Carrot Cake Cookies

Carrot Cake Cookies (Page 4 ) | August 6, 2023

For the cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup California Raisins
For the frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, or with a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar, until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Add the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and mix until combined.
Stir in the carrots, coconut, and raisins.
Drop the dough by the tablespoonful, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheet. This is easiest with a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop. The dough will be very sticky. If you want the cookies to be smoother and more uniform, you can smooth the edges of the cookie dough balls with damp hands.
Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, just until the edges are starting to brown and the tops don’t look shiny anymore.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies are cool, make the frosting. With an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla, until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar slowly, whipping after each addition until the mixture is smooth.
Using a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop, place 1 tablespoon of frosting on the smooth side of a cookie and top with the smooth side of a second cookie, pressing them together gently to spread the frosting out between them.
Let the frosting set for 1-2 hours before serving.
Store the cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Notes
Make sure to grate the carrots finely (with the small holes on a box grater) as coarsely grated carrots, such as the ones you can buy pre-shredded at the grocery store, do not work well in these cookies. Measure out the grated carrot loosely, and avoid packing them into the measuring cup. Carrots packed in water, such as baby carrots, will not work well, as they will add too much moisture to the cookie dough.