Carrot Cake Cookies

Carrot Cake Cookies

3
Points®
Total Time
3 hr 30 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Serves
24
Difficulty
Easy
The flavors of your favorite springtime dessert come together in this soft, cakey cookie. Dates are the secret to the moist texture and sweetness, allowing you to cut down on the usual amount of butter and sugar found in most cookie recipes.

Ingredients

Dried dates

¾ cup(s), pitted

All-purpose flour

1¼ cup(s)

Baking soda

½ tsp

Ground cinnamon

1¾ tsp

Ground ginger

¼ tsp

Kosher salt

¼ tsp

Ground nutmeg

tsp

Unsalted butter

5 Tbsp, at room temperature

Sugar

2 Tbsp

1% low fat milk

1 Tbsp

Egg

1 item(s), large

Vanilla extract

1½ tsp

Carrots

2 medium, finely grated, then finely chopped

Instructions

  1. In a medium heatproof bowl, cover the dates with boiling water and let soak until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the dates to a food processor or a mini food processor and process until smooth.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg. Using an electric mixer, in a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the date purée, milk, egg, and vanilla and beat to combine. Using a spatula, fold the flour gently into the date mixture until just combined. Fold in the carrots. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 24 balls of dough, 1 heaping tbsp each, and, using your hands, roll each gently into a smooth ball. (Work quickly as the dough is easiest to roll when it’s cold.) Transfer the dough balls to the prepared sheets, spacing the balls 2 inches apart. Dip a fork in a little flour and press down on each ball to flatten it into a circle and make a crisscross on top.
  4. Bake the cookies until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. Serving size: 1 cookie