Carrot Cake Cookies

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 30
Yield: 30 servings

Description

These carrot cake cookies with vanilla cream cheese frosting are light and moist. They taste just like carrot cake, but in delicious cookie form.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup shredded carrots
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1 To make the cookies: Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2 Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
3 Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Stir in the crushed pineapple, carrots, and raisins.
4 Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into carrot mixture. Fold in 3/4 cup walnuts if using.
5 Drop spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
6 Bake in the preheated oven until tops are set, about 14 to 16 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
7 Make the cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar gradually to reach spreading consistency.
8 Frost cooled cookies with cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts, if desired.