Carrot Cake Cookies

I have a challenge passing up any interesting looking carrot cake. It's a weakness of mine. When I saw this recipe I had to try it immediately. It was not disappointing, but satified my craving for the cake, however in cookie form. It's a WINNER in my cookbook!!!!!!!!

Recipe courtesy Becky Low - Dairy Farmers of Utah

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup white flour
1 1/2-2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/3 cups peeled and grated carrots
2/3 cup drained crushed pineapple
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Beat together softened butter, white and brown sugars; beat in eggs and vanilla.

Stir together white flour, 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into butter and sugar mixture. Stir in carrots, pineapple, raisins and nuts. If needed, stir in additional flour to create desired consistency (to test desired consistency, drop a spoonful on prepared baking sheet and bake; if cookie spreads too much, stir in additional flour). Drop by mounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Remove from baking sheet and cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice, optional
3 cups powdered sugar
1-4 teaspoons milk, if needed

Method:
Beat together cream cheese and butter until soft and fluffy. Add vanilla and optional lemon juice, beat. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth; if needed, thin frosting to desired consistency by beating in 1 teaspoon milk at a time until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency.