Parsnip Cookies (Dessert Parsnip Recipe)
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Made with rolled oats, cream cheese, walnuts, brown sugar, and grated parsnips, these parsnip cookies definitely aren’t your run-of-the-mill oatmeal cookies. But keep an open mind! Slathered in cream cheese frosting and piled high with candied parsnips, these are one of my favorite parsnip desserts, and a lovely alternative to more traditional carrot cake cookies.
Key Ingredients
- Parsnips – Parsnips are a root vegetable, and they remind me of a milder, sweeter carrot. They are affordable and readily available during the fall and winter months, and although less popular (and less well known) than their carrot cousins, parsnips make a lovely addition to your cold-weather ingredient repertoire. In addition to these cookies, I enjoy roasting parsnips as a side dish or adding them to a root vegetable stew.
- Oats – Look for rolled oats (sometimes called old fashioned oats). Do not use “quick” oats or your cookie dough will be mushy and lacking in texture. On the flip side, avoid steel-cut oats, which are too chewy and firm.
- Sugars – Between the candied parsnips, the cookie dough, and the frosting, you’ll need three types of sugar to make this recipe. Don’t reduce the amount of sugar, but you can experiment with common replacements. For example, If you prefer a slightly darker and richer cookie, you can replace the light brown sugar with dark brown sugar instead.
- Nuts – I made these cookies with chopped walnuts, but pecans will work equally well. Unlike some recipes where nuts are only there for crunch, here they play an important role in the structure of the dough. Do not omit the nuts.
- Cream Cheese – Cream cheese consistency varies from brand to brand. (British-style cream cheese, or “soft cheese” as it is often called here, tends to be thinner and waterier than its American counterpart). When making the frosting, use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture. I also suggest keeping some whole milk and confectioner’s sugar nearby to adjust the consistency as needed. The finished frosting should be smooth, creamy, and easily spreadable. It should not be thin or runny, nor should it be overly thick.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
- Use a quick peeler. To make the parsnip ribbons, I find it fastest (and easiest) to use a “Y-style” vegetable peeler. The parsnips can become difficult to peel once you’ve shaved them down to a small sliver—don’t obsess over trying to make ribbons from the middle piece. You can grate it for the cookie portion, or save the scraps for roasting alongside some carrots and potatoes.
- Skip the candied parsnips. For a shortcut, you can also skip the candied parsnips and garnish your cookies with chopped walnuts or pecans, or bits of finely chopped candied ginger instead.
- Grate with a box grater. When grating the parsnips for the cookies, use a standard box grater rather than a microplane. For accuracy, I suggest weighing the grated parsnip rather than using a measuring cup. However, if you do choose to measure by volume, do not pack the grated parsnip pieces into the measuring cup or your cookies will contain too much moisture.
- Enjoy in moderation. These are definitely on the sweeter side thanks to the parsnips, the cream cheese frosting, and the candied parsnip garnish. They’re best enjoyed one cookie at a time!
Parsnip Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Parsnips
- Total Time3 1/4 hours
- Yield22-24 3-inch round cookies 1x
Soft, bakery-style parsnip cookies slathered with cream cheese frosting and garnished with strips of candied parsnip. A unique twist on the traditional carrot cake cookie.
Ingredients
Candied Parsnips:
175 – 200 grams parsnips, peeled with ends removed (2-3 medium, 6-inch parsnips)
240 milliliters water (1 cup)
300 grams granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups, divided), plus more for storing the ribbons
Cookie Dough:
192 grams flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
113 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
100 grams light brown sugar, packed (1/2 cup)
100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
15 milliliters whole milk (1 tablespoon)
75 grams rolled oats (3/4 cup)
80 grams grated parsnips, not packed (1 cup; about 2 medium parsnips)
60 grams finely chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans (1/2 cup)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
113 grams cream cheese, softened (4 ounces)
45 grams unsalted butter, softened (3 tablespoons)
320 grams confectioner’s sugar (2 1/2 cups), plus more to adjust consistency
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
15 milliliters whole milk (1 tablespoon), plus more to adjust consistency
Instructions
Candied parsnips:
Preheat oven to 215° F (100° C). Line a half sheet rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the parsnips into long ribbons.
In a medium saucepan, combine water and 200 grams (1 cup) sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in the parsnip ribbons.
Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Pass through a fine mesh strainer or use a slotted spoon to transfer parsnip ribbons to prepared tray. Discard excess liquid.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Gently toss parsnips with a metal spatula, then bake for 10 minutes more.
Remove from oven. Immediately toss parsnip ribbons in the reserved 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar.
Set tray aside and allow the parsnip ribbons to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Parsnip ribbons are ready to use as soon as they are completely cool. If preparing candied parsnips in advance, line the bottom of an airtight storage container with parchment. Place cooled ribbons in container, along with1-2 tablespoons of additional granulated sugar. Store at room temperature until ready to use.
Cookies:
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Add egg, vanilla bean paste, and milk and mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined, with no dry spots remaining. Do not overmix.
Add the oats, grated parsnips, and chopped nuts, and mix until just combined.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a half-sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment.
With a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, scoop the dough into evenly-sized portions. (You should have approximately 22-24 mounds of dough.) Roll into smooth balls. Arrange half of the balls on prepared tray, allowing space for the cookies to spread as they bake. Refrigerate remaining balls until ready to use.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown, but still slightly soft in the center.
For perfectly round cookies, gently reshape each warm cookie with a large round cutter.*
Cool on tray for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
While cookies cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Add the confectioner’s sugar in 1/2 cup increments, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla bean paste.
If necessary, add 1-2 tablespoons whole milk, or a few extra spoonfuls of confectioner’s sugar to adjust the consistency. The frosting should be smooth, creamy, and spreadable, not runny or overly thick.
Assembly:
With a small palette knife, miniature spatula, or the back of a metal spoon, spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie.
Top each cookie with a small mound of the candied parsnips.
Parsnip cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow to stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
*You can skip this step if you prefer a more rustic-looking cookie.
- Prep Time: 1 3/4 hours
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 13-15 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: Desserts
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
To make ahead: The candied parsnips require about an hour of preparation time, plus about 30 minutes to cool. If desired, these can be prepared a day or two in advance. Simply line the bottom of an airtight storage container with parchment and place cooled ribbons in the container along with1-2 tablespoons of additional granulated sugar. Store at room temperature until ready to use.
To freeze: If you want to prepare the cookies ahead of time, layer baked, un-frosted cookies between sheets of parchment and freeze until ready to use, then thaw, frost, and decorate a few hours prior to serving.
More Bakery-Style Cookie Recipes You Might Enjoy
Lavender-lemon latte cookies
Chocolate caramel cookies
Rainbow M&M peanut butter cookies
Butterscotch oatmeal cookies
Chocolate passionfruit cookies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
