Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

for the icing:

Step 1:

Place butter in stand mixer bowl and cream with paddle attachment. Add in cream cheese and combine until smooth.

Step 2:

Add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest. Cream until smooth. Using a ½ tablespoon sized cookie scoop, scoop the filling onto a piece of parchment paper.

Step 3:

Scoop out 9 dollops of the filling. Put the filling in the freezer while you make the cookie dough. 

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for the cookies:

Step 1:

In a stand mixer, combine cold butter and brown sugar. Mix until smooth and slightly fluffy (about 2 minutes). 

Step 2:

Add the eggs and mix on low until the eggs are just mixed in.

Step 3:

Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Add to the butter mixture.

Step 4:

Mix on low until there is only a little bit of flour not mixed in.

Step 5:

Add the carrots and walnuts and mix on low until they are just combined in with the rest of the dough and there are no streaks of flour.

Step 6:

Put the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.

Step 7:

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

• I used this size scoop for the cookies (about 1 ½ oz). Put one ball of frozen cream cheese filling in the middle of the dough and enclose the dough around it. 

Step 8:

Bake the dough for 8 - 11 minutes, until the outside is slightly golden brown and barely set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 30 - 60 minutes. This is important so the dough will set up properly.

Jenn's Note:

• The icing recipe makes 2 cups. You will have extra. You can use this for my pumpkin bread or pumpkin cake cookies 😊