Carrot Cake Cookies- these make me smile...

As many of you well know, amongst one of my favorite foods is Carrot Cake. I am constantly looking for more ways to use carrots in my baked goods.....this is one more  wonderful recipe that does the trick! These cookies are very easy to make, a recipe your friends will really enjoy, and tastes great warmed up in the microwave or chilled in the freezer.
Make this recipe your own by adding ingredients such as ginger, allspice, raisins, different nuts, etc

*I personally have adjusted this Martha Stewart recipe, making it my own by adding maple flavoring, more cinnamon, less nutmeg, nuts instead of raisins, and omitting the ginger... cause that is just how I like it :)

A delicious Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwich with Cream Cheese frosting in the center.

It is moist, chewy, and mmmhhmmmm gooood!

I opted to make these cookies small and bite size for my guests.

Notice how much the cookies spread in the oven.

Believe me, this cookie is equally as good as Carrot Cake itself!

Carrot Cake Cookies (Brenna)

Author: Brenna Bowers  (adapted and adjusted from Martha Stewart)

Makes: about 20 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 sticks butter, room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, (about 3 large carrots)

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese

1 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Carrot Cake Cookies:

In a large bowl, add the brown sugar, white sugar and butter; beating until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Next, add the eggs, vanilla extract and maple flavoring mixing the dough just until evenly combined.

In another large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture; mixing just until the batter is combined. Stir in the oats, shredded carrots (and nuts). Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.

Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cook (they spread out quite a bit). Bake for about 15 minutes (it is better to pull the cookies out sooner than later to make chewy cookies!). Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting them.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat the cream cheese, milk, and vanilla on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Whip the frosting for about 2 minutes once all the ingredients have been combined to make the frosting fluffier.

Assembly:

Place about 1 teaspoon of frosting on the bottom of a cooled cookie. Place another cookie on top to form a cookie sandwich.

Storage:

Place the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze them for up to 2 months.