My husband’s favorite desserts are carrot cake and cookies. So when I saw this fun marriage of both sweets, I had to make them! They taste just like traditional carrot cake, complete with drizzled cream cheese frosting on top.

TIP: If you love nuts in your carrot cake, add toasted walnuts! But be sure to toast them first; it’ll bring out a deeper, nuttier flavor!

Spiced Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
(Original recipe: Taste of Home)

1 C butter, room temperature
1 C white sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1-1/2 C shredded carrots
OPTIONAL: 2/3 C chopped walnuts, toasted

FROSTING
1/2 C butter, room temperature
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 C confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cloves. Gradually mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture. Stir in carrots and walnuts, if using.

Drop round tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the edges begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

While they are cooling, make the frosting. Beat butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until blended. Drizzle frosting over cooled cookies before serving. Refrigerate any cookies you don’t eat immediately.