Carrot Cake Cookies

Surprise your family with a modern spin on traditional carrot cake. These deliciously moist carrot cake cookies are infused with warm spices and topped with a rich cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Cake Cookies

Yields 24 cookies

For the cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons *pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 carrots)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 4-ounces crushed pineapple, drained

Directions:

1. Preheat to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat.
2. Combine the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter and mix with a hand mixer until light and creamy, about 3 minutes; add egg and the vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet mixture until just combined; fold in the oats, carrots, raisins, and pineapple.
5. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto cookie sheet, leaving 2-inches between cookies; bake 12 to15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cookies are cool, frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

For the frosting

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla until mixed; add the confectioners’ sugar slowly until mixed; slowly stir in the cinnamon.
2. *If you do not have pumpkin pie spice on hand, simply substitute the following: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

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