Carrot Cake Cookies

Carrot Cake Cookies (adapted slightly from Baker's Royale)

½ cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

½ cup dark brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup (2 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 Tb molasses

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2 ¼ cups shredded carrots

2 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 Tb butter, melted and cooled

2-3 Tb milk

Heat and melt butter on medium heat in a small saucepan until it is brown and nutty smelling. Set aside to cool slightly. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, spread nuts on baking sheet in a single layer, and let toast in the oven while it is preheating. Remove when browned and toasty-smelling.

Beat egg, yolk, and sugars together on medium speed until light and glossy. (about 1-2 minutes) Add cream cheese, vanilla, spices, baking powder and soda, salt and molasses and mix to combine. Add shredded carrots to mixture and mix to combine. Add in browned butter and mix to combine. Turn off mixture.

Using a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula, fold flour and nuts into wet mixture. Place on lined/greased baking sheet by heaped tablespoonfuls, about a dozen per sheet. Bake cookies, one pan at a time, for 10-15 minutes. (mine turned out kinda big, so they took 15 minutes) Cool cookies on a wire rack before glazing.

For the Glaze:

Place sifted sugar, softened cream cheese and melted butter in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour in 2 tablespoons of milk and mix to combine; add more milk as needed. Dip tops of cookies in glaze or drizzle over the top.