Carrot Walnut Cookies

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 (4-ounce) jars baby food carrots

1 large egg

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel

½ cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

⅓ teaspoon ground cloves

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE ICING:

1 (3-ounce) package ⅓ less-fat cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar

½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the carrots, egg, orange peel, orange juice, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves until blended. (The mixture may look curdled.) With mixer on low speed, beat in the flour just until blended. Stir in the walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonsful 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops look dry. Cool on the baking sheet 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing, in a medium bowl beat the cream cheese, butter, orange peel, and orange juice until creamy. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until blended and smooth. Spread about 1½ teaspoons of the icing on each cookie. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Let the icing set 1 to 2 hours.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Mary Louise Moore, Queen Mama
Fayette-Greene Mama Mias,
Uniontown, Pennsylvania