carrot cake cookies

So....I was really really busy last week and then our internet was out for half of the weekend so I have been a bad bad blogger. My good friend Jaquel's birthday was last week and every year for her birthday I make her these cookies. They are a Martha Stewart recipe (I have linked to the recipe on her site) and they are delicious! This year I made them HUGE and didn't have as much time to chill the dough so they were a little flatter but absolutely delish! This is one of those recipes where it is really helpful to have a cookie scoop and use the scoop to dorm the cookie dough because you want all of the cookies to be the same shape and size so it's easy to sandwich them.
More posts to come...I have catching up to do!!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/carrot-cake-sandwich-cookies?autonomy_kw=carrot%20cake%20cookies


Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies
Carrot cake is among everyone's favorite desserts, and this former Cookie of the Week incorporates the same ingredients into delicious sandwich cookies with rich cream-cheese frosting in the middle.
Ingredients
Makes about 25 sandwiches.
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, (about 3 large carrots)
1 cup raisins
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugars and butter; beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until well combined.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; stir to combine. Gradually add flour to butter mixture; mix on a low speed until just blended. Mix in oats, carrots, and raisins. Chill dough in refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.
3. Using a 1/2-ounce ice-cream scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Transfer to oven, and bake until browned and crisped, rotating pan halfway through baking to ensure even color, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat baking process with remaining dough. Once cooled completely, use an offset spatula to spread about 2 teaspoons of cream-cheese filling onto a cookie. Sandwich together with a second cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Cream Cheese Frosting

Use this to frost Carrot Cake Cookies and Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, June 2003.
Ingredients
Makes about 2 cups.
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.