Carrot Cake Cookies with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (or use convection bake at 350 degrees F if you have that option). Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, lightly grease the parchment with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and stir until a few dry streaks remain.

Grab a handful of grated carrots and give a light squeeze over the kitchen sink to release as much liquid as possible without going crazy (i.e. don't get arthritis trying to squeeze the living daylights out of the carrots). Add the carrots to the batter. Repeat with remaining carrots a handful at a time until they've all been squeezed dry and added to the bowl.

Stir the carrots into the batter until evenly combined (don't overmix).

Scoop the dough out in 2-3 tablespoon size mounds and place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. If you want the edges or tops of the cookies smoother, lightly wet your hands with cold water or cooking spray and press any ragged edges into a neat circle.

Bake for 13-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, in a medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter, cream cheese, sour cream and vanilla together until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as needed. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until mostly combined. Increase the speed to medium/medium-high and whip the frosting until thick and creamy, 1-2 minutes. If the frosting is overly thick, add a tablespoon of milk or cream at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Frost the cooled cookies and garnish with toasted pecans, if desired.