Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients

• 140g cream cheese
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting your hands
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 140g butter, softened
• Zest of 1 orange
• ¾ cup Natvia
• 1 egg
• 200g carrot finely grated
• ⅓ cup sultanas
• ⅓ cup walnuts

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C or 180C fan forced.
2. Mix together the cream cheese and the vanilla extract and then chill for 30 mins.
3. Beat butter and Natvia together until creamy, add the egg and carrot, followed by the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and spices. Mix into a cookie dough.
4. Divide the cookie dough into 12-14 balls. Flatten the balls with your palm to make small circles and add 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture to the centre. Cover with dough and seal the cream cheese by rolling back into a ball. Make sure the filling is not leaking out. Flatten them slightly.
5. Chill for 30 mins in the fridge to set.
6. Bake the cookies for 20 mins until golden. Cool on the tray for 10-15 mins, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
7. Sprinkle with the walnuts and orange zest to serve.