Well, I didn’t end up making the Itty Bitty Carrot Cake Cookies, but I did end up making an off-spring!
Meet the carrot cake cookie in breakfast form. I cut down the oil (using applesauce to replace some of it) and amped up the protein, fibre, and healthy fats naturally using ground flax.
In my first version, I used protein powder instead of flax, but the texture was weird and the flavour was off. Ground flax all the way!
I also left them chunky instead of flattening them down. Much better.
The cookies are lightly sweet, with a lovely carrot cake flavour and the texture of a muffin top. I added in a full cup of grated carrots and a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger for a boost of nutrition and an authentic carrot cake flavour. Ginger also aids in digestion as an added bonus.
Eric summed them up nicely, “If I was looking for a healthy cookie, I would be happy with these. If I wanted a regular unhealthy dessert cookie, I might be a bit disappointed. But they are perfect for breakfast or a snack and I like that they taste like a muffin.”
I’m not sure I can add anything to that, so I’ll just give you the recipe! Nutritional info follows.
If you’re feeling like cake instead don’t forget to check out my Whole-grain Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Oh Mega Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies
Yield
13 cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Like a healthy breakfast muffin in carrot cake cookie form. Coconut oil, maple syrup, and fresh ginger work well to create a nice carrot cake flavour, however if you are without those ingredients you can try subbing in another light tasting oil of your choice, other liquid sweetener, and ground ginger (maybe 1/4 tsp?).
Adapted from Itty Bitty Carrot Cake Cookies, which was adapted from 101 Cookbooks.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 3/4 cup ground flax
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup regular rolled oats
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 cup lightly packed shredded carrots (use finest grate)
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (other liquid sweeteners should work)
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325F and toast the pecans for 10-11 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the batter. In a large bowl, mix together the flax, flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and raisins.
- Grate the carrots and ginger using the finest grate. In a smaller bowl, melt the coconut oil in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds. You want the oil hot so it doesn’t clump up when adding the cold wet ingredients. Now add in the maple syrup, carrots, applesauce, grated ginger, and vanilla. Stir well.
- Remove pecans from the oven and add to the dry ingredients. Increase oven temp to 350F. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. The dough will be very sticky, so not to worry.
- With a spoon, scoop about 13 cookies onto a lined baking sheet. They don’t spread much so you can put them an inch apart. Bake for 14-15 minutes at 350F and allow to cool on baking sheet.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Just a word of caution- the dough is very sticky so don’t be alarmed when you mix it up. It’s easiest to just scoop the dough with a spoon and drop it onto the baking sheet.
They are a lovely cookie for an on-the-go breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack. And like Eric says, keep in mind that it’s a healthier cookie and you won’t be disappointed.
Breakfast this morning was a lovely Green Monster with a side of cookie.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Superfood Green Monster
Yield
1 serving
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
This Green Monster packs in superfoods like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, chia seeds, and spinach! For more Green Monster recipes, visit the Green Monster Movement.
Ingredients
- 1 large handful spinach
- 1 cup + 2-3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 scoop Garden of Life Raw Protein powder, or other powder
- Ice, if preferred
Directions
- Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Add ice if desired.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Note the hot tea in the background to warm me up!
[Mason glass was picked up in November while visiting Fish’s Eddy in NYC]
Have a great day!
Awesome! I am so excited about this! My work schedule is really weird now, so I eat breakfast around 7:30 and then need to eat half a meal at 10:30 and the second half at 3. This would be perfect for the first half of my meal at 10:30! I’m definitely making these for next week.
I’ve been loving green monsters since new years, they are #1 when trying to get back into the healthy habits. I have to ask, is that an actual pic of the recipe provided? Whenever I add blueberries, even just a few, I have a purple monster :)
hah yup that was the actual pic. I know though isn’t it weird that it didn’t turn colour that much? I was thinking the same thing. I think it was because I only used 1/4 cup and the scoop may have been heavier on the strawberries.
this might be an off color comment (no pun intended) but my boss just had a baby and she’s SO DARK and he’s black (my entire family is African so I feel weird saying “African American” because he’s not) and they just had a baby that is SO WHITE…smoothies can just be surprising like that with the way they mix maybe ;)
I can’t see my previous comment…these look super yummy, can’t wait to make some! What could I replace the flax seeds with? It’s hard to find them over here! Thanks!!!
Hey Valentina, I answered your comment above! :)
Wow – these look awesome! I’ve been looking for something I can make a batch of and throw in the freezer. I’m in Nursing and my usual hot oats don’t bode well with 7am starts 2x a week!
I have been cutting back on my sugar intake and am finding myself really sensitive to sweets! If I cut back the maple syrup to 1/4c, would I have to sub anything else in to compensate or do you think it would be ok?
Side note: I have been following your blog since I became vegan three years ago… in fact, this blog is the main thing that helped me when I thought that I couldn’t handle another salad (although now I crave greens!). You have inspired me so much with vegan food! Thank you!
Thank you Katie! Congrats on being vegan for 3 years :) If you cut down the maple syrup, I would probably add a couple more tablespoons of aplpesauce, just to make sure they dont end up too dry.
anything with the phrase carrot cake is golden in my book :) i would love to have one of these now but I went gluten free for a month. would there be a specific flour you would recommend instead of the whole wheat pastry?
GF baking is always unpredictable, but I would like to think the flax would hold the GF flour together? I would probably try oat and almond flour, only b/c I think that would taste great. Let me know if you end up trying a gf version!
Carrot Cake BFast Cookies!? Loving it!! I’ve made some seeded versions of bfast cookies but love the idea of using carrots. I’ll have to make these this afternoon as it’d be a great choice for my kids!!
I’ve needed new breakfast ideas So. Badly. Those “cookies” look amazing! Something I can get the Husband to grab before work is always a plus…
Thank you for providing specifics regarding ingredients that you use in your recipes. So many times I try a recipe and then when I plug in the nutrients they are nowhere NEAR what has been listed. Having the specific products you use makes it easy to see where the discrepancies might be and allows me to adjust if necessary to the products I have on hand. Thanks again!
yumm! I can definetly see myself making these! I love anything carrot-cakey :D
Those made my stomach grumble. I’ve been craving cookies constantly lately… I like to see carrot bits in my cookies, so I would go with a slightly larger grate, but then again, my grating is usually very small even on the big side of the grater!
This sounds really good- I think I’m going to try to make larger cookies and have them as a breakfast, along with a little nut butter. I have a huge appetite in the morning and breakfast is usually 400-500 calories!
Have you tried Vega protein powder? I’m kind of obsessed with it. And their vanilla chai flavor makes your smoothie green- instant green monster!
Carrot cake, and cookies for breakfast! Sign me up!
I was looking through your recipe page today to get inspiration for overnight oats, I finally purchased chia seeds! They make a world of a differences in overnight oats!
1st: Love (as in L-O-V-E) your blog–read it all the time. Comment like never. You are very inspiring!!! Just wondering what would happen if I used a gluten free flour blend?? I COULD try it myself, of course, but I’d hate to waste a batch if they’ll be yucky. What do you think?? Thanks!!!! :)
Hey Jamie, I’m really not sure! GF baking can be so unpredictable at times. I would guess because of all the flax it would hopefully hold together with GF flour. I would probably try a mix of oat flour and almond flour?
Excellent timing to use up some carrots. But I noticed you have 2 Tb in your green monster for a one serving monster. My husband had me back off for his to only 1 Tb (too much ‘music’ in his intimate office setting). Over the holiday break, I shared with my daughter and she now makes them for herself and her boyfriend after workouts, but he had an ’emergency run’ in the grocery store. And after she served him some muesli with flax seeds on the same day, he’s convinced she’s trying to kill him with biological warfare. So they’re backing off to 2 tsps since she feels like a whale with an upside down blow hole, and he lost half of his body weight (her words, sorry for the mental image). But 2 Tb for you, incredible!
The breakfast cookies look wonderful, I’ve gotta try them! And I’m a fan of that protein powder, not harsh to digest and blends well.
The only disappointing thing about these cookies is the fact that I just did my big weekly grocery shop and I don’t have all of the ingredients on hand to make them! The look wonderful – I need to remember them for next week.
Hope you are having a good Tuesday!
~Emily~
Since the winter has been so unseasonably warm I actually have been getting back into making smoothies lately!! Always looking for a new one to try out! I tend to stick to the same boring combos but this one sounds really good!
Those cookies look great. I am trying to spruce up my baking skills, I am an excellent cook, but baking is a whole other realm. I am hoping to try some raw dehydrated cookies and see if i am any better at “raw baking”. I will give these a try…cross my fingers!
these look incredible, angela! carrot cake is one of my most favorite desserts. having it in a healthy breakfast cookie form makes me excited!! I saved this recipe. :)
I’m ALWAYS happy to see a recipe for breakfast cookies, love them! Thank you! And I’ve been loving my Green Monster lately – I usually omit the berries and put a tbsp of peanut butter or almond butter and it is a creamy nut buttery delicious smoothie! My favourite juice would probably be apple, spinach, kale and some blended berries – so refreshing, so sweet and so good!