Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 9 tbsp unsalted butter, browned and cooled
02 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
03 - ½ cup brown sugar
04 - 1 egg
05 - 1 tspn ground cinnamon
06 - ½ tspn ground ginger (dried or fresh)
07 - ½ tspn nutmeg
08 - ½ tsp baking soda
09 - ¼ tspn salt
10 - 1½ tspn vanilla extract
11 - 3 medium carrots, finely grated
12 - ½ cup spiced pecans, chopped
13 - ⅓ cup shredded sweetened coconut
14 - 1¼ cup flour
15 - ¾ cup instant oats

→ Orange Cream Cheese Filling

16 - 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
17 - 4 tbsp powdered sugar
18 - ½ tsp vanilla extract
19 - 1 tsp orange zest

# Instructions:

01 - Mix your room temperature cream cheese with the powdered sugar, orange zest, and vanilla until everything is smooth and well combined. Pop it in the fridge to chill while you make the cookie dough.
02 - Heat your oven to 375°F. Spread your finely grated carrots in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, then give them a good stir and spread them out again. Roast for another 10 minutes until they smell amazing and have started to brown lightly. Let them cool on the baking sheet while you mix the dough.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine your cooled (but still liquid) browned butter with both sugars and salt. Mix until well combined. Add in all the spices, the egg, and vanilla extract, then mix until the batter looks smooth and glossy with no traces of egg visible.
04 - Add the baking soda and flour to your mixture and combine to form a soft dough. Once your roasted carrots have cooled down, add them to the dough along with the oats, chopped pecans, and coconut. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
05 - Using a 3-ounce cookie scoop (or about 3 tablespoons of dough), portion out 8 balls of dough. Flatten each portion into a disc about the size of your palm. Place a teaspoon of the orange cream cheese filling in the center, then carefully fold and pinch the dough around the filling to seal it inside. Gently roll between your palms to smooth the edges.
06 - Place your stuffed cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up. For best results, let them chill overnight.
07 - Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place 4 cookies at a time on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes. The cookies will be slightly domed with golden brown edges when done.
08 - These cookies need at least an hour to cool and set up on the baking sheet before eating. The flavor and texture actually improve the longer they sit, so don't rush this step!

# Notes:

01 - These cookies combine all the flavors of carrot cake in a portable, stuffed cookie form
02 - Roasting the carrots intensifies their flavor and removes excess moisture
03 - The orange cream cheese filling adds a burst of tangy sweetness in every bite

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