Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies
This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies.
Makes a little over a dozen cookies | difficulty level: easy
1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tbsp., room temperature, for frosting
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. coarse salt
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup packed finely grated carrots (from about 3)
3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
6 Tbsp. powdered sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown and granulated sugars, and yolk. In another bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture to combine. Mix in oats and carrots. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll balls in pecans to coat. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven; press an indentation into center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon. Bake until golden brown on bottoms, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.
In a bowl, beat remaining 2 tbsp. butter, cream cheese, vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Fill center of each cookie with cream cheese filling using wither a pastry bag or plastic baggie with the corner cut off.
