Carrot Cake Cookies

Spring is fully upon us!  And I am very excited to be able to enjoy all of the wonderful things that come along with Spring.  One of those things being the delicious desserts that are especially wonderful this season.  I love lemon, orange, mint, and strawberry flavored desserts during this time but, one dessert that really reminds me of spring is carrot cake.

Instead of making the typical carrot cake with the typical frosted carrot on top, I wanted to do something a little different.  I call these little handheld cakes, or carrot cake cookies, they are delicious and everything you could every want in carrot cake.  They definitely didn't last longer than one day in my house!

Carrot Cake Cookies
a LindsayRoseDessert Original

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl add in raisins and cover them with water.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes.  Drain.

In a mixer, on medium speed, cream together butter and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Slowly add in to butter mixture in 3 additions, beating well after each addition.

Mix in carrots, raisins, and nuts until all combined.

Using a cookie-scoop, drop onto parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or just until cookies are set.  Let cool completely.


Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Cat Cora's Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz softened Cream Cheese
8 oz softened butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy.  Beat in powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla extract until frosting is at the right consistency.  Frost onto cooled cookies.