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.

Sugar Cookies (Soft As Could Be)

I enjoy a good sugar cookie and wanted the ideal recipe. So, I made a new sugar cookie recipe every day for a week until I found this one. It is incredibly soft and well flavored and gets me the "hmmmmm" and "so good" compliment every time. It's a KEEPER!

Cream together:
1½ c white sugar
1 c butter

Add:
1 tsp vanilla (add ½ tsp of peppermint flavoring at Christmas for delight)
2 eggs

Stir in:
1 c sour cream

Sift together and add:
5 c flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp nutmeg

Chill 40 minutes. Roll on floured canvas, fairly thick (1/4” +). Cut w/large cookie cutter. Place on greased cookie sheet (on parchment paper makes them softer) and bake at 375 degrees 10-12 min. Cookies should be large, soft and thick.

FROSTING:

½ c Solid vegetable shortening
½ c Butter or margarine
4 c (1 lb.) sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Vanilla Dessert Sandwiches

This came from the Better Homes and Gardens, Feb. 2010 Issue and are available on the webpage. I found the dough to be dry and added 2 more tbsp. of milk to the ingredients.

In addition, I rolled the dough to 1/8" thick between two sheets of wax paper and chilled in the refrigerator before trying to cut the cookies with a shaped cutter. The "ball" rolling concept did not work from the recipe instructions. These seemed crunchy (as the recipe said it would) after coming out of the oven. And these softened (as the recipe said it would) after the cream cheese is placed between the cookies and it has a chance to set for several hours. The cookie was like a shortbread cookie, wonderful in taste and worth making again.