SANDRA'S GLAZED CARROT CAKE COOKIES

A portable carrot cake in cookie form...

 ~ How divine is this?! ~

Yields: Appx. 3 doz.

Prep Time: 10 Mins.

Cook Time: 14-16 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Cookies:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained

3/4 cup shredded carrots

--about 2 medium, scrubbed

1/4 cup shredded apple (I used Braeburn)

--about 1/2 unpeeled, cored apple

1/4 cup shredded coconut, chopped finer

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2-1/4 to 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

--depending on juiciness of grated carrots and apple

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

Cream Cheese Glaze: Yields 1 cup

4 oz. whipped cream cheese

--does not need to be at room temp

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp.

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

--sift through sieve for a smoother glaze

2 to 3 teaspoons milk

--add more or less, depending on desired glaze consistency

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside a couple of baking sheets lined with silpat liners or parchment paper.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract until mixture is light and creamy. Add crushed pineapple and its juices, carrots, apples, raisins, coconut, and pecans. Place a sieve over batter in mixing bowl, and add flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice; sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients in mixing bowl.  Turn on stand mixer and beat on low, just until batter is fully combined (do not over mix).

Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto prepared cookie sheets 1-1/2" apart. Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes in preheated oven, just until bottoms begin to brown and cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies cooling on wire rack prior to glazing...

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract. Add confectioner’ sugar, and a bit of milk, and begin mixing until smooth (add additional milk, if necessary, to reach desired glaze consistency). Use a fork dipped on its backside into the glaze, then run the fork tines through the glazed top of each cookie to form drizzle marks using a gentle back-and-forth motion.

Place glazed cookies in a single layer on decorative platters. Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap. ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: This particular cream cheese glaze will not harden. If you wish to make a hardening non-cream-cheese type of glaze instead, simply combine confectioners' sugar with reserved pineapple juice, milk, or water to desired drizzle consistency, which will harden within 1/2 hour for easier storage.