Carrot Cake Shortbread Cookies

A friend of mine has spent the last 5 or 6 (or is it 84?) months caring for three very special puppies. They were from a litter of 11 (yikes!) and were born with congenital birth defects that made their front legs crooked.  At two months old, a veterinary orthopedic surgeon operated on the puppies to correct their deformities. After a couple broken legs, a little more surgery, casts, external metal pins, special braces, and lots of time and TLC, these fast-growing puppies are now in water therapy and slowly but surely gaining strength and stamina.

You can learn more about Hope, Seal, and LuSeal at the Pet Rescue of Maryland website or check out their news story (these are some famous puppies - at least among Baltimore animal lovers).

Hurricane Irene delayed our celebration of this amazing foster mom’s birthday, but this weekend we partied. When I heard my sleep-deprived, sanity-challenged friend was craving a piece of carrot cake, my Internet search for the perfect recipe began. 

But first, I started with the cookie decorations. (Later this week I’ll post the cake.) 

Carrot Cake Shortbread Cookies  

I slightly adapted this recipe from Bake WhatYour Momma Gave You.

1 c butter, softened

1/3 c shredded carrot

1 t vanilla

2 ½ c  flour

½  c brown sugar

¾ t cinnamon

½ t ground ginger

¼ t freshly ground nutmeg

¼ t salt

3 T ground walnuts

In a medium bowl, beat butter, carrot, and vanilla. Form butter mixture into a log and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight or, in you’re in a hurry, freeze for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300° F.

In a large bowl, combine stir, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and ground walnuts.

Cut butter into chunks and add to flour mixture.  Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter mixture into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs.

Knead the dough until it is smooth and forms a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

I decorated the cooled cookies with cream cheese frosting, a sprinkle of ground walnuts, and tiny fondant carrots.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s been one of those lazy weekends – reading a mental candy book, hanging with my dog, spending way too much time exploring Pinterest. I did, however, manage to drag myself into the kitchen. Sugar, chocolate, Nutella – it was definitely worth the effort.

I wanted to try out my shiny, new cookie dough scoop, so I perused the cookie recipes section of the World Nutella Day website (and I did promise you more Nutella recipes).  It took me to a great Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe by Sugar Cooking.

I added an extra half tablespoon of cocoa powder to the dough.

LOVE my new cookie scoop.

The cookies smelled great coming from the oven.

This recipe is a winner.