Late last year, for my birthday or Christmas, I received the 1008-page “Gourmet Today” cookbook. It is a gigantic cookbook, with way to many recipes to absorb in a year. Since I am still studying it, I took it with me on my vacation and studied the chapter Cookies, Bars, and Confections. Some of the recipes, like Moravian Crisps, I recognize from the Christmas cookies published in past Gourmet issues. In this vast array of cookies, there were a few that grabbed my attention. One of these was Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies.
Inside-out carrot cake cookies transform carrot cake ingredients into delicious cookies sandwiched together with cream-cheese and honey filling. They are yummy, easy to make, and the recipe makes only a small batch, perfect for a chilly late-summer night.
Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies
Makes about 12 sandwich cookies
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely grated carrots (2 medium)
1 scant cup walnuts (3 ounces), chopped
1/2 cup raisins (2 1/2 ounces)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup honey
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins at low speed, and then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.
Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie, spacing 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and honey in a food processor until smooth. Spread a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling on flat side of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies.