Delicious healthy carrot cake cookies bursting with coconut, raisins and pecans. These naturally sweetened cookies taste just like the carrot cake you know and love.

I’m on my way to Minneapolis for the rest of the week. For those of you who don’t know, I was actually born and raised in Minnesota. I went to college and started my first job there. It wasn’t until 2014 that I decided to move to Chicago.

Funny enough, Abra just so happens to be from Minnesota too (we didn’t know each other before she worked for AK though!). I’m super excited to continue to work on the new Ambitious Kitchen and Ambitious Home websites + also check out some fitness studios and new restaurants in MN while I’m there. Any recommendations?! Leave a comment below and let me know your favs.

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ENOUGH CHATTER about me. It’s cookie time!

Raise your hand if carrot cake if your favorite cake of all time, or as I like to call it the Oprah of cakes. You know, classy and sophisticated, but also something everyone can love.

These chewy carrot cake cookies were first made by yours truly back in 2014 aka the year I became obsessed with turning my favorite cakes and breads into healthy little bite-sized cookie versions.

Since Mother’s Day is right around the corner, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to present you with these glorious baby cakes aka healthy carrot cake cookies again. Over the years, I’ve gotten several emails from readers requesting various versions of carrot cake and I’m slowing making my way through a list:

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

Zucchini Orange Carrot Cake

Healthy Carrot Cake Banana Bread

and now healthy carrot cake cookies!

As you can see, ya’ll aren’t the only ones with a real carrot cake obsession.

One of the reasons I love these beautiful cookies is because they’re packed with nutritious ingredients: oats, pecans, coconut and raisins then topped with a light cinnamon glaze.

Together they combine in a cookie that tastes just like a slice of carrot cake. And dare I say that you could even enjoy them for breakfast?! YES YOU CAN.

Yep, that’s right these cookies are made with whole wheat flour and oatmeal as the base. They’re also low in fat, butter-free, dairy-free, and pack a pretty great nutritional punch. I suspect you could even make them vegan by subbing in half of a banana or using a flax egg for the egg. Go crazy, kids!

I actually made these cookies three different times before deciding on this version. I tried one with brown butter, another with maple syrup instead of brown sugar and the last with more oats and a cream cheese glaze. I actually really loved all of the versions (especially the browned butter one!). However, I wanted these to be a great cookie nutrition wise, be dairy free and also super tasty.

In the notes below the actual recipe below, you’ll see all of my tips for substitutions.

These cookies get crisp on the bottoms and outside but are deliciously soft and chewy in the middle. Secretly wishing I had chipmunk cheeks for optimal carrot cake cookie storage.

For some reason, I haven’t been in a crazy baking mood lately like I usually am. But I’ll be back in the kitchen next week whipping up fabulous recipes for you. I’ve been keeping a list on my iPhone and it’s stacked with IDEAS. As always, let me know what you want to see for summer!

Until then, bake these cookies and tag your photos #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram!

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xoxo LOVE YOU.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies (made with coconut oil!)

 

Author: Monique of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 18 cookies

• Serving size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 136

• Fat: 6.6g
• Carbohydrates: 18.1g
• Sugar: 9g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 2.4g

Recipe type: Cookies, Healthy

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  9 mins

Total time:  19 mins

Print

Delicious wholesome healthy carrot cake cookies bursting with coconut, raisins and pecans. Tastes just like carrot cake!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (or sub coconut sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 heaping cup shredded carrots
• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• For the glaze:
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk
• dash of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In a separate large bowl mix together coconut oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until well combined; next fold in shredded carrots. Add in flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Fold in oats, coconut, pecans, and raisins.
4. Use a small cookie scoop and drop by tablespoonful on prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten with your hand. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool cookies for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
5. To make the glaze: Combine powdered sugar, almond milk and cinnamon in a bowl. Drizzle a tiny bit over cookies, then let dry. Makes about 18 cookies.

Notes

Feel free to leave out the raisins, pecans or coconut if you do not prefer them. You can also substitute any nut or dried fruit.

TO MAKE VEGAN: Replace egg with half a large banana or a flax egg.

TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE: I recommend an all purpose GF flour for the whole wheat. You can also try chickpea flour.

You can also use 1/4 cup of melted butter instead of coconut oil if you aren't dairy free and prefer to bake with butter.


Feel free to sub brown sugar with coconut sugar or with maple syrup. Note that if you use maple syrup your cookies will be more cake-like.

If you like cream cheese (and aren't DF), try adding a heaping tablespoon of softened cream cheese to the glaze before you mix it up; it makes the glaze super creamy and delicious!

3.5.3239

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