Carrot Cookies

A crumbly carrot cake – like cookie with cream cheese frosting.

Source: Adapted from a recipe given to me by my neighbor, Cheryl, who says her grandmother has been making it for years.  

Yield: About 3-4 dozen

Carrot cake always seems like an autumn dessert to me.  I think it’s the cinnamon that does it.  But, with Easter and bunnies and eggs, a carrot-based dessert seemed appropriate.  My friend and neighbor Cheryl brought me a plate full of these cookies, along with a copy of the recipe, quite some time ago.  I stashed the recipe away in my files, and made a mental note to make my own batch sometime, but there always seemed to be something more… I don’t know… chocolate to make.  Thanks to the onset of Easter, I finally had a good excuse to mix up the cookie I have intended to bake for months now.

I did make a couple changes to Cheryl’s recipe.  I added cinnamon and nutmeg, which seemed appropriate.  I also substituted some of the flour for quick oats.  The combination of flour, oats, and coconut works quite nicely.

You should have something of a soft dough, which spreads as it bakes into a crumbly, cake-like confection.  Be sure to give them a minute or two on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack.

I consider the cream cheese frosting absolutely essential to this cookie!  (It’s also my favorite part of carrot cake!)  I’m not so great at planning ahead, so I frequently put the box of cream cheese on top of the stove, to soften as the cookies bake.  I used my pastry bag to make frosting swirls, but I honestly think a spreading knife would work just fine.  Put it on nice and thick!

I didn’t add it to the recipe, but I think they would also be nice with a handful of chopped walnuts, or some raisins or dried currants.  Also, if you are not a big fan of coconut, you can leave it out if you increase the oats and flour to make up the difference.

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also enjoy:

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies from Get Off Your Butt and Bake

Pumpkin Nut Cookies from Chocolate Moosey

Carrot Cake Truffles from Scarletta Bakes

This recipe linked up at: Blessed with Grace, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday; Mandy’s Recipe Box, Totally Tasty Tuesdays; A Bowl Full of Lemons, Tuesday Link Party; Naptime Creations, Tasty Tuesday Party; Rook #17, A Little Birdie Told Me;  Tomorrow Farm Fiber Arts, Friday Fiber Arts; Baker Street, Blog Hop; Lady Behind the Curtain, Cast Party Wednesday; Gingersnap Crafts, Wow Me Wednesday; Simply Sweet Home, Friday Favorites;  Tidy Mom, I’m Lovin’ It; Alli-N-Son, Sweet Tooth Friday;