Vegan Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies
These wholesome breakfast cookies combine the warm spices and flavors of carrot cake in a grab-and-go morning treat. Made with whole wheat flour, oats, freshly grated carrots, and crunchy pecans, they're naturally sweetened with maple syrup and bound with coconut oil. Perfect for busy mornings, school lunches, or an afternoon snack with coffee. The cookies have a tender, slightly chewy texture with bursts of sweetness from golden raisins and warming notes of cinnamon and ginger.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ cups carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 cup raw pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup refined coconut oil, melted
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven and line baking sheet with parchment paper
- 2
Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and whisk to blend
- 3
Add carrots, pecans, and raisins to dry mixture and stir
- 4
Whisk maple syrup and melted coconut oil in medium bowl
- 5
Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined
- 6
Drop quarter-cup scoops onto prepared baking sheet with space around each
- 7
Gently flatten each cookie with palm to three-quarter inch thick
- 8
Bake until golden and firm around edges
- 9
Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack
Tips
Use an ice cream scoop with wire scraper for evenly sized cookies that bake uniformly.
Don't worry if the dough seems wet - this creates the tender, chewy texture.
Cool cookies on the baking sheet first to prevent bottoms from browning too much.
Good to Know
Room temperature covered up to 2 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, freeze up to 3 months
Can make dough ahead and refrigerate, or bake and store
At room temperature, great with coffee or milk
Common Mistakes
Don't overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies
Cool on baking sheet first to prevent bottom browning
Substitutions
FAQ
Can I use regular oats instead of quick-cooking?
Yes, but the texture will be chewier and cooking time may need to increase slightly.
What if I don't have coconut oil?
Melted butter works as a substitute but will add dairy and change the flavor slightly.
How long do these cookies stay fresh?
They keep covered at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerated for 5 days, or frozen for 3 months.