Rudolph's Carrot Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES:
110g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla pod
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
40g oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp ground ginger
150g carrots, finely grated
50g walnuts, finely chopped
50g raisins
Zest from 1 orange
FOR THE ICING:
300g icing sugar
Juice from 1 orange
Orange food colouring (optional)
TO DECORATE (OPTIONAL):
Thyme or rosemary sprigs

Prep: 40 mins + chilling | Cook: 15 mins

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Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together till light and fluffy.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and vanilla together. Add that to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat well. Add the rest of the cookie ingredients to the bowl and beat together till combined. Turn the dough out and knead into a round. Wrap in beeswax paper and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Line 2 large baing trays with baking paper.

4. Remove the dough from the fridge. Dust your work surface liberally with flour. Place half the dough onto the floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Pat it down using your hands into a large circle. It should be about ½ cm thick. Don't worry, the dough will be a little sticky.

5. Using a sharp knife, cut out long triangles approximately 7cm long. Or use a carrot shaped cookie cutter if you have one. Transfer the cookies to the lined baking trays, placing them 2cm apart as they will spread during cooking. Repeat with the remaining dough.

6. Slide into the oven and bake the cookies for 12-15 mins till golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Lift them on to a cooling rack. Leave to cool completely.

8. While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Tip the icing sugar into a bowl. Squeeze in the juice from ½ orange and mix. The icing should be thick but spoonable. Add more orange juice or icing sugar as needed. Add the orange food colouring, if using.

9. When the cookies have cooled, pipe or spread the icing on to the cookies. Gently push a sprig of rosemary in thyme into the top of each cookie to represent carrot leaves. Let the icing set, then serve.

10. Eat Me, Keep Me
These cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight jar. The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight before baking.