Carrot Spice Thumbprint Cookies

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling YIELD: 5 dozen.

Carrot cake is a family favorite, and these delicious cookies with shredded carrots, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, cinnamon and cloves taste very similar. They're even topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. With each cookie it feels as if you're eating a piece of carrot cake, but no fork is needed! —Susan Bickta, Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Ingredients

1 cup margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1-1/2 cups shredded carrots

2/3 cup chopped walnuts,

toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in carrots, walnuts and cranberries.

2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with the back of a 1/2-teaspoon measure.

3. Bake until edges begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Reshape indentations as needed. Cool on pans 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

4. For frosting, beat butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until blended. To serve, fill each cookie with about 1-1/2 teaspoons frosting; sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftover filled cookies.

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