Fabulous Carrot Cookies

I know, I know, these sound like one of those recipes where someone has attempted to make a "healthy" cookie for kids and just threw in some type of vegetable. Instead of this mental picture, imagine a "carrot cake" cookie (without nuts...I don't like nuts in soft breads and cookies, something about the texture difference bothers me.) You could add chopped walnuts into this cookie if you are a nutty carrot cake fan, but I prefer them without nuts. Anyway, these are so good and spicy and soft and delicious. After quite a few experimental tries with this cookie, I finally have the recipe down...here it is:

Fantastically Rich Carrot Cookies

1/2 C softened butter

1/2 C butter-flavored Crisco

1/2 C white sugar

1/4 C brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 C steamed and mashed carrots (steam until very soft and then puree)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 C whole wheat flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 - 1tsp cinnamon (I use closer to 1tsp…depends how much you like cinnamon)

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

Mash carrots well. Whip crisco and sugars together until fluffy for about 2 minutes on high. Add egg, carrots, vanilla and beat on medium for 1 minute. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on high for 2 minutes. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to parchment-covered cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. About 40 cookies.

Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick softened butter

21⁄2–3 C powdered sugar (to taste)

1 tsp vanilla

About an hour before making frosting, get cream cheese and butter out of the refrigerator and set on the counter to soften at room temperature. Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat for several minutes until mixture is light and fluffy. This is great for banana bread, zucchini bread, yellow cake or any other baked dessert you would like to use it on.

Note: a food processor or food grinder works great for pureeing the carrots. You want them smooth and "chunkless".