Carrot Cookie

Recipe from IVillage

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 medium carrots, peeled & quartered
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon milk
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening (I like Crisco Butter Flavored Baking Sticks)
Orange & Green Paste Food Coloring

Directions:
For cookies, cream butter (1 cup) and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla (2 teaspoons); beat until smooth. Tint orange. Place carrots, pecans, and raisins in a food processor; process until finely chopped. In a small bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add carrot mixture and dry ingredients to creamed mixture; stir until a soft dough forms.

Divide dough into fourths. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 3 hours or until firm.
On a heavily floured surface, roll out one fourth of dough at a time to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 1 3/4 x 4 3/4-inch cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire racks with waxed paper underneath to cool.

For glaze, combine confectioners sugar (1 1/2 cups) and milk (2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) in a small bowl; beat until smooth. Tint orange. Spoon glaze onto large ends of carrot cookies. Allow glaze to harden.

For buttercream icing, combine confectioners sugar (1 1/2 cups), shortening, butter (3 tablespoons), milk (1 1/2 tablespoons), and vanilla (1/2 teaspoon) in a small bowl; beat until smooth. Tint green. Spoon icing into a decorating bag fitted with a grass tip.

Pipe icing onto tops of cookies to resemble leaves. Allow icing to harden. Store in single layers.