Last night I was explaining to my daughter the concept of the “Most Interesting Man in the World,” the brilliant Dos Equis beer ad campaign. (I am convinced that the creative geniuses of our generation are, by necessity, in advertising instead of being starving artists.) The ads feature the heroic exploits of a mysterious bearded man, whether hunting big game, fighting against impossible odds, or rescuing beauty pageant contestants in a raft. Each one ends with him toasting in a bar, “I don’t often drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.”
If you haven’t seen these ads, you have probably seen the knockoff memes in your Facebook feed: “I don’t often (insert activity), but when I do (insert groan-worthy line).”
Well this is where I come in. To wit: “I don’t often eat dessert, but when I do, I prefer carrot cake.” Seriously, who came up with the idea of orange-cream cheese frosting for vegetables? This is a genius probably even greater than those behind the Dos Equis ad campaign.
Also, you know how, when they’re not posting “Most Interesting Man” memes, your friends post recipes on Facebook? One stopped my scroll dead in its tracks. “Carrot Cake Pecan Cookies with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting.” I had to go to the web site.
When I got there, I was initially annoyed because the blogger posted all this stupid stuff before she got to the recipe, like lame jokes and cutesy comments about her daughter.
Oh, wait. Um. ... Ahem. Well, on to the recipe!
Carrot Cake Pecan Cookies with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
www.laurenslatest.com
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup coconut oil (or use all butter. I liked the coconut oil in this one)
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon molasses (or sub brown sugar for the white sugar and molasses)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup pecans + more for garnish, if desired
Frosting:
2 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
Cream butter, coconut oil, sugar and molasses together until completely smooth. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Stir in vanilla and egg. Then stir in dry ingredients until just
combined. Scrape sides and stir again briefly. Stir in carrot and nuts by hand. Scoop onto prepared baking sheets and bake 8-9 minutes or until edges are brown and cookies have poofed up slightly in the center. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.
For the frosting, place all ingredients into a small bowl and whip until smooth. Spread each cookie generously with frosting and top with chopped pecans if desired.
Makes 24 small cookies.
I have to say, these turned out pretty good. I don’t often make cookies, but when I do, I eat the whole dang batch!
Nick Roumel is a principal with Nacht, Roumel, Salvatore, Blanchard and Walker, P.C., a litigation firm in Ann Arbor specializing in employment litigation. He also has many years of varied restaurant and catering experience, has taught Greek cooking classes, and writes a food/restaurant column for “Current” magazine in Ann Arbor. He occasionally updates his blog at http://mayitpleasethepalate.blogspot.com/.
