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.
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.
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!
Would this recipe work omitting the pecans? My daughter has a peanut/tree nut allergy and I would really LOVE to try this recipe. Thanks Angela!
Yes Im sure it would still turn out just fine :) Just wouldnt have the “crunch” factor.
Thank you so much! Gonna try this today, so excited!
Hello-
I only found your blog- wanted to say I love it! Also, I am not a vegan. I do do eat “real” food and try to focus on veggies! I made a batch of these for breakfast this week- I forgot the applesauce tho. All I had on hand that I thought might work was babyhood- so I used 1 4oz jar of sweet potato and cinnamon and only added1 tbsp of oil (olive) also I used white whole wheat flour as I didn’t have the pastry flour on hand. I also did some small grate carrots and some bigger pieces too…. These are awesome! My baby and I both loved them so much…I can’t wait to eat them for breakfast this week…I may give one to DH to try- I haven’t decided yet… :)
Hey Tracy, Thanks for letting me know – and Im especially happy to hear they are baby approved! Awesome. Enjoy the rest.
I made these yesterday and they are SO good! Even my picky 6, 4, and 18 month old kiddos ate these. Thanks for another healthier yet delicious cookie!!
where do you fine whole wheat pastry flour? I haven’t been able to find it at the grocery store. Is there a substitute or can you grind up whole wheat flour more fine in the Vitamix?
I just made these and they smell delicious! I left them in balls and toward the end of the cooking time I smashed them down as they were not spreading at all. I could not find ww pastry flour either so did a combo of whole wheat and all purpose…maybe that was the issue? I am srue they will still be tasty even if they don’t look as good as yours do!
Hello! I absolutely adore you’re blog. 80% of what I eat are your recipes. Thank you for making being a vegan so easy!
I do have a suggestion for a post though. I just recently adopted a Bengal and I was wondering what you feed sketchie? I’ve been trying to find the most organic natural pet foods possible but I’m weary about most of them :/
Thanks :)
Oh gosh we’ve struggled with the same cat food issues too. It doesn’t help that Sketchie has a very sensitive stomach and has had some stool issues in the past. Right now we have him on a natural canned food from Whole foods…can’t quite remember the name but he seems to love it. He’s also on a natural dental dry formula from the vet but I wouldnt necessarily recommend it. We’ve been looking all over for an organic food and haven’t found anything yet. Let me know what you come up with!
Orijan is the best I’ve found. Not organic that I know of but they use locally sourced ingredients made in small batches and they don’t test on animals.
The website has a ton of info
http://orijen.ca/
Thank you, I will certainly check this out!
Hi. These cookies look delicious. Do you think it would be possible to make them gluten free? Thanks!
Wow! What a fantastic sounding breakfast! I’ve got to try this
I have made these so many times! They are so good and a super easy breakfast for hectic mornings. I have been spreading melted raw coconut butter on them, which made them even better! Thanks for all your yummy recipes.
I made these this weekend and they turned out great! Have you tried freezing them? Thanks
Im sorry I can’t remember..let me know if you try it!
Hi Angela!
I just discovered your website and it is amazing! Do you think I can omit the nuts in this recipe? Would I be able to increase the oats? If so, by how much? I am trying to find nut free/gluten free/ wheat free/ dairy free desserts/sweets for my friend’s daughter. If you have any other recipe recommendations, I’d greatly appreciate them!
With best wishes,
Vivian
Hey Vivian, Yes you can certainly omit the nuts if required. I wouldnt increase the oats, but just leave it as is. Enjoy!
Hey Angela!
I wanted to share- I just made these last night but mine were turning out too dry as cookies…so I made them into muffins! I added about 1/2-3/4 cup of almond milk and some applesauce and baked them in a muffin pan for about 20 minutes…They were great! Just thought I’d pass that along!
Hi! I wasn’t sure where to inform you of this, but I recently read your post about trying to keep your ads vegan friendly, and I just got one that was asking me which brand of yogurt of was most familiar with. Just thought you’d want to know! ^_^
Hey Connor, Thank you for letting me know! I will do my best to find it and remove it. If you see one again, please take a screenshot of it and email it to eric[at]ohsheglows[dot]com – also if you can let us know the brand of the ad, that helps us locate it. Thanks!
Hi Angela! I am gluten free and vegan for health reasons that came on in the last year. I saw your suggestions for making them gluten free to Sonia above so I tried it and they are great! I made my own oat flour and almond flour and use 1/2 cup of each in place of the whole wheat flour. I love them and my baby girl who is 14 months loved them too! Thank you so much for all the work you put into your beautiful site and recipes. Your blog and one other vegan blog are my go to’s for dinner every night!
Hi, Don’t know if anyone will benefit from this since it’s been awhile, but I used Red Mills Garbanzo flour. I thought it might taste weird, but they turned out well. :-)
Have you tried to make them GF and if so, what type of flour did you use? I like to use brown rice, almond or buckwheat usually? Thanks. They are yummy. Made them last year on Christmas morning and will do the same again as the boys loved them and I knew they had some healthy fuel to last for the exciting day ahead!
Love your site so much. Sending love from Bermuda
Just tried it with whole Chia seeds and it totally worked! The colour is bad, but the taste and texture so good!
Hi I was wondering if the recipe would still be the same if I used a gluten-free all purpose flour?
Thank you, Jodi
Made the cookies for a pot luck lunch and they were so good!! I kept a few leftovers for me to have for little snacks over the next couple days… well, let’s be honest, they were gone within a few minutes.
Thanks for the recipe!
~Julia Kristina
I made these last night and they were SO good! Incredibly moist and easy to make. I topped the cookies with an avocado cream made with almond milk and a bit of vanilla extract and sugar. My roommates loved them! The cookies followed your Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf, which was also a big hit. I live in a 6 person co-op and we adhere to a vegetarian diet in the house, so I frequently visit your blog for inspiration. Your creative and playful recipes have truly influenced my growth as a cook over the past 6 months, and making food for people is now one of the greatest sources of joy in my life. Thank you!