Recipe: Navel Orange Carrot Cookies with Orange Icing

NAVEL ORANGE CARROT COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup grated cooked carrots
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream butter and sugar together in large mixing bowl. Stir in carrots, egg, orange zest and vanilla.

In separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and nuts. Incorporate dry ingredients into butter/sugar mixture to form cookie dough. Drop on a lightly greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon.

Bake 14 minutes at 350 degrees F. Do not let the tops brown, just a little around the edges.

While hot from the oven, frost with a icing made by adding a few drops of fresh-squeezed navel orange juice to powdered sugar along with additional navel orange zest finely grated. Add additional juice or sugar to make the desired consistency. Let cookies cool and enjoy.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Indianapolis Herald-Times, September 20, 2000