Sugar-free Carrot Cake Cookies for Fresh Spring Sweetness

A healthy Carrot Cake Cookie? Count me in!

These whole-food, plant-based cookies are the perfect little treat for Easter or any other day!

One of the best parts about these cookies is that they're completely free of all processed sugar that you find in almost all cookies, even the so-called "healthy" vegan cookies.

So you might be wondering, what does make them sweet then? Well, dates and applesauce take that credit here. Dates have a delicious caramel-like flavor that makes them an easy and delicious alternative to refined sweeteners.

Another way to add great flavor without sweetener is spices. The warming carrot cake spices will stimulate your taste buds and make you want just one more bite.

I also LOVE the texture of these. Since we don't start with flour and we don't process it to a smooth batter, you get to enjoy lots of texture from the oats, dates, walnuts, and coconut!

These are so wholesome that you may even find yourself making these cookies for a fun, spring-time breakfast!

Carrot Cake Cookies

By Chef Katie Mae

Makes 16 cookies | Ready in 40 minutes | Stores 4 days at room temp or 1 week in the fridge

INGREDIENTS

• 7 Medjool dates, pitted (6 oz)
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (6 oz)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1½ cups carrots, shredded (2 medium carrots)
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup coconut flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the dates, flaxseed, apple cider vinegar, apple sauce to a food processor fitted with the s-blade. Pulse a few times, so the dates are partially broken up.
2. Add the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Scrape down the sides of the food processor. Then pulse briefly just a couple of times.
3. Now add the shredded carrot, walnuts, and coconut flakes. Briefly pulse just a couple more times, so the batter still has lots of texture, but it’s processed enough that will hold together when rolled into a ball.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Use your hands to roll the batter into balls (about 1 oz each) and then slightly flatten them so they are about 2-inches in diameter.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool for 5 minutes, and then enjoy your freshly baked Carrot Cake Cookies!