Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (8.25 ounce) can crushed pineapple, **drained**
• 1 1/4 cups grated carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional, but recommended!)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional, but they add a great crunch!)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• Sprinkles (optional, but always fun!)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
3. Beat together until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.
5. Stir in the vanilla extract, crushed pineapple, grated carrots, and raisins. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
8. Fold in the chopped pecans.
9. Drop tablespoon-sized scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a couple of inches apart.
10. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are golden brown.
11. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the butter in a mixing bowl until creamy.
13. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
14. Mix in the vanilla extract.
15. Gradually add the powdered sugar - start with half, mix until combined, then add the rest and beat until smooth.
16. Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe on the frosting.
17. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

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