Paleo Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
Gina Matsoukas | Running to the KitchenPaleo Carrot Cake Cookies have lots of sweet carrots and coconut. The lemon in the frosting is magnificent.
I feel like we all have that one food we absolutely can’t pass up if it’s in front of us on the table or on the menu at a restaurant. For my husband, it’s apple pie or crisp. For my brother, lobster ravioli (weird, I know). Oddly, I have no idea what my parents’ would be but I can tell you mine: carrot cake. Actually, I have two because on the savory side it’s duck confit. If both are on the menu, it’s like I won the lottery.
When it comes to carrot cake, I’m a true fan too. Not one of those "eat all the frosting and leave the cake" kind of people. It’s the whole package of cake + frosting that gets me and it has to be the perfect ratio of each as well.
Too skimpy on the frosting = no good. Too much frosting = unwanted sugar high, also no good. On the cake side, I’m not a fan of those that overdo it on the spices. I don’t want everything you’d throw into a pumpkin pie in my carrot cake. Just some cinnamon will do because the carrots need to actually shine through. It’s called carrot cake for a reason.
So with all that in mind, I set out to make a paleo version of my beloved dessert in cookie form. They turned out hearty with lots of carrot and coconut chew, slightly sweet and just a barely detectable note of cinnamon - perfect.
The cookie was the easy part though. The frosting was a bit more difficult. Replicating cream cheese without using actual cream cheese is a bit tricky! The lemon juice in the frosting is key, it helps break up the distinct coconut flavor you get from using coconut oil and coconut butter and blends nicely with the cashews (which turn all buttery in the food processor) for a pretty good replica of the real stuff.
The best part about paleo carrot cake cookies? They’re so darn healthy, they don’t have to just be dessert!
If you’re looking for other paleo cookies, check out these paleo lemon macaroons or these chocolate chunk paleo cookies, or even this quick paleo mug cake. Just want more carrot cake? These carrot cake cupcakes fit the bill!
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We’re chatting cooking techniques, dessert ideas, and everything in between. If you’re already a member, invite your friends to join us too!
Paleo Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Cookies:- 2 cups Almond Meal
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Melted Coconut Oil
- 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup Shredded Carrots, Squeezed of excess water
- 1/2 cup Raw Unsalted Cashews, Soaked in water for 1 hour
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
- Combine the almond meal, coconut, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the egg, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just incorporated.
- Fold in the carrots until combined.
- Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the batter onto the baking sheet into a cookie/disc shape.
- Bake for 12 minutes, remove and let cool 1 minute (cookies will be soft upon removing from oven but will firm up as they cool) on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
- As the cookies cool, prepare the “cream cheese” frosting by draining the cashews and placing them in a food processor with the other frosting ingredients.
- Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary, about 5-7 minutes.
- Spread the frosting on the tops of each cookie once cooled.
- Store cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Recommended
- Published:
- Modified:
- Author:
- Gina Matsoukas
- Cooking Method:
- Baking
- Cuisine:
- Paleo
- Category:
- Paleo Desserts
- Tags:
- Paleo Desserts, Paleo, Desserts, Cookies, Baking, Baked, Carrots, Frosting, Snacks, Family Meals and Snacks
- Related Recipes:
- Paleo Dessert Recipes, Paleo Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Baking Recipes, Baked Recipes, Carrot Recipes, Frosting Recipes, Snack Recipes, Family Meals and Snack Recipes
- Recipe Yields:
- 12 cookies
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Total Time:
- Related Post:
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Published:
Author: Gina Matsoukas
Recipe Yields: 12 cookies
Prep Time: 75 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 87 minutes
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
