Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies

These hearty and nutritious power cookies are packed with fibre, apples, carrots and nuts, and just happen to be vegan, giving you the right kind of energy to start your day. This recipe makes a large batch of cookies that you can store in the freezer for those rushed mornings or moments when you need a quick healthy snack. Follow the nut-free substitutions to make them lunchbox-friendly.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups finely grated peeled carrot
• 1 cup grated peeled apple
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup natural almond butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut oil or vegan butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup sultana raisins
• 1 cup chopped raw pecans
• 1/2 cup hemp hearts
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the carrots, apple, maple syrup, almond butter, flaxseed, water, melted coconut oil and vanilla until combined.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, whole wheat flour, shredded coconut, raisins, pecans, hemp hearts, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.
4. Pour the carrot mixture into the oat mixture. Mix with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop about twenty-five 1/4 cup mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Using your fingers, gently press down on the cookies to flatten them to half-inch thickness. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely. Store in a resealable container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Makes about 25 cookies; Prep time: 20 minutes; Cook time: 18 minutes

• Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or certified gluten-free oat flour instead of whole wheat flour. Use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
• Nut-free: Use a seed butter such as tahini or sunflower butter instead of almond butter. Skip the pecans.

Excerpted from Fraiche Food Fuller Hearts by Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. Copyright © 2023 Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. Photography by Rachelle Beatty. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.