Carrot Cake Cookies
This recipe was passed on to me by a friend. Her mother-in-law used to make this when she was alive and she had been missing them, since she hadn’t had them in years.
I couldn’t stand back while a friend was missing the taste of some delicious carrot cookies someone dear to her used to bake. I just couldn’t do it. I had to jump in! She provided me one of those old recipe cards that her daughter had found that had belonged to her grandmother.
The recipe had somewhat vague instructions and was missing the glaze part. After asking a couple questions about the texture of the cookie and glaze consistency and taste, I arrived to what I believed would meet those requirements. And they did (I hope they did!). My friend loved the cookies and I loved making them for her.
To me, nothing feels as wonderful as sharing my cooking with others. Either by recipes or by actually making them food. I’m known for baking and sharing. Having friends over to eat, bringing food places. It’s how I communicate, how I express my love, share my passion and how I connect with people. And I think it’s a beautiful thing that I get to make something so meaningful for somebody. They aren’t just cookies, they represent the fond memories of a loved one. And I am so grateful to have been a part of that recollection.
These carrot cookies are soft and pillowy. When you bite them, you get the texture of the coconut, the taste of the carrots and everything is brought together by the amazing orange icing. These cookies are a real treat and a recipe I will always carry in my heart for having such a special meaning.
Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 5 medium carrots
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup coconut shredded
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup butter
Orange glaze
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter softened
- 4 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Peel 5 carrots and chop them into big pieces, roughly. Add 2 cups of water to a medium sauce pan with the carrots and bring to a boil, cover with a lid and cook them until they are very soft and falling apart. Drain and mash carrots. You will use 1 cup of the mashed carrots for the recipe.
- Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat, add coconut and toast for 5-8 minutes, swirling the pan around to mix the coconut and toast it evenly.
- Pre-heat oven to 375F.
- Cream the shortening and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer for about 2 minutes on medium. Add sugar with the mixer on and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Add 1 cup of mashed carrots. Mix to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, waiting until the first egg is totally incorporated before adding the next one. Mix flour with baking powder in a bowl and add that to the batter with the mixer on low. Add coconut and mix until incorporated
- Use a #50 cookie scoop to shape the cookies. Baking time can vary from 10-15 min.
Orange glaze
- Mix all the glaze ingredients together, adjust sugar or juice. If it’s too thick, add some more juice, by the teaspoon and if it’s too runny, add more sugar. You want the glaze to fall slowly off the spatula in a ribbon.
- Once cookies are cooled, drizzle the orange glaze over them.
