Tribute | Carrot, Cream Cheese and Molasses
Ingredients for Cookies:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed, divided 1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses, plus 4 teaspoons, molasses, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups carrots, peeled and finely chopped
Ingredients for Frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup carrots, peeled and finely chopped
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg and 1/4 cup molasses. Beat until well blended.
- Whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and add to butter mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium pan, Heat olive oil on medium heat and add chopped carrots. After the carrots have cooked for 4 minutes, turn off the heat and stir in remaining 4 teaspoons molasses and 1/4 cup light brown sugar. Set aside.
- Scoop or drop 1 teaspoon dough into a nonstick or lightly buttered 24-cup mini-muffin pan. Flatten the dough into the bottom of each mini-muffin, don’t line the sides with the dough. Place 1 teaspoon carrot mixture onto each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes. The cookies will indent on the top when they bake. Let sit for 15 minutes and pop out of the mini- muffin pan with a spoon. Transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat until all dough and filling are used.
- To make frosting: Mix together cream cheese,butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Frost each cookie, and top each cookie with a few pieces of raw carrot for decoration. Refrigerate extra cookies.
