maybe.
INGREDIENTS:
COOKIES:
-
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup grated carrots (I used a micro-plane so the carrot itself was super fine)
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8oz of cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 stick of room temperature unsalted butter
- 4 cups of powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350*
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set the bowl aside.
In a second bowl, with a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla until everything is incorporated.
Slowly add the flour mixture into your wet, until the ingredients are just combined. Do not over mix your batter! Last but not least, add in the cup of grated carrots and oats and stir to combine.
Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator. I used a small cookie scoop for the dough, or you can measure out a tablespoon or so and roll it into a ball. Place them 2 inches apart onto your baking sheet and sprinkle with granulated sugar on top. Bake until the bottoms are slightly golden (11-15 minutes) Mine were pulled out at 11 and they were perfect! Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before you add the filing!
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a medium-sized bowl, with a mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Once light and fluffy, slowly incorporate the powdered sugar. Once everything is smooth and whipped add the cinnamon. Once cookies are cooled, place a dollop onto the center of one cookie and press down with another. Voila! Place finished cookies in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Barely Adapted :