I made Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies loaded with carrot, apple and warm spice that double as a quick healthy breakfast, so keep scrolling.
I am obsessed with these carrot cake breakfast cookies. They hit the perfect spot when I need a sweet, chewy breakfast that actually behaves during a hectic morning.
I love that they feel like oatmeal cookies but aren’t a sugar bomb. The mix of 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats and 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots gives texture and real vegetable honesty.
They’re breakfast food that travels, great as an Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies option or a Healthy Make Ahead Breakfast for busy weeks. No fluff, just sticky crumbs, warm spice, and a reason to eat cake for breakfast daily.
Ingredients
- Rolled oats: hearty chew and fiber, keeps you full through morning.
- Whole wheat pastry or AP flour: a soft structure without tasting dense.
- Baking powder: makes cookies light and not rock-hard.
- Baking soda: helps browning and a little lift.
- Fine sea salt: balances sweetness and makes flavors pop.
- Ground cinnamon: warm, cozy spice you’ll smell first.
- Ground nutmeg: subtle warmth, small but helpful.
- Ground ginger: bright, slightly spicy kick.
- Light brown sugar: molasses note and chewy sweetness.
- Maple syrup or honey: sticky sweetness and natural flavor.
- Melted coconut or neutral oil: keeps cookies moist and tender.
- Egg or flax egg: binds everything together, adds protein.
- Vanilla extract: smooth, sweet background flavor.
- Grated carrots: fresh veggie sweetness and tiny moisture pockets.
- Grated apple: juicy brightness and extra natural sugar.
- Raisins or dates: chewy bursts of concentrated sweetness.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans: crunchy contrast, a little richness.
- Unsweetened applesauce: basically extra moisture without extra fat.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or neutral oil, cooled a bit
- 1 large egg (or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water for vegan)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots), packed
- 1 cup grated apple, juice and peel ok
- 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, optional for extra moisture
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them; set aside while you mix stuff.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose), 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger so all the spices are evenly distributed.
3. In a medium bowl beat 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey, then stir in 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (cooled a bit), 1 large egg (or the flaxseed egg: 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, mixed and set 5 min), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth-ish.
4. Stir the wet mix into the dry mix until mostly combined; don’t overmix or the cookies get tough. If the batter seems dry add up to 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (optional) or a splash of milk to reach a sticky, scoopable consistency.
5. Fold in 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (press them a bit into the measuring cup), 1 cup grated apple (juice and peel ok), 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates, and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using. Scrape bowl so nothing’s left behind.
6. Let the dough rest 5 minutes so the oats soak up some moisture; this helps cookies stay soft. If you want flatter cookies press them slightly before baking, if you want thicker leave them rounded.
7. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. You should get roughly 18 to 20 small cookies or 12 larger ones depending on size.
8. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are set and tops look dry but not browned. Oven temps vary so start checking at 10 minutes if you like them extra soft.
9. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. They firm up a bit but stay soft inside. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for longer.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (preheated to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 2 mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk and wooden spoon or rubber spatula
5. Box grater or food processor with grating blade
6. Baking sheets (2) lined with parchment paper or lightly greased
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a spoon for leveling
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Small bowl for flax egg or mixing wet ingredients
10. Kitchen towels or oven mitts for handling hot sheets
FAQ
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Flour: Use 1 to 1 ratio oat flour or almond flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour. Oat flour will make them chewier and may need a touch more liquid, almond flour will make them tender and denser, so press the dough into slightly thinner cookies so they bake through.
- Sweeteners: Swap the 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup maple syrup for 1/2 cup coconut sugar plus 2 tablespoons water or 1/3 cup date syrup. Both keep the deep caramel notes, just expect a slightly different moisture level.
- Oil: Replace the 1/3 cup melted coconut or neutral oil with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce for lower fat, or 1/3 cup melted butter for richer flavor. If using applesauce reduce the optional applesauce in the recipe to avoid soggy cookies.
- Egg: If you dont do eggs, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, or mashed half a banana. Flax gives structure, banana adds sweetness and more moisture so maybe cut the maple syrup by a tablespoon.
Pro Tips
– Grate the carrots and apple by hand right before mixing. If they sit they’ll leak juice and make the dough too wet. Also press the grated carrots into the measuring cup so you don’t under or over measure.
– Chill the dough 10 to 15 minutes if it feels too soft. It firms up and spreads less in the oven, so you get chewier, not flat, cookies. If you want extra flat, skip this step.
– Toast the nuts and raisins briefly in a dry pan or in the oven for 5 minutes. It brings out more flavor and keeps the raisins from turning into gummy blobs in the cookie.
– If you want super-soft cookies, slightly underbake them by 1 to 2 minutes and let them cool on the sheet. They’ll continue cooking a bit but stay tender inside. For crisper cookies, bake a few minutes longer.
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies Recipe
I made Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies loaded with carrot, apple and warm spice that double as a quick healthy breakfast, so keep scrolling.
12
servings
257
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 2 mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Whisk and wooden spoon or rubber spatula
5. Box grater or food processor with grating blade
6. Baking sheets (2) lined with parchment paper or lightly greased
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a spoon for leveling
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Small bowl for flax egg or mixing wet ingredients
10. Kitchen towels or oven mitts for handling hot sheets
Ingredients
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/3 cup melted coconut oil or neutral oil, cooled a bit
1 large egg (or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water for vegan)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots), packed
1 cup grated apple, juice and peel ok
1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, optional for extra moisture
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them; set aside while you mix stuff.
- In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose), 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger so all the spices are evenly distributed.
- In a medium bowl beat 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey, then stir in 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (cooled a bit), 1 large egg (or the flaxseed egg: 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, mixed and set 5 min), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth-ish.
- Stir the wet mix into the dry mix until mostly combined; don’t overmix or the cookies get tough. If the batter seems dry add up to 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (optional) or a splash of milk to reach a sticky, scoopable consistency.
- Fold in 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (press them a bit into the measuring cup), 1 cup grated apple (juice and peel ok), 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates, and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using. Scrape bowl so nothing's left behind.
- Let the dough rest 5 minutes so the oats soak up some moisture; this helps cookies stay soft. If you want flatter cookies press them slightly before baking, if you want thicker leave them rounded.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. You should get roughly 18 to 20 small cookies or 12 larger ones depending on size.
- Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are set and tops look dry but not browned. Oven temps vary so start checking at 10 minutes if you like them extra soft.
- Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. They firm up a bit but stay soft inside. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for longer.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 85g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 257kcal
- Fat: 11.1g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.02g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
- Monounsaturated: 6.8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
- Sodium: 75mg
- Potassium: 183mg
- Carbohydrates: 37.5g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Sugar: 16.7g
- Protein: 5g
- Vitamin A: 347IU
- Vitamin C: 1.2mg
- Calcium: 17mg
- Iron: 1mg
