I remember HATING these cookies as a child…why? Well, as an adult, I can’t really recall, because I made them and ate them; and they were AMAZING!
The carrots added some wonderful depth to the sweetness of the cookies, and the orange icing adds a tartness that really makes this cookie a worthy addition to any Christmas exchange (yeah, I do them too).
Pro Tip: Don’t cook your carrots, no one does that anymore. Instead, get a can of sliced cooked carrots and drain them. Wham-bam, done.
Also, as an aside, I’ve always wondered what peopled used those canned cooked carrots for…and lately I’ve been finding all sorts of uses! And really they aren’t much different from just cooking your own. I mean, yeah, there is a little bit of a “tin can” taste, but you pick your battles. My battle is not cooking carrots, that battle is stupid – it take forever and frustrates me. It may not be the same for you, so do what you feel. I am a HUGE proponent of doing what you feel.
Carrott Cookies (Carrot)
½ cup Shortening (I used Crisco Butter Flavored)
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg (unbeaten)
2 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch Salt
1 cup Cooked Mashed Carrots
½ tsp Vanilla
Directions:
Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and beat well.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Add slowly to the sugar mixture.
Blend in carrots and vanilla. Mix well.
Drop from teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 5 dozen cookies. Ice with Orange Icing.
Orange Icing
2 TBL Butter
2 TBL Flour
⅓ cup Orange Juice
1 tsp Grated Orange Peel
1 cup Powdered Sugar
Melt butter, stir in flour, add orange juice and peel. Simmer over low heat until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar, blend until smooth.
(If you want a more “marmalade” style icing use less powdered sugar. I did that and it was lovely!)
