Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

I have wanted to make these for so long and now wonder why I've been waiting for so long! I love how these bites of carrot cake and cream cheese icing are like all of the best bits of carrot cake wrapped in one cute bite! They are super simple to make, you don't even need a mixer if you don't want to, and the hardest part is waiting for them to cool enough to be filled and sandwiched together. This recipe makes 12 - 14 sandwiched cookies, depending on size.

Recipe

125 g unsalted butter, just melted with still a little body left

140 g soft brown sugar

30 g golden syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract or essence

pinch salt

2 extra large eggs

130-140g shredded carrot (approx. 2 large carrots)

50 g currants

50 g shredded or desiccated coconut

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

230 g plain flour 1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda

Method: This recipe can be made using a whisk, handheld beaters, or using a stand mixer. Preheat the oven to 160°C Line 2 baking trays with baking paper

Wash and grate the carrot, and set aside.

Soften the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in short bursts so that it is just about melted but still has body; it shouldn't be a melted puddle. Add the soft brown sugar, golden syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whisk together for a minute or two until light and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well between each.

Add the ground spices, currants, coconut, and grated carrots, and stir together to coat in the butter and egg mixture. Finally, add the flour and bi-carb soda into the mixture and stir with a spatula or spoon until everything is thoroughly combined and you can't see any lumps of flour. I used a mini ice cream scoop to scoop rounds of mixture onto a baking tray, but you can use two teaspoons or tablespoons to do the same. Make sure to space the scoops evenly on a baking tray to allow room for the cookies to spread during baking. Each scoop of batter I scooped weighed approximately 30 grams.

Once the batter is completely scooped onto the baking trays, bake in the preheated oven for 13-14 minutes. This will depend on the size of your cookies, smaller cookies may need slightly less time, and larger cookies may need 15-16 minutes. Check for doneness the same way you'd check a cupcake; open the oven gently and touch the top f one cookie; it should feel firm and spring back when touched. Remove cookies from the oven when they are completely baked and leave until they are completely cool. Icing the cookies while they are warm will cause the icing to melt and the sandwiched cookies to slide apart. While the cookies are cooling, make the Lemon Cream Cheese Icing.

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing This recipe will make more than what you need, but it's difficult to mix very small proportions in a mixer. Recipe: 100 g. very soft unsalted butter

100 g. very soft cream cheese block cubed

1 tsp vanilla essence or extract

finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1 - 2 tsp squeezed lemon juice

400 g sieved icing sugar

This recipe is best made with either a stand or handheld mixer. The butter and cream cheese should both feel very soft.

In a bowl, combine the very soft butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and lemon zest; beat together to combine.

Add the sieved icing sugar into the butter and cream cheese mixture in 3-4 small additions. Let the mix beat together between each. With each addition, it is worth scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is blended well together. As the icing sugar is added, the icing mixture will thicken and may look gritty. Adding 1-2 tsp of squeezed lemon juice into the icing will give a delicious fresh lemon zing.

The mixture may feel too soft to pipe at this stage. So long as the icing is well mixed together and the bow is scraped down, placing it back into the fridge will help set the icing making it perfect for piping. You may need to remix it before using it. When it's ready, fit your favourite piping nozzle onto a piping bag and get ready for filling. Once the carrot cake cookies are completely cold, pipe or scoop a small amount of icing onto one cookie and sandwich with another to make cookie sandwiches. If the icing still feels soft, chill the filled cookies in the fridge for 15-20 minutes until the icing feels set and the cookies hold together. These cookies are best served fresh and at room temperature. Leftover cookies are best kept in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. For the best flavour and texture, allow the cookies to come back to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving. I hope you love these delicious carrot cake cookie sandwiches!!