Two weekends ago, my mom started craving carrot cake. She talked about it at lunch, mentioned it at dinner, and finally caved at 9 pm and drove to Safeway to pick up a slice. When she arrived home, she grabbed a fork, plopped down in her favorite armchair, and slowly savored every bite, stopping with enough left to finish the following day.
Although Mom bought me a slice of my favorite 6-layer chocolate cake at the same time, I couldn’t help but stare and hope with all of my fingers crossed behind my back that she’d offer me a taste. That cream cheese frosting… Those soft streaks of carrot… The tender cinnamon cake… It looked mesmerizing!
Despite enjoying every last morsel of my chocolate dessert, I couldn’t get carrot cake off of my mind. I pictured that square during every run (since my path went past the same grocery store) and whenever I stuck my head into the fridge for fresh fruit and veggie snacks.
I seriously contemplated baking my own again, but knowing that my self-control sometimes flies straight out the window with any type of cake, I went with the next best thing…
Cookies! These Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies blew me away, and not just from their built-in portion control. The cozy oats, the comforting cinnamon, the soft carrots… They truly tasted just like carrot cake. Pure bliss in every bite!
Even better? These cookies are really easy to make — and faster than regular carrot cake too!
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY CARROT CAKE OATMEAL COOKIES
Let’s talk about the key ingredients that you’ll need to make these healthy carrot cake oatmeal cookies! I based them off of the most popular recipe on my site: my oatmeal raisin cookies. Have you tried those yet? Hands down, they’re the BEST oatmeal cookies I’ve ever eaten. They’re soft, tender, chewy — everything a cookie should be — and countless readers have said nobody believes that they’re lightened up and made without refined flour or refined sugar!
Oats. Like many of my other healthy oatmeal cookie recipes, you’ll use instant oats to make these. They’re also called “quick cooking” and “one minute” oats. They’re not the ones that come in packets with flavors like maple brown sugar and apple cinnamon!
Just like old-fashioned rolled oats, instant oats contain just one ingredient: oats! However, they differ in one key way. Instant oats are smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats. This smaller size means they soften faster, and that yields the best soft and chewy texture in your oatmeal cookies.
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy carrot cake oatmeal cookies gluten-free, then substitute certified gluten-free instant oats. They work perfectly!
Flour. I opted for whole wheat flour to make these oatmeal cookies. I love how it has more fiber and micronutrients!
Tip: If you’d like to make your carrot cake oatmeal cookies gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve included how to do so there!
Cinnamon. It’s a carrot cake staple! I love the cozy flavor it adds to both regular carrot cake and these healthy oatmeal cookies. If you’re a big cinnamon fan (like I am!), I highly recommend this variety. It tastes a bit stronger, sweeter, and richer than regular cinnamon. Many stores have started stocking it, but I generally buy it online here. It’s really affordable — and basically the only kind I now use in my baking!
Unsalted butter or coconut oil. Just a bit! Unlike more traditional cookie recipes that call for ½ cup or more, you only need 2 tablespoons. That really helps keep your healthy carrot cake oatmeal cookies low calorie and low fat!
Tip: Both work equally well, so feel free to use whichever one you normally keep on hand. If you use coconut oil, your healthy carrot cake oatmeal cookies will be dairy-free!
Egg. A common oatmeal cookie ingredient! The egg binds everything together, and it also yields a beautifully chewy texture.
Sweetener. For this version, I swapped out the honey from my oatmeal raisin cookie recipe for pure maple syrup. I love its sweet and cozy flavor in my carrot cake recipe, and I had a feeling it’d work well in these cookies too. Spoiler alert: It was perfect!
Pure maple syrup often comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this). It only contains one ingredient: maple syrup!
Tip: Skip the pancake syrup and sugar-free maple syrup! These contain other ingredients, which can change the way they behave in baking recipes. This is particularly true of sugar-free maple syrup! It’s usually water-based, and that will make your cookies cakey or bready, rather than chewy.
Carrots. Lots and lots of carrots. I love my regular carrot cake positively packed with them — not just a plain spice cake with the occasional fleck of orange — so I took the same approach with these healthy oatmeal cookies. That turned out so well!
For the best taste and texture, use peeled and freshly grated carrots. Don’t substitute store-bought, pre-shredded carrots! They’re also called “matchstick carrots.” They’re thicker and drier, so they don’t soften properly. It only takes a few moments to grate your own, and I promise the results are completely worth it!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CARROT CAKE OATMEAL COOKIES
Let’s quickly go over how to make the best carrot cake oatmeal cookies! This recipe is easy and straightforward — I promise! — and I also have some tips to ensure your cookies turn out beautifully soft, chewy, and flavorful.
Measure correctly. This is one of the most crucial parts of this recipe! It’s extremely important to measure the oats and flour correctly. Do NOT scoop them directly from the container! Instead, use this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Scooping or improperly measuring can result in up to 1 ½ times as much of either ingredient. That extra amount of flour or oats will change the texture of your cookies, especially the oats! They act like little sponges by soaking up lots of moisture in the dough. Too much of either will dry out your cookies and make them cakey, bready, or dry — but if you measure them correctly, your cookies will be perfectly soft and chewy!
Chill the dough. Chilling is mandatory! It gives the oats time to soak up some moisture and helps reduce spreading. If you skipped chilling, the cookie dough would flatten thinner than a pancake while in the oven and create one huge cookie blob on the baking sheet. Not good! So avoid cookie blobs and chill your dough. Just 30 minutes — that’s it!
Drop + shape. The cookie dough will still be somewhat soft and sticky after chilling, so use a spoon and spatula to drop it onto the baking sheet. Because it only spreads some — but not a lot — you’ll also flatten it a bit to give your cookies a “head start” on spreading.
Tip: These are the spatulas I use. They’re so handy — and really cute too!
Bake + cool. It’s time! Slide that baking sheet in the oven. To ensure these cookies stay soft and chewy, you’ll underbake them ever so slightly. Just by a hair! Pull them out when the centers still feel a little soft and squidgy. You’ll let the cookies cool for a full 10-15 minutes on the warm baking sheet, and the residual heat will finish cooking those centers all the way through without the outsides turning cakey, bready, or crunchy. This is my #1 tip for the best soft and chewy oatmeal cookies! They’ll stay soft for an entire week… If they last that long!
Reshape (optional). If your cookies look a little lopsided and not completely round when you remove them from the oven, then immediately grab a butter knife and gently nudge any misshapen bits back into place. Their sides are still a bit malleable when they’re hot and fresh from the oven, but since these cookies set and firm up within minutes, work really quickly!
I secretly tried hoarding these healthy carrot cake oatmeal cookies, but that plan didn’t stand a chance around my hungry sweet-toothed family. Every time I walked by the counter, another one had mysteriously disappeared from the jar!
Oh well, at least we’re getting some extra veggies in… Right? 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy carrot cake oatmeal cookies!
Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (measured like this and gluten-free if necessary)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (68g) freshly grated carrots (about 1 smallish medium, peeled first!)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup until thoroughly incorporated. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the carrots. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 14 rounded scoops on the baking sheet. Flatten slightly using a spatula. (These cookies don't spread very much!) Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Ultimate Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
♡ Healthy Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Flourless Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Ultimate Healthy Carrot Cake
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes
…and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes and healthy carrot cake flavored recipes!
I totally lose self control with whole carrot cakes too! Mind you, a jar full of cookies is pretty tempting too…! These look great and I love the use of coconut oil, I have some in the cupboard I’ve been waiting to use!
I’m glad I’m not the only one that loses control around carrot cake Annie! My rationale with cookies was that it’d be a lot harder to shave off a “little sliver” without anyone else noticing. Having a bite or two missing from a cookie is much more apparent! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think if you try the cookies!
You must be some kind of genius!
Thanks Mads! 😉
I just cooked these with the kids. Honestly, I was a little disappointed too. I added double the cinnamon and extra conconut oil (as the mix seemed a little dry.) They where a bit bland. The carrot was not really enough to have an impact on the taste, but it did add a lovely vibrant colour. If I was to make them again I’d consider adding ginger, perhaps some, walnuts &/or dedicated coconut to give it a bit of a boost.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Georgia! That sounds disappointing. These cookies should be sweet, spiced, and very chewy — so I’d love to work together to figure out what happened! 🙂 If your cookies were bland and the cookie dough was dry, then there was probably too much flour or too many oats in the cookie dough. How did you measure them — with measuring cups or a kitchen scale? If the former, did you scoop them directly from the containers? Also, was your cookie dough more dry than what I share in the video above the recipe? Finally, what kind of carrots did you use? The more detail you can give me, the better I’ll be able to help you! 🙂
I made these cookies and they honestly turned out terrible. They did not taste good at all.
That sounds disappointing, Betsy. Can you describe what made them terrible? That will help us figure out what the issues were and solve any problems! 🙂
Wow! These are excellent. I adjusted the recipe a bit. I used “Uncle Bob’s” steel cut oats, added 1/2 cup unsweeted applesauce and 1/4 cup honey in place of the 1/2 cup maple syrup. I used the butter instead of the coconut oil as I didn’t have that on hand. My gluten free flour was 1/3 Bob’s Mill gluten free ( this mix is bitter) all purpose baking mix and 2/3 Bob’s Mill Tapioca flour. I used a cookie scoop , didn’t flatten and the texture is terrific! Moist like cake but chewy like a good cookie. Thanks this recipe came at a perfect time for me.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies Amber! And thank you for including your modifications. It’s great to hear what works, especially the honey/applesauce and steel cut oats! 🙂
I’m glad I saw this comment since I don’t have any maple syrup in the house, but I do have applesauce and honey. You saved me from having to change out of my PJs to run to the store 🙂
I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies Anna! I also include other substitutions on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page (it’s linked to in the Notes section underneath the Instructions.) 🙂
They could definitely be sweeter, but they aren’t bad. I’ll try one of the other substitutions listed on your tips page next time 🙂
I hope you enjoy one of the other substitutions even better Anna! Honey is always my #2 go-to option. 🙂
Omg these were so yummy! I can’t wait to try another type of cookies from here. I’m glad I found this website.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies Nancy, and I can’t wait to hear what you try next! 🙂
Oh my goodness! These are delicious! Just finished making them. It has the texture of half a cookie and half a cake! I substituted honey instead of syrup. Next time I think I would use 1/4 cup honey instead of 1/2 cup as I don’t like super sweetired things.
Question: is it best to store in a enclosed container in the pantry or fridge?
Thanks for the recipe. Easy, deluscious, unique and healthy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies Nicole! That really means a lot to me. If you don’t want these cookies to be quite so sweet, then I recommend this carrot cake oatmeal cookie recipe of mine instead. (It includes only half of the maple syrup/honey, just like you mentioned!) 🙂 The cookies will keep for at least 4 days if stored in an airtight container on the counter or at least 8 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I tend to leave mine in the fridge, just to be safe!
These look PERFECT. I’d die for them and so would Mel. And they’re healthier! Totally making these for him.
Thanks Dorothy! 🙂 If you do make them, I’d love to hear what Mel thinks!!
My mom would swoon over these too! (Especially since she’s on a diet and definitely can’t pick up a slice of cream cheese loaded carrot cake!) Now you can run without temptation;)
SO true!! I haven’t thought about carrot cake for a few days now — crazy how that works! I’d die if I was on a diet and couldn’t eat cake… I mean, come on. It’s cake with vegetables! 😉
I love that these carrot cake cookies are portion controlled for carrot cake hoarders like myself 😉
Thanks Becca! I totally fall into that hoarder category too. 😉
I have old fashioned oats sitting in my pantry right now. If I run them through the food processor, do you think they could adequately substitute the quick oats?
Yes, I think so Heather! Just be extra carefully about measuring them correctly. Too many old-fashioned oats can dry out the cookies a little bit faster than instant, so as long as you use the spoon-and-level method, you should be fine. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies!
Hi!
I’m making these cookies tonight, and am using half honey and half maple syrup. I was just wondering for the future though if there is a way to substitute regular white or brown sugar without them being too dry? My parents don’t usually buy maple syrup because it’s quite pricey, but I have a feeling I’m going to want to make these cookies again, they look awesome!!
-Amy
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cookies Amy! 🙂 You could probably substitute brown sugar, although their texture may be a tad bit drier. Not crumbly dry, just not quite as moist. I’d say substitute the same amount of brown sugar, then add a tablespoon or two of milk. Go based off of the texture. Aim for the texture of the cookie dough after chilling, and then skip the chilling step and bake right after mixing it up. However, if you add a little too much milk and the texture becomes more like muffin batter (aka what it looked like before chilling with the honey/maple syrup), then go ahead and chill. Does that make sense? I’d love to hear how that modification turns out for you!
The cookies were delicious! Even my picky older brother liked them, so I’ll definitely be making them again. Next time I’ll try it with those modifications and leave a comment on how they turned out. Thanks so much for the suggestions!!
That’s a HUGE compliment Amy — I’m incredibly touched that your brother liked them too! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear how batch #2 turns out!
Hello,
I am a novice when it comes to baking, I want to make these today, but just a couple of questions. Is it 1 & 1/2 tsp of cinnamon & baking powde or 1 x 1/2 tsp? Also, when you put the dough onto the baking tray, you don’t flatten it, you just leave it as is?
Thanks!
I’m sorry for the confusion Julie! It’s 1 + 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and baking powder. The numbers get so squashed in that little recipe box! And that’s correct, don’t flatten the cookie dough. These cookies have a tendency to spread in the oven, so if you flatten them, they’ll turn into one big cookie blob! 😉 I hope you enjoy the cookies, and I can’t wait to hear what you think!
I was wondering if I could swap the carrots for zucchini and then use the old-fashioned oats to account for the extra moisture it may add … any ideas ?/
I love the idea of swapping zucchini for the carrots! I think if you grated the zucchini first, then let it sit on paper towels while preparing the rest of the ingredients, that should help soak up the excess moisture so you wouldn’t have to use old-fashioned oats. Pat the zucchini dry before folding it it, and you should be fine. 🙂 I’d love to hear how that goes if you try it!