Carrot Cake Cookies

Chocolate chip! Chocolate chip is the answer I hear every time I ask my house what kind of cookies they want me to bake for them. Although my husband would rather have oatmeal raisin, snicker doodles or an iced sugar cookie basically anything but chocolate chip. But we are out numbered in opinion so by default I end up making chocolate chip cookies. Truth be told, I’m part of the chocolate chip loving portion of our family so I wouldn’t exactly say that I manipulate the result BUT I am the one making the cookies.

In my quest to create a cookie that everyone will like, eat and is just as good as a chocolate chip cookie but more healthy I decided to make a Carrot Cake Cookie. Yep, a cookie version of a dessert that I usually pass on when the server hands out the dessert menus. So, to make them healthy,sugar free, dairy free, egg free, gluten free and still warm and gooey felt a bit challenging to say the least.

These cookies can be a breakfast cookie, snack, packed in lunch boxes and has enough sweetness to be called dessert. I will definetly be making these more often along with chocolate chip cookies.

Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup for vegan
• 4 tablespoons butter alternative, like Earth Balance brand
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cups oats 1 cup quick cook, 1 cup old fashioned
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• 1/4 cup raisins

Instructions

• In a large bowl combine the maple syrup and butter; stir until smooth then add applesauce and baking powder and stir
• Whisk in vanilla and shredded carrots
• Sprinkle dip with ground cinnamon
• All together add oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins and fold the ingredients to combine
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 30 minutes – 1 hour
• Preheat oven to 325F and line a large or two small baking sheets with parchment paper (for non stick and easy clean up)
• Scoop 2 tablespoon sized portions of the dough onto the baking sheet spaced equal distance from each other. Then press balls down with your palm to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick
• Bake for 16-18 minutes turning pan half way through cooking