Recipe: Inside-out Carrot Cake Cookies

Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies
Adapted from Gourmet's recipe

Make about a dozen cookies


INGREDIENTS

Cookies:
* 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 stick (1/2 cup) 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
* 4 oz. crushed pineapple

Frosting:
* 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup (sifted) confectioner's sugar
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and 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 pineapple at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes total. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract and gradually add confectioner's sugar.

Sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese frosting in between.