Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies
I always make a carrot cake for Easter every year. It’s usually this whole tiered cake situation with cream cheese frosting and little piped out carrots on top with chopped nuts on the side. It’s a big deal. However, I wanted to take an easier approach to the beloved carrot cake with these Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies instead. It’s a carrot cookie dough, studded with raisins (which I normally don’t like in my carrot cake but in these particular cookies they’re magical), rolled in chopped nuts and filled with cream cheese frosting. It’s a great cookie because it tastes just like a cake without being overwhelmingly sweet. I happen to think they’d be the perfect addition to your Easter table. I’d make a double batch, though, because I promise you they’ll be gone before you know it.
They’re a simple cookie that hopefully doesn’t take much effort to make. It’s a lot easier than whipping up and decorating an entire carrot cake. If that’s not your jam this year, than these cookies are for you because they taste just like a slice of carrot cake. Give them a try, they’re out of this world.
Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Cookie scooper
- Mixer
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup packed finely grated carrots from about 2 medium
- 1/4 cup raisins chopped
- 3/4 cup pecans finely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- pinch of ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugars, yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Add in the flour, almond flour, salt, and spices and mix until evenly incorporated. Fold in the carrots and raisins. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the finely chopped pecans in a shallow dish. Using a small cookie scooper, scoop out the dough into balls, rolling in between the palm of your hands to smooth out. Coat fully in the chopped pecans and place on the prepared baking sheets, about 2-inches apart. Use the back of a teaspoon measuring spoon to create an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake until golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and while still hot, press the center once again, just in case they’ve baked up too much. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.
- To make the frosting, cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a large bowl. Add in the sugar and cinnamon and beat until fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag, fitted with a small star tip, and pipe out into the center of each cooled thumbprint cookie. Sprinkle with any of the remaining chopped pecans. Enjoy right away or store in the fridge until ready to eat. They’ll keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
