Description
These Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with wholesome ingredients like instant oats, whole wheat flour, freshly grated carrots, and warm cinnamon. Sweetened naturally with pure maple syrup and made with coconut oil or butter, they offer a delicious and nutritious twist on traditional carrot cake in a convenient cookie form. Perfect as a snack or breakfast treat, these cookies are easy to prepare and can be customized to accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free diets.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (68g) freshly grated carrots (about 1 small-medium carrot, peeled)
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted and slightly cooled coconut oil or butter, the room temperature egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in the pure maple syrup until fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour the flour and oat mixture into the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in carrots: Gently fold the freshly grated carrots into the cookie dough, distributing them evenly throughout.
- Chill dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up slightly, which helps with shaping and baking.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 325°F (162°C) and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Shape cookies: Using a spoon and spatula, scoop 14 evenly sized rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly with a spatula as these cookies will not spread much during baking.
- Bake cookies: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies should be slightly soft in the center when removed.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes so residual heat can finish cooking the centers and help them set up. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Measure oats and flour accurately using a kitchen scale or proper measuring techniques to avoid dry or cakey cookies.
- Use freshly grated carrots (not store-bought pre-shredded) for the best texture and moisture.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be slightly soft when removed as they firm up while cooling.
- If cookies are still fragile after cooling, allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet to firm up without losing softness.
- Instant oats are best; if unavailable, pulse old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor until finely cut.
- Flour substitutions include white whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, all-purpose, or oat flour (gluten-free if needed), but be mindful of flour absorbency.
- Saigon cinnamon is recommended for a richer cinnamon flavor.
- For dairy-free, use coconut oil or vegan butter, ensuring the egg is room temperature to prevent solidifying the fat.
- Maple syrup can be substituted with honey or agave but avoid sugar-free syrups to maintain texture.
- Gluten-free option requires certified gluten-free instant oats plus a specific gluten-free flour blend with millet, brown rice, tapioca flours, and xanthan gum.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5-7 days; they also freeze well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 30g)
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
