Description
These Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies offer a delicious and nutritious twist on classic oatmeal cookies, featuring wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour, instant oats, fresh grated carrots, and pure maple syrup. Soft and chewy with a subtle cinnamon flavor, these cookies are perfect for a guilt-free treat or snack.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary)
- 3/4 cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup (68g) freshly grated carrots (about 1 smallish medium, peeled)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour), baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil or butter, room temperature egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the pure maple syrup until thoroughly incorporated.
- Combine Mixtures: Add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring just until incorporated. Gently fold in the freshly grated carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Chill Dough: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up and enhance texture.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Scoop Cookies: Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 14 rounded scoops on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each scoop slightly with a spatula, as these cookies do not spread much while baking.
- Bake: Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven when centers still feel slightly soft and underdone to prevent drying out.
- Cool: Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely. If cookies feel flimsy after cooling, allow them to cool fully on the baking sheet to firm up while maintaining softness.
Notes
- Measure oats and flour precisely using a kitchen scale or proper measuring method to avoid dry or cakey cookies.
- Use freshly grated carrots with standard sized holes on a box grater, avoiding pre-shredded or matchstick carrots for proper softness and flavor.
- Do not overbake; cookies are done when centers feel slightly soft to the touch as residual heat will finish baking.
- If cookies are flimsy after cooling, let them cool completely on the baking sheet to firm up but remain soft.
- Instant oats are also called quick cooking oats; use rolled oats processed in a food processor if instant oats aren’t available.
- Flour alternatives include white whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, or oat flour used carefully due to absorbency.
- Saigon cinnamon is recommended for richer flavor, but regular cinnamon may be used.
- Use melted stick-style vegan butter or margarine as alternatives to coconut oil or unsalted butter. Make sure eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation.
- Pure maple syrup can be substituted with honey or agave, both at room temperature.
- For a dairy-free option, choose coconut oil or vegan butter; for a nut-free option, use unsalted butter.
- Gluten-free option requires certified gluten-free instant oats and a special flour blend (millet flour, brown rice flour, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum) or gluten-free flour blend.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated for up to 5 days, or freeze once fully cooled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
