01 December 2010

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
(adapted from 101 Cookbooks)
 
1 cup white whole wheat flour (preferably freshly ground)
1 teaspoon baking powder (or 2/3 t. cream of tartar and 1/3 t. baking soda)
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (or nuts of choice)
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, warmed until just melted
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
 
Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, oats and cinnamon. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. *quick tip* – if you measure the coconut oil in the measuring cup first you don’t have as much maple syrup stick in the cup, most of it slides right out.
 
Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. I use a small ice cream scoop and press into my hand, these cookies have a tendency to fall apart a bit so they need some care. 

Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.
 
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.



These little cookies make wonderful on the go snacks. They’re packed full of all kinds of healthy ingredients and you can be at peace knowing there’s no high fructose corn syrup, soy protein isolate, artificial colors, flavors, partially hydrogenated fats, GMO ingredients or any of that scary stuff.

The term cookie is used loosely here, these are not your typically over the top sweet cookie, they’re actually less sweet than any granola bar I’ve ever eaten. 

I play around with the flavors in these every time I make them; sometimes I add raisins and lots of cinnamon, sometimes macadamia nuts, dried pineapple and large coconut flakes. I think some savory ones made with pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes would be heavenly as would a curried one. If you add a lot of extra stuff you may want to add a little more oil and maple syrup. You cold also play around with different oils, some clarified butter in a curried cookie would be great, and maybe olive oil in the tomato pine nut cookie. I’ve never strayed from using coconut oil because I like the flavor it offers and the health benefits as well. I’m guessing you could also use honey or molasses in place of the maple syrup if you’d like, although I’ve never tried to.

From Chiot's Run

I want to try these, but i'll be using a GF flour mix, probably largely quinoa, with some rice and maybe coconut flour.