Carrot Walnut Ice Cream Sandwiches

Make the carrot cookies: preheat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add egg and orange zest; beat well.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Alternately add dry ingredients and grated carrots to creamed butter mixture. Mix to form a dough. Cover bowl and chill for about 30 minutes.

Scoop dough onto prepared cookie sheets, about 2 heaping tablespoons per cookie. Pat down until about 1/4-inch thick. Bake for 15 minutes or until light brown around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Chill until ready to assemble.

Make the cream cheese frosting: whip butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using a whisk or rubber spatula. Slowly add confectioners' sugar until well incorporated.

Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. Whip until color becomes lighter. Chill until ready to assemble.

To assemble, take the ice cream out of the freezer and set aside for a few minutes until softened. Place chopped walnuts on a plate. Prepare rectangular pieces of foil to individually wrap ice cream sandwiches.

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on the flat side of a cookie. Scoop ice cream on top of the frosting.

Top with another cookie and flatten a little until the ice cream reaches the edges. Smoothen out the edges with a spatula, if desired. Roll in chopped walnuts. Wrap in foil and freeze for about an hour before serving.

TIP: The carrot cookie dough can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month.