Carrot Spice Thumbprint Cookies
“Carrot cake is a family favourite, and these delicious cookies taste just like it with shredded carrots, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, cinnamon and cloves. And they’re topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. Who could resist? Each cookie is like eating a piece of carrot cake, but with no fork needed!” —Susan Bickta, Kutztown, Pennsylvania
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| 5dozen | 30minutes | 10minutes/batch + cooling |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 5dozen | 30minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 10minutes/batch + cooling |
Ingredients
- Cookies:
- 1 cup margarine softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp 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 confectioner's sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- additional confectioners' sugar
Portions: dozen
Units:
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Ingredients
Portions: dozen
Units:
|
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake until edges begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Reshape indentations as needed. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- 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.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
1 cookie: 167 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 17mg cholesterol, 146mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 1g fibre), 2g protein.
