Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cookies

When I was about five or six years old, I encountered carrot cake for the first time. After both the early and late Easter services, my church hosted a little brunch on the patio, and certain members of the congregation signed up to bring either homemade or store-bought dishes for everyone to enjoy.

Meaghan was already a big fan of homemade carrot cake but then she discovered they were even better in cookie form! When she sent the recipe to me to share with all of you, she said “Say hello to Carrot Cake Cookies! These are SO good and were born when I found some carrot cake cookies at Aldi on sale and then went back the next week and they were GONE. I’m addicted. They’re so amazing.”

INGREDIENTS
For the Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter room temp
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup finely shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup raisins

For the Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese cold
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temp
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
For the Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugars until a paste forms. Add in vanilla and egg and mix well.
3. Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix!
4. In a food processor, pulse the shredded carrots until they are in tiny little chunks. If you don’t have a food processor you can also mince them with a knife. You do not want big shreds of carrots in these delicate little cookies so take the time and don’t skip this step!
5. Gently fold in the carrots and raisins.
6. If the dough is a little stiff you can loosen it up with 1 tsp of milk.
7. Scoop cookies by rounded tablespoon onto a lined baking tray and bake at 325 for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. (You want them to still be slightly soft so they’re easy to bite into. Don’t over bake until crunchy!).
8. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting

1. Add vanilla and cold cream cheese into a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar 1/2 a cup at a time mixing well after each addition.
3. Once powdered sugar is completely incorporated add SOFT, room temperature butter and beat until well combined.

For the Sandwich Cookies

1. Frost the bottom of one of the carrot cookies, then place another cookie on top to make a sandwich. Repeat with all remaining cookies. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy.

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