Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies (SRC)

If you are a fellow food blogger, you might consider joining the Secret Recipe Club (SRC).  Once a month, members of the club are randomly (and secretly) assigned to each other.  Bloggers look at their assigned blog, choose a recipe, and blog about it themselves.  On the "reveal date" bloggers publish their post, disclosing whose blog they were assigned to and what they decided to make.  Last month was my first time to participate.  I made Lavender Truffles from The Novice Housewife and the response from other SRC members was amazing.  Right now I'm at 32 comments for that post...the most I've ever had by a long shot. 

In my 13 months of blogging, I've realized that the community of food bloggers is comprised of positive, affirming people who will usually go out of their way to share encouragement and enthusiasm.  SRC members definitely fit this description. 

This month I was assigned to the blog PheMOMenon.  From what I can tell, the author, Holly, really is a phenomenal mom.  She's got two handsome school-age boys and a precious baby girl, Kayla.  Kayla was born in February of 2010 with Downs Syndrome; she has some ongoing health struggles, bless her darling little heart.  Holly is a very busy mommy as she lovingly takes care of her family. She is a fellow Francophile and LOVES Dorie Greenspan (me, too!).  Take a look at her blog to see her "Tuesdays with Dorrie" posts and her "French Fridays with Dorrie" posts.  This girl has got her French cooking/baking down pat!

Holly has another blog (Sweet and Simple) where I found this quote of hers, confirming that we have also quite a bit in common in the (un)social department:  "Something you probably don't know - and may not believe - about me is that I have to work very, very hard to be outgoing.  Most of the time it feels completely unnatural and forced to me, which often makes me feel like I'm completely, socially inept."  I could have written that about myself; I feel a real connection with this Holly gal.  :)  

In addition to the yummy food, Holly also has recipes on her blog for home spa products like Vanilla Citrus Sugar Body Scrub and Coconut Body Whip.  Hello, homemade Christmas gifts!

I chose to make the Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies from her blog.  She found the recipe at Epicurious, and boy was I ever curious when I saw the photo!  I tweaked the recipe a teensy bit (borrowing some ideas from this post), and I can truly say these are some of the best cookies I've ever tasted.

Begin with butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.

Mix until light in color.

 

Add an egg and some vanilla extract.

Mmmmmm....this is the color we just painted our house, coincidentally...

Add in the flour mixture, carrots, walnuts, and raisins. 

Measure out a tablespoon and a half of dough and 

place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. 

Now make the filling:  

cream cheese + butter + honey + 2 tablespoons grated carrots

And assemble. 

The next time I make these (which will be soon), I will make the cookies a bit smaller...more bite-sized.  But other than that, I won't change a thing!

Thanks, Holly, for the recipe and the inspiration.  Keep up the "pheMOMenal" work!

Here's the printable recipe.

Inside-Out Carrot Cake Cookies
Makes 16 large cookies (8 cookie "sandwiches")

1 and 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 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
2 cups coarsely grated carrots (about 2 large carrots), divided (save 2 tablespoons for the icing)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins ("regular" or golden)

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons grated carrots

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (it works much better than greasing).

Whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. 

Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.  Add in the egg and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins 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 (set the timer so you won't forget!), 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, butter, honey, and remaining 2 tablespoons of grated carrots using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer.  Refrigerate for a few minutes if the filling is too soft.

To assemble, sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling in between.

Here are all of the recipes from today's big reveal:

Bittersweet Chocolate Drops (and Great Neighbor Kids)

These encompass all the best characteristics of brownies.

But they are bite-sized cookies.

Each one has a perfect crispy-chewy outside and a rich, chocolatey center.

I'm smitten. 

Six ingredients, a saucepan, a spoon, parchment paper, a baking sheet, and an oven.

That's all you need.

Oh yeah, plus a propensity to lose all control of yourself around chocolate.

Bittersweet Chocolate Drops
Makes about 24 cookies

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick oil spray.  (I used parchment paper.)  In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stir the chocolate and butter until both are nearly melted.  Remove from the heat.  Blend in the sugar.  Working quickly to prevent curdling, whisk in the egg.  Then stir in the flour and baking powder to make a stiff dough.

Drop round tablespoonfuls of dough about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.  (Or use a teaspoon for bite-sized cookies; reduce cooking time to 6-7 minutes.)  Bake until the cookies are set and the tops are crackly, 8 to 10 minutes.  Let cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to rack.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.  

The cookies can be stored, tightly covered, for up to 5 days or frozen for a month. 

From:  Short and Sweet:  Sophisticated Desserts in 30 Minutes or Less
----------------------

I will say, I had ENORMOUS help while I was making these cookies.  The best neighbor kids in the world were over here playing with my boys.  About five rounds of hide-and-go-seek took place while I was mixing and baking.   Tanner (13) spent a long time building an awesome race car track out of blocks and then was good-natured about the whole thing when Matthew (2), a.k.a Godzilla, knocked it down.

Abby helped me make the cookies by pouring in the flour/baking powder mixture into the chocolate while I photographed.  

Chris and I are incredibly blessed by the neighbors on our street and are so grateful that these awesome kids play with our children, despite the giant age gaps. 

Here are some of the neighbor kids.  Photo taken early this spring.  

And yes, all of the Cory's and Abby's do get confusing.  :) 

Please excuse me while I gush, but I really love my husband.  He is one of those dads who genuinely enjoys playing with the kids.  Children from all around come over and ask, "Is Chris home?"

It blesses me to no end.


Linking up at Somewhat Simple 
Cast Party Wednesday

Jody's Chocolate Chip Cookies

My sweet friend, Jody, makes the rockingest chocolate chip cookies. 

They are so good, they make non-words like "rockingest" sound completely acceptable.

So I got down on my knees and begged and pleaded with her for the recipe. 

Not really.

She cheerfully posted it on Facebook. 

Thanks, Jody!

But first...

When you use your awesome, amazing, can't-live-without-it stand mixer,

this attachment will be your best friend:

It's called the "paddle" attachment.

Not sure why they call it that.

But it works much better than the whisk.

Use the whisk for making meringues, some icings, etc.

I'm just saying that because I have a very smart friend who didn't know that. 

Maybe someone else didn't either!

Back to the recipe.

Use softened butter.

(I nuked it for too long...30 seconds would have been better.)

Beat the butter on high speed for a few minutes...

Measure out your dry ingredients:

 Flour

  

 1 teaspoon baking soda

(I like to put it in my hand and mush it around

to make sure all the clumps are broken up.)

 Now grab just a pinch of baking powder.

This will help fluff up the cookies.

Also add salt.  Don't forget the salt!

 You can sift the dry ingredients together,

or just whisk them really well.

Add granulated sugar to the creamed butter.

Add some brown sugar, too.

 Cream together for 2-3 more minutes on high speed.

 Until it gets fluffy.

 Irresistibly fluffy...





Oh, yeah.

Better sample this...

Delicious!

 Add some vanilla...

Mine spilled all over the counter...drat!

Mix again and scrape down the sides with a spoon... 

You know what to do with this...

 Add an egg that's at room temperature

(or that you've been soaking in warm water

because you forgot to set it out...)

Add a 1/4 cup of applesauce.

Mix it again.

Add the dry ingredients 1/4 cup at a time.

 Then, take the chocolate chips...

and when about 1/4 cup of the flour mixture remains,

toss them in with it.

 And then add them to the butter mixture.

 Lock down the mixer so it doesn't jump all over the place.

Parchment paper.

Get some!

No more scrubbing cookie sheets!

I like to use my cookie scoop...

Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes at 375 degrees.

(For convection ovens, start checking them at 8 minutes.)

Baking from scratch makes a lot of dirty dishes.

But he thinks it's worth it.

And so do I.

Enjoy these!  Thank you, Jody!



2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt
Dash of baking powder (less than 1/8th tsp)
2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed into measuring cup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg (at room temperature)
1/4 cup applesauce
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Sift together dry ingredients.  Set aside.

Cream softened butter (don't get it too soft or the cookies will be flat) and both sugars together until light and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes total.  Add in vanilla and egg and mix or a minute at medium speed.   Add egg, beat for a minute or so, and then add the applesauce and mix for another minute at medium speed.

Mix in, a 1/4 cup at a time, the sifted ingredients until well blended.  Add chocolate chips and mix again.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper, add dough to sheet, and bake at 375 for 10-11 minutes (12 minutes for really large cookies, 8-9 minutes for regular-sized cookies in a convection oven).

(Jody says she makes them larger, bakes for 12 minutes, and during the last minute of baking, she turns on the convection fan to crisp the edges.  My oven doesn't let me do that, but if yours does, go for it!)

Adapted from Nestle recipe