These Carrot Oatmeal Cookies are simple and healthy cookies made with wholesome ingredients that make a great breakfast with over 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber, but with no oil, no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar.
I love making healthier versions of classic cookies and I love oatmeal cookies, like my Healthy Oatmeal Cookies, but I also love anything with a carrot flavor, like my Carrot Cake Banana Bread.
While I have the full recipe just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, process shots, and baking tips.
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Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Grated Carrot
- ⅓ cup Applesauce - (note 2)
- ½ cup Almond Butter - (note 3)
- ½ cup Maple Syrup - (note 4)
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups Quick Oats - (note 1)
Optional
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Walnuts - chopped, (note 5)
- ⅓ cup Dried Raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly oil it with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add grated carrots, applesauce, almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla extract.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until consistent.
- Fold in the quick oats, chopped walnuts, dried raisins, and salt.
- Stir again until it forms a moist sticky cookie dough. Set it aside for 10 minutes to allow the oat fiber to absorb the liquid and firm up the dough.
- Stir again a few times, and form 12 even cookie dough balls. I like to slightly oil my hands to roll the dough as it's messy and sticky. Place each ball on the prepared cookie sheet leaving two inches of space between them.
- Oil a square of parchment paper, place the oiled side on top of the cookie dough ball and press with something flat to flatten the cookie evenly. I am using the back of a measuring cup, but a smooth bottom glass works too. Press into a 0.2-inch thick cookie so the edges and top will crisp more and the center stays moist.
- Bake the cookies in the center rack of the oven for 18-22 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until golden-brown on the edges.
- Let them cool down on the baking sheet for 20 minutes at room temperature, without touching the cookies. They firm up as they cool down.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need a few wholesome ingredients for this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.
- Grated Carrot – It brings moisture and a subtle sweetness, plus a boost of vitamin A and fiber.
- Applesauce – This adds moisture and natural sweetness. Mashed banana also works fine.
- Almond Butter – It provides healthy fats, protein, and binding properties. You can also use unsalted peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Maple Syrup – It sweetens the cookies naturally. Apple syrup or agave syrup are fine too but avoid crystal sugars.
- Cinnamon – This adds warm, sweet spice.
- Ginger – It brings a subtle spicy note.
- Vanilla Extract – For flavor.
- Quick Oats – These provide structure and fiber. I don’t recommend swapping for rolled oats or steel-cut oats.
- Walnuts – They contribute a nutty flavor and crunch. Chopped pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds also work.
- Dried Raisins – These add sweetness and chewiness. You can also use dried cranberries.
How to Make Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
If you prefer pictures over text, here’s how to make these cookies in a few photos.
Shred the carrot and add the liquid ingredients and spices on top. Combine the batter.
Pour the quick oats and all the other dry ingredients.
Stir until the mixture is well combined.
Form cookie dough balls and space them out on a baking sheet.
Flatten the cookies with the back of a flat measuring cup.
Bake the carrot oatmeal cookies for 18-22 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for the very best cookies.
- Protein Boost – Swap the walnuts for hemp hearts or seeds to increase the protein content.
- Flavor Variations – Replace the dried raisins with chopped nuts, seeds, or chocolate chips for different flavors.
- Fruit Substitute – Use mashed banana instead of applesauce to change the cookie’s flavor profile.
- Nut-Free Option – Swap almond butter with peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter, and replace walnuts with sunflower seeds.
- Oat Texture – Quick oats are essential for the cookie’s structure. If you don’t have them, pulse rolled oats in a food processor until they are finely chopped but not flour.
- Sticky Dough – Lightly oil your hands to make rolling the sticky dough easier.
- Even Thickness – Use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press the cookies to an even thickness for consistent baking.
- Cooling Time – Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet to firm up before handling.
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