Healthy, delicious carrot cake cookies that are healthy enough for breakfast or packing up and taking for a snack on-the-go! These clean and delicious grain-free cookies are great for sharing with family for brunch!
Who here loves carrot cake??
Perhaps the better question is who here doesn’t love carrot cake?
Truth: I’ve never met a carrot cake I didn’t like.
I, for one, can get on board with carrot cake everything. A classic Paleo Carrot Cake is nearly impossible to beat in my book, Carrot Cake Fat Balls are one of my favorite snacks to put on repeat, Paleo Carrot Cake Pancakes and Paleo Carrot Cake Banana Bread are reserved for those special weekend breakfasts with friends or family, and Carrot Cake Overnight Oats makes for a delicious go-to meal prep breakfast.
Because I’m a big fan of whisking off to the mountains for some sort of adventure, the majority of these cookies were eaten on a chair lift. I would put one or two in a zip lock bag, stick it in the pocket of my snowboard pants, then hit the slopes. It made for such a lovely mid-morning snack to keep me fueled for laps on the mountain.
I made these cookies not super sweet on purpose in order to make them 1.) a lower-carb option than your standard cookie, and 2.) healthy enough to eat for breakfast or snack. In this sense, I don’t really view these paleo carrot cake cookies as dessert, but you can absolutely use them as such!
How to Make Carrot Cake Cookies:
You guys, this recipe is so silly simple. Whisk together the sticky wet ingredients in a bowl, then stir in the dry ingredients in a bowl.
You can also just dump everything into a stand mixer and beat it until the dough is combined.
Drop the dough on a baking sheet and bake! I make large cookies, but you can make them any size you prefer.
Dip them in your morning coffee or tea and enjoy!
Recipe Adaptations:
- Replace coconut sugar with pure maple syrup.
- Use your favorite nut butter. I prefer almond butter or sunflower seed butter. If you use sunflower seed butter, the cookies turn a delightful green – don’t be alarmed, this is normal!
- If you prefer a sweeter cookie, I highly recommend adding 2 more tablespoons of coconut sugar, or even toss in some erythritol, xylitol, stevia, or other zero-sugar sweetener.
- Replace the walnuts with pecans.
- Omit the flaked coconut and add another ½ cup of almond flour if you aren’t a fan of coconut.
- If you don’t have an apple on hand, double up on the shredded carrot!
Make batches upon batches to keep on hand in case of company or emergency!
Cookies for breakfast on repeat!
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your all your support!
If you make these Paleo Carrot Cake Cookies please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened creamy almond butter, see note*
- 2 large eggs, see note**
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup grated apple
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the almond butter, eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract until creamy.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, shredded coconut, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Transfer the flour mixture to the mixing bowl with the wet mixture and stir well until combined. Stir in the remaining ingredients (apple, carrot, raisins, walnuts).
- Drop cookie dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet (I like to make the cookies large, but you can make them any size you'd like). Bake 15 minutes, or until cookies are golden-brown around the edges. For crispier cookies, bake 17 to 20 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes and serve.
Vicky
Wednesday 12th of June 2019
I made these and they are delicious, however I used homemade super smooth almond butter (all almonds and nothing else) and the mix was really solid and I had to roll them into little balls and squish the cookies and they didn't spread at all or look like the pictures :(
I'm making some sunflower butter now (hurrah for food processors!) and gonna try again to see if that makes a difference.
What would you recommend if the mix is still too thick? I was wondering if perhaps it needs some more fat, so could throw in some coconut oil or maybe another egg? What do you think?
Julia
Wednesday 12th of June 2019
Oh bummer! Does your homemade nut butter have the same consistency as store-bought? I ask because sometimes when I make almond butter it turns out kind of dry, whereas sometimes it turns out creamy and oily like store-bought. I'm wondering if that could be the culprit, although I can't be sure without having seen your almond butter ;) I would say add some coconut oil or avocado oil if it happens again. You could also add unsweetened applesauce if you have some on hand. Let me know how round two goes! xoxo
Elizabeth
Sunday 21st of April 2019
Just made these for Easter breakfast - they were delicious! I ate two pretty quickly ;). Will be nice to have for breakfast and snacks this week. Love your recipes and cookbook!
Julia
Monday 22nd of April 2019
Wahoo! So happy to hear it, Elizabeth! I love having the cookies around as snacks as well, and I'm psyched to hear you're enjoying my cookbook! Thank you for the sweet note xoxo
Elizabeth
Sunday 21st of April 2019
My kiddos loved them as well.
Sara Montague
Wednesday 17th of April 2019
made these last night and they are so delicious. I love that that are not too sweet and full of nutrition... this is my 4th baked goods recipe i have made from you and all are amazing, husband approved !!! (although his fav has been the banana carrot loaf , he isn't into health foods lol) -- yet . so i ordered your book and love it ! I have been bingeing on healthy cookbooks lately and i must say yours is my fav ,, so thanks . :)
Julia
Wednesday 17th of April 2019
I'm so happy you like the cookies, Sara! I've been addicted to them lately! Also thanks so much for the sweet words and for the support on my cookbook! I hope you love it :D xoxo
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite
Monday 15th of April 2019
I've been obsessed with both carrot cake and sunbutter lately...absolutely cannot wait to try these!! :)
Julia
Monday 15th of April 2019
Yaaaas! Let me know how you like them, Brittany! xo
Allie
Monday 15th of April 2019
I make your paleo carrot cake every year and a birthday gift to myself haha but these sound so good! Since you bring up eating them for breakfast, I'm wondering if you think it would work to sub a little collagen or protein powder in for some of the almond flour to add some extra protein?
Julia
Monday 15th of April 2019
Hi Allie! I'm so happy to hear you love my carrot cake!! It's one of my favorites, too! Without having tried these cookies using collagen, I can't be too sure it would work, but my gut says it will. I would replace 1/4 cup of the almond flour with collagen peptides. It the dough seems too wet, you can always add more flour :D Best of luck!! xo