Grandma’s Carrot Orange Cookies

 

I love to bake, especially around the holidays!  And one of our family favorites that has been passed down generation to generation is our Grandma’s Carrot Orange Cookies. A few debates have arose the last few years whether the carrots were suppose to be cooked and mashed or finely shredded.

So…
 

I took it upon myself to test out the recipe both ways!
 

 

 

 I prepared both batches the same except for the carrots.

I made both batches at the same time, and used the exact same frosting.

I baked both batches of cookies on Parchment paper.

* If you haven't tried using Parchment paper to bake on, you really are missing out!

 

 

Here are the result
 

Drumroll please…

 

THEY BOTH WIN!

 

The first day I preferred the shredded carrots. I felt like they had more flavor and I liked that it had a crunchy bite. Whereas the cooked/mashed ones were a little softer and kind of had a floury taste.
 

Then the next day I tried them again and the shredded carrots tasted dryer to me, and the cooked/ mashed had a ton of flavor and were still moist, and no more floury taste.
 

My husband loved them both, but thought he preferred the shredded overall.
 

And the kids… Well they couldn’t even tell a difference, and were just happy to “Taste” lots of cookies!
 

 

Cookies on the left are the ones made with the cooked/mashed carrots, and the cookies on the right are made with the shredded carrots.

 

Here is our recipe from me to you, I hope that you will try them and even let me know which ones you prefer!
 

 

Grandma’s Carrot Orange Cookies

  1 cup Shortening

 3/4 cup Sugar

 2 cups Flour

 1 egg

 1 tsp. Vanilla

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

  1 cup Carrots  ( Cooked & Mashed or Finely Grated)

Cream Shortening and Sugar. Then add egg, carrots, and vanilla and mix well. Sift flour, salt and baking powder  together and add to wet mixture. Bake at 350* for 13 minutes. 

Frosting: Juice from one orange (about 1/2 cup), zest from one orange, and between 2 and 3 cups of powdered sugar, until you get to your desired consistency.

While the cookies are still warm, drizzle frosting over the top, 1 batch makes about 4 dozen small cookies.
 

 

 

Next time you make a recipe, have a little fun, and make it two different ways. Sometimes you’ll like it and sometimes you won’t, but you’ll never know if you don’t try!

 

Deena
                                        I party here!