Hellobee

Here is my adaptation of Heidi Swanson’s Carrot Oatmeal Cookies. Whole wheat pastry flour, coconut oil instead of butter, oats, and carrots? Dare I say it, a “healthy” cookie (at least as far as cookies go). They were sweeter than I would have expected from a cookie that involved carrots. I added flaked coconut, candied ginger, and hazelnuts and I think they turned out lovely. My toddler loved these, too, and I made special cookies for her without the nuts posing a choking hazard.

Heidi suggests playing with the recipe by adding lemon zest, and I imagine this could be good with cashews and ras el hanout (a Moroccan and North African spice blend – similar to a curry powder).

Here’s how I would make these again, easing up on the sweetener:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup room temperature maple syrup or honey
• 1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, warmed until just melted
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• candied ginger and coconut flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl whisk together maple syrup or honey, coconut oil, and fresh ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Drop by tablespoonful onto 2 baking sheets, leaving about 1.5 inches between each cookie. Top each cookie with either coconut flakes, candied ginger, or both. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

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