Carrot & Cranberry Oatmeal Pecan Cookie with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients...

• 2/3 cup flour (I use 1/3 cup whole wheat and 1/3 cup white.)
• 1 and 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar (I use 1/3 Cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
• 2/3 cup sugar (I use 1/3 Cup Sugar and 1/3 Cup Splenda Sugar Substitute)
• 1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries (you could substitute with white raisins)
• Parchment, cookie sheet, spatula, and oven preheated to 350 F.
• Cream Cheese Recipe follows.

Here's how you do it...

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and oats. Set aside.
2. In a mixer, cream the butter (or substitute) and the sugars. Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on slow until blended.
4. Fold in the dry flour mixture you set aside earlier..
5. Stir in the carrots, dried cranberries and pecans.
6. Spoon by teaspoonful onto parchment lined cookie sheet 3 inches apart. On a standard sheet I put 8 per sheet (do not overcrowd or they will melt together).
7. Bake at 350F for 8-9 minutes. Watch the first batch to see how your oven bakes it. My oven has these finished at just under 9 minutes. Every oven is different. As always place the racks in the center of the oven to bake.
8. Store in refrigerator for a crispier cookie.

Yield: 64 cookies


Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients...

• 4 oz Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup unsalted Butter
• 2 cups 10X Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract or Lemon Extract

Here's how you do it...

1. Mix together Cream Cheese and Butter until smooth. 
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add the pure vanilla extract and blend until smooth.
4. Put frosting into a plastic bag, squeeze to bottom, snip off a tiny corner of the bag and decorate your cookies any way you like.
5. Store in refrigerator.
6. Optional: sprinkle the icing with finely chopped pecans

Time Saving Tip...
While the first tray is in the oven, prepare another piece of parchment with the next batch ready to go in when the the one in the oven is done. Slide the parchment with the hot cookies onto your stove or other flat surface. Now slide the next parchment and batch right onto the hot cookie sheet and place it back in the oven to begin baking the next batch. Repeat until all the batter is used up.