A Carrot Cake-Flavoured Breakfast Cookie That’s Surprisingly Healthy

We can’t think of a better way to kick-start a day than with a cookie (our childhood dreams coming true). These hearty and nutritious power cookies are packed with fibre, apples, carrots, and nuts and just happen to be vegan, giving you the right kind of energy to start your day. This recipe makes a large batch of cookies that you can store in the freezer for those rushed mornings or moments when you need a quick healthy snack. Follow the nut-free substitutions to make them lunchbox-friendly.

Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies

Vegan • Gluten-free option • Nut-free option • Freezer-friendly
Makes about 25 cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500 mL) finely grated peeled carrot
• 1 cup (250 mL) grated peeled apple
• ¾ cup (175 mL) pure maple syrup
• ½ cup (125 mL) natural almond butter
• ½ cup (125 mL) ground flaxseed
• ½ cup (125 mL) water
• ½ cup (125 mL) coconut oil or vegan butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups (500 mL) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup (250 mL) sultana raisins
• 1 cup (250 mL) chopped raw pecans
• ½ cup (125 mL) hemp hearts
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon (1 mL) nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon (1 mL) salt

Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or certified gluten-free oat flour instead of whole wheat flour. Use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
Nut-free: Use a seed butter such as tahini or sunflower butter instead of almond butter. Skip the pecans.

Directions

1. Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the carrots, apple, maple syrup, almond butter, flaxseed, water, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until combined.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, whole wheat flour, shredded coconut, raisins, pecans, hemp hearts, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Pour the carrot mixture into the oat mixture. Mix with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop about twenty-five ¼ cup (60 mL) mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them. Using your fingers, gently press down on the cookies to flatten them to ½-inch (1 cm) thickness.
6. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely. Store in a resealable container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Excerpted from Fraiche Food Fuller Hearts by Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. Copyright © 2023 Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. Photography by Rachelle Beatty. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Next: A Lazy Girl Recipe for Tasty Meat-Free Cabbage Rolls