Chewy Carrot Halwa Cookies

This crispy edged, chewy centered cookie was born of a desire to appease both halwa-lovers (like my parents) and drop cookie lovers (like myself). A whole category of South Asian confections, Halwas are usually made with sugar, spices, ghee, nuts, and, sometimes carrots—as is the case for gajar ka halwa, the sweet pudding that inspired this cookie.

The key is to control the carrots’ moisture by cooking them alongside sliced almonds in brown butter before they get folded into the dough. Chilling the dough before forming allows the flavors to amplify post-bake and gives the cookies their ideal texture; if you’re short on time, even a quick 30-minute stint in the fridge will help. (PS: I’m not usually a cookie dough lover, but this one hits different.)