Easter is a wonderful time to whip up some homemade treats. Painted sugar cookies are always a colorful and fun way to usher in this Spring holiday, but they lack a little something in the pizzazz department. For something with a much higher wow factor, try these amazing carrot cake cookie pies that are help together with a big schmear of cream cheese frosting.
According to FoodTimeline.org, carrot cake originated in medieval times when naturally sweet carrots were often used in place of expensive sugar or honey by cooks making deserts. Carrot pudding enjoyed popularity in 18th century England and carrot cake probably made its way to America via that route. Cream cheese frosting came on the scene as carrot cake’s best companion in the 1960s. But no one really knows how carrot cake was turned into these amazing cookies.
Easter Carrot Cake Cookies
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 3 cups all purpose flower
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated carrot
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting:
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 32 ounces cream cheese
- 1 box confectioner’s sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease several cookie sheets.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Set this mixture aside while working with the wet ingredients.
- Beat the butter, shortening and brown sugar together until smooth. This will take about 4 minutes. Blend the eggs in one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg, and then add 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
- Mix the flour mixture into the moist mixture and then stir until blended
- Fold in the carrots and walnuts.
- Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool for 1-2 minutes on the sheet and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While cookies are cooling, beat the butter, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla together until smooth and creamy (about 4-6 minutes).
- Spread the cream cheese frosting between two cookies to form a pie. Allow to set for a hour. Sprinkle each cookie pie with a little confectioner’s sugar.
- Store carrot cake cookie pies in a covered container in the refrigerator and they will keep well for up to a week. They can also be frozen for up to month and thawed in the refrigerator.
This is a great treat to bake for an Easter basket. They also work well on a Spring dessert table next to Easter basket cupcakes, Irish lace cookies and hummingbird cake.
Janice Fahy - Janice Fahy is a freelance writer who is comfortable researching and writing on just about any topic under the sun.
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