Candied parsnips:

Preheat oven to 215° F/ 100° C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, and set aside until ready to use.

With a vegetable peeler, peel the parsnips into long ribbons.

In a medium saucepan, combine water and 210 grams (1 cup) sugar. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in the parsnip ribbons.

 

Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, 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 105 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.

Parsnip oatmeal 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.

Add egg, vanilla bean paste, and milk and mix until well combined.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Do not overmix.

Add the oats, grated parsnips, and chopped nuts, and mix until just combined.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

While dough chills, 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.) Place half of the mounds on prepared tray, allowing space for the cookies to spread as they bake. Refrigerate the remaining dough until ready to use.

Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until cookies are lightly golden brown, but still slightly soft in the center.

For perfectly round cookies, gently reshape each warm cookie with a large round cutter. (You can skip this step if you prefer a more rustic-looking cookie!)

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, beat 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, until all sugar has been incorporated.

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 three days, and allow to stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.