Better Homes And Gardens Carrot Cake Cookies

This recipe for carrot cake cookies with cream cheese frosting is from the Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Cookie Book. These cookies have all of the taste of a rich piece of carrot cake, right down to the creamy cream cheese frosting, but in a portion controlled size!

I was provided with a copy of the Ultimate Cookie Book free of charge from the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and was given permission to reproduce the recipe for Orange-Carrot Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting in this post. Aside of the book, I received no additional compensation.
After pouring through the pages of The Ultimate Cookie Book, I had a tough time deciding which cookie recipe to make first. Luckily for me, I didn't have to make the decision, because I put it into my husband's capable hands.

The good news is, out of the 500+ recipes in the book, Brian chose one for me to make that has atiny bit of a healthy edge. Yup, these delicious cookies have carrots in them!

That's the good news, but the great news is that these cookies taste just like a slice of rich carrot cake. They've got a burst of orange, a nutty crunch from walnuts, and a thick cream cheese frosting. Hello delicious cookies!

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting - This cookie recipe will become one of your favorites! They taste just like a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. See the recipe on itsyummi.com

FOOD FACTS – CARROTS
In case you need or want justification to eat these cookies, let me help you out. They're healthy! REALLY! Here's my thought.

– Carrots are high in beta-carotene, a major cancer fighter and all-around healthy benefit for your eyes.
– Reference the 10 health benefits of carrots and you'll see that because they're so good for you, the fact that they're a major component of this recipe makes these cookies totally healthy! Never mind the sugar and fat content… we'll just pretend it's not there. It'll be our little secret.

~~~~~

Before you run off to make a batch of these carrot cake cookies (and you know you want to!), be sure to check out my review of The Ultimate Cookie Book, and then head over here and buy yourself a copy.

You can read my review of the book here.

If you're anything like me, you won't know where to stop reading and which page to start baking from!

I hope you enjoy these carrot cake cookies!

If for whatever reason, you're just not into the carrot cookie experience, check out my entire cookie recipe collection, or just trust me and bake a batch of these triple chocolate cookies. They're downright yummi, too!

Triple Chocolate Cookies - Get the recipe from ItsYummi.com

Now let's bake some carrot cake cookies!

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft, chewy cookies with the flavors of orange and carrot are studded with nuts and topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting. It's like a bite sized piece of carrot cake! Recipe yields 66 cookies.

Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 11 mins

Total Time 56 mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 33 servings (2 cookies each)

Calories 218 kcal

For the Cookies

8 ounces butter softened
1 cup packed brown sugar (7.5 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3.75 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (8.6 ounces), (I used half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour)
2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant oatmeal packets)
1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
1/2 cup flaked coconut (I omitted this because I'm allergic)
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts

For Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese softened
2 ounces unsalted butter softened (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl, beat the 1 cup butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Beat on high speed until combined, stopping mixer to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
Beat in eggs, orange peel, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Use a silicone mixing spatula or wooden spoon to stir in any remaining flour, the oats, carrots, coconut, and nuts.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown and centers are set. Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in enough of the powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Spread a small amount of frosting on top of each cookie. Top with additional nuts, if desired.

Recipe adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens The Ultimate Cookie Book. Also published here .

Serving: 2 cookies Calories: 218 kcal Carbohydrates: 28 g Protein: 2 g Fat: 10 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 33 mg Sodium: 122 mg Potassium: 89 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 18 g Vitamin A: 925 IU Vitamin C: 0.3 mg Calcium: 27 mg Iron: 0.8 mg