Carrot-cake breakfast cookies
Soft oat cookies packed with carrot, walnuts, raisins and warm spices, with just enough maple syrup to bind them.
Prep20 min
Cook18 min
Rest25 min
Oven180°C
Servings12
Research-based original adaptation informed by the Canadian Living Test Kitchen's breakfast-cookie proportions
Ingredients
Written for a 33 × 45 cm baking sheet
Units
Temperature
Servings
- 200 g rolled oats, use oats labelled gluten-free when required rounded
- 80 g oat flour rounded
- 180 g carrots, peeled, finely grated and lightly squeezed rounded
- 100 g walnuts, toasted, cooled and finely chopped rounded
- 80 g raisins rounded
- 2 large eggs, about 100 g without shells rounded
- 60 g maple syrup rounded
- 40 g neutral oil rounded
- 5 ml vanilla extract rounded
- 5 g ground cinnamon rounded
- 2 g ground ginger rounded
- 1 g ground nutmeg rounded
- 4 g baking powder rounded
- 2 g fine salt rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°C. Line a large sheet pan with baking parchment.
- Spread the walnuts on the pan and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, until fragrant. Cool, chop finely and return the parchment to the pan.
- Put the grated carrot in a clean towel and squeeze once or twice. It should remain moist but must not drip. Weigh 180 g after squeezing.
- Whisk the eggs, maple syrup, oil and vanilla until uniform. Stir in the carrot and raisins.
- In another bowl combine the oats, oat flour, walnuts, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Add the wet mixture and stir until every oat is moistened. Rest for 10 minutes so the oats absorb excess moisture.
- Divide into 12 portions of about 70 g. Compress firmly into balls on the prepared pan and flatten to discs about 1.5 cm thick. These cookies do not spread much.
- Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes. The edges should be golden, the tops dry and the centres softly springy with no wet batter.
- Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then move to a rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before refrigerating or packing.
Notes
- Allergens: walnuts and eggs. Oats may have gluten cross-contact; use oats labelled gluten-free if required and check all packaged ingredients.
- Because these thick cookies contain fresh carrot, refrigerate them within 2 hours of baking. Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze fully cooled cookies between sheets of parchment for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The surface will soften slightly after freezing.
- Transport in a rigid container with parchment between layers. Use an ice pack or insulated bag and keep the cookies chilled. Do not leave them unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in weather above 32°C.
- Excess carrot water makes gummy centres. Light squeezing and the 10 minute oat rest are both structural steps.
- No nut-free route is given because replacing 100 g walnuts materially changes the formula and has not been tested.
Sources consulted
- Canadian Living: Breakfast in a Cookie
- FoodSafety.gov: Food Safety and Eating Out
- Food Standards Agency: Allergen Guidance
Sources consulted
From Christoph Mayer