Description
Enjoy a delightful twist on traditional carrot cake with these soft, spiced cookies. Packed with freshly grated carrots, warm spices, and a hint of vanilla, these bite-sized treats offer the comforting flavors of carrot cake in a fun, easy-to-make dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Add Carrots: Stir in the grated carrots until evenly distributed.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Extras: Gently fold in the raisins, chopped nuts, and shredded coconut (if using).
- Scoop Dough: Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may appear soft but will firm up as the cookies cool.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Variations: For a gluten-free version, substitute the flours with a gluten-free all-purpose blend. To make these cookies vegan, replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water) and use a vegan-friendly oil.
- Spice Adjustments: Feel free to adjust the spice levels to your taste. A pinch of cardamom can add an extra layer of flavor.
- Sweetness: If you prefer a less sweet cookie, consider reducing the granulated sugar by 1/4 cup.
- Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/24 of recipe
- Calories: ~100 kcal
- Sugar: ~10 g
- Sodium: ~80 mg
- Fat: ~4 g
- Saturated Fat: ~1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~15 g
- Fiber: ~1.5 g
- Protein: ~1.5 g
- Cholesterol: ~15 mg