These carrot cookies take me back to my childhood, and are easily made gluten free. They are unique in that you cook the carrots prior to adding to the cookie dough, which gives you a wonderful texture and flavor in the cookie. The orange cream cheese frosting is so delicious and just adds a burst of citrus that can't be beat! Spring always makes me think of carrot cookies, and I am SO ready for spring!
Mom's Carrot Cookies
Makes 2 dozen
1 cup cooked carrots (about 3 carrots, chopped)
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups gluten free 1:1 flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Icing:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons orange juice
2-3 cups powdered sugar
Grated rind of an orange
Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel and chop carrots. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and mash. In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and mix. Add the carrots and beat to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat until fully mixed. Scoop onto baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone liners using medium cookie scoop. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until set in the middle and just starting to brown on the bottom. Cool. To make icing, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, adding powder sugar slowly to get the consistency you desire. Frost the cooled cookies.
Step-by-step tutorial:
Gather your ingredients for the cookie dough. You will need about 3 carrots to get a cup of cooked carrots, shortening, sugar, an egg, vanilla, baking powder, salt, and gluten free 1:1 flour.
To prepare the carrots, peel and chop them. Place them in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes; drain. Mash the carrots. You want around 1 cup mashed carrots.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together 3/4 cup shortening and 1 cup sugar. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add the cooked carrots.
Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
On a baking sheet, make dough mounds with a medium size cookie scoop.
Bake at 375°F for 10-11 minutes, or until center is set and bottoms are just starting to brown.
Remove to a wire rack to cool before frosting.
To make the icing, combine 4 oz. cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 tablespoons orange juice, and zest of one orange. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. I like mine thick, so I usually use 3 cups. Beat until fluffy.
Frost the cooled cookies!
One bite takes me back, and I know you will enjoy these as well!
Recipe Source: Mom's recipe box