Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

These easy carrot oatmeal cookies are made with pantry staples and don’t require any special equipment.

These hearty carrot oatmeal cookies are quite breakfast-y in nature. Packed with old-fashioned oats and sweetened with maple syrup, they are indeed virtuous enough to be your first meal of the day. They go fabulously with tea and coffee, and are equally great as an after-dinner treat or midday snack. 

This recipe is very simple – yes, even non-bakers can handle it! – and doesn’t require any special equipment. All you need are two bowls, fresh carrots, and a handful of pantry staples.

What to Expect From This Recipe

• An easy-to-execute technique using zero special equipment.
• Hearty, chewy cookies punctuated with crunchy nuts, and a warm, spicy fragrance from cinnamon and ginger.
• These cookies are vegan and gluten-free.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Flaxseed Meal: When ground flaxseeds are combined with water, they take on a gelatinous texture that acts as a vegan egg substitute in baked goods. (If you eat eggs, you may use 1 large egg here instead.)
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Can be substituted with 1-minute oats.
• Almond Flour: This high-protein flour (i.e. ground almonds) keeps these cookies gluten-free. (It can be a little pricey, but Trader Joe’s sells it for a great price.) Can be subbed with hazelnut flour.
• Carrots: Grate these on the smallest holes of your box grater. For super-fast results, grate them in your food processor instead, using the grating disc. You can use store-bought shredded carrots, too, though they’ll likely be a bit drier.
• Cornstarch: Helps absorb excess moisture from the carrots. Can be subbed with arrowroot starch.
• Melted Coconut Oil: I love the nutty flavor this oil adds to the cookies, but you can use any oil here, as well as melted butter.
• Maple Syrup: The only sweetener in these cookies.

How to Make Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Make the Flax “Egg”

Whisk flaxseed meal with water and set aside until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine the oats, almond flour, and the rest of the dry ingredients, including the nuts and raisins.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients

To the bowl with the flax, add the carrots, oil, and maple syrup.

Step 4: Mix the Dough

Add the carrot mixture to the oat mixture. Fold – using a rubber spatula, if you have one – until no dry patches of flour remain.

Step 5: Portion the Cookies

Using a cookie scoop*, portion the cookies onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Be sure to pack the dough tightly into the scoop before releasing it onto the paper to prevent the cookies from falling apart.

*If you don’t have a scoop, use a soup spoon and your hands to shape the dough into circles. (It’s fine if they’re not 100% circular – the cookie police will not come after you).

Step 6: Bake the Cookies

Bake until the cookies are dry on top and lightly golden around the edges, about 25 minutes.

Storage Tips

These cookies have crispy edges on day 1, then take on a more moist, cakier texture on day 2 and beyond. Store them in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for 1 day, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More Plant-Based Treats…

• Vegan Blueberry-Lemon Muffins
• Sweet Potato Waffles
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Date Bark
• French Savory Cake (Cake Salé)

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.