I don't know about you, but I LOVE dessert! I love dessert so much that I will stop eating dinner to ensure that I have room for dessert. My boyfriend tells me that I have a second stomach for sweets...I don't disagree.
As a student, studying holistic health and nutrition, I am well aware that my sugar intake is slightly high. I have been focused on limiting my sugar intake, reducing my intake of refined sugars (e.g. table sugar and high fructose corn syrup) and using natural sweeteners instead (e.g. raw honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, stevia).
Natural sweeteners can be equally delicious in baked goods but there are a few things to consider when using natural sweeteners as sugar alternatives. Both honey and maple syrup are naturally sweeter than white table sugar; therefore, you will need to scale down the volume of these sweeteners. For example, replace one cup of white sugar with ½ or ¾ cup of raw honey (adjust to your liking). Because you are adding liquid volume to the recipe you need to reduce another liquid by ¼ cup. If there is not another liquid in the recipe you can add three tablespoons of flour to thicken the mixture. This is something I wish I would have known months ago!
This cookie recipe came to life after being inspired by two different food blogs: 101 Cookbooks and My New Roots. I modified Heidi Swanson’s Oatmeal Carrot Cookie recipe and added a variation of Sarah Britton’s Coconut Vanilla Icing. These healthy and delicious cookies are dairy-free, sugar-free, and made with whole-wheat flour…and vegetables! Oh yeah, and I promise that they will knock your socks off!
Oatmeal Carrot Coconut Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup rolled oats (not quick/instant oats)
2/3 cup chopped/crushed walnuts
1 cup shredded or grated carrots
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup real maple syrup at room temperature
1/2 cup coconut oil (warmed until just melted)
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Either use a baking stone or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking powder, sea salt, coconut and oats in a large mixing bowl. Next add the shredded carrots and nuts. In a smaller bowl, mix the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Place the dough on the stone or baking sheet one tablespoon at a time. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be golden brown. Let cool before adding the icing.
* This recipe makes approximately two-dozen cookies.
Prepare the icing while you wait for the cookies to cool.
Coconut Vanilla Icing Ingredients:
1 can of Original Coconut Milk
1/4 cup of creamed honey
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Directions:
Place the can of coconut milk in the fridge at least two hours before you make the icing. This will allow the cream-like layer to thicken at the top. Scoop the thick coconut cream into a mixing bowl and save the coconut water for another use. Add the whipped honey and vanilla and beat with a mixer until smooth. Place the icing in the refrigerator to set.
Cookie Assembly
Place a dollop of the icing on each cookie. Feel free to sprinkle with coconut flakes and place a walnut on top for an added treat. Adorable and delicious!!!
As a student, studying holistic health and nutrition, I am well aware that my sugar intake is slightly high. I have been focused on limiting my sugar intake, reducing my intake of refined sugars (e.g. table sugar and high fructose corn syrup) and using natural sweeteners instead (e.g. raw honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, stevia).
Natural sweeteners can be equally delicious in baked goods but there are a few things to consider when using natural sweeteners as sugar alternatives. Both honey and maple syrup are naturally sweeter than white table sugar; therefore, you will need to scale down the volume of these sweeteners. For example, replace one cup of white sugar with ½ or ¾ cup of raw honey (adjust to your liking). Because you are adding liquid volume to the recipe you need to reduce another liquid by ¼ cup. If there is not another liquid in the recipe you can add three tablespoons of flour to thicken the mixture. This is something I wish I would have known months ago!
This cookie recipe came to life after being inspired by two different food blogs: 101 Cookbooks and My New Roots. I modified Heidi Swanson’s Oatmeal Carrot Cookie recipe and added a variation of Sarah Britton’s Coconut Vanilla Icing. These healthy and delicious cookies are dairy-free, sugar-free, and made with whole-wheat flour…and vegetables! Oh yeah, and I promise that they will knock your socks off!
Oatmeal Carrot Coconut Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup rolled oats (not quick/instant oats)
2/3 cup chopped/crushed walnuts
1 cup shredded or grated carrots
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup real maple syrup at room temperature
1/2 cup coconut oil (warmed until just melted)
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Either use a baking stone or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking powder, sea salt, coconut and oats in a large mixing bowl. Next add the shredded carrots and nuts. In a smaller bowl, mix the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
 |
| Left: dry ingredients; Right: dry + wet ingredients |
* This recipe makes approximately two-dozen cookies.
Prepare the icing while you wait for the cookies to cool.
Coconut Vanilla Icing Ingredients:
1 can of Original Coconut Milk
1/4 cup of creamed honey
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Directions:
Place the can of coconut milk in the fridge at least two hours before you make the icing. This will allow the cream-like layer to thicken at the top. Scoop the thick coconut cream into a mixing bowl and save the coconut water for another use. Add the whipped honey and vanilla and beat with a mixer until smooth. Place the icing in the refrigerator to set.
Cookie Assembly
Place a dollop of the icing on each cookie. Feel free to sprinkle with coconut flakes and place a walnut on top for an added treat. Adorable and delicious!!!
 |
| We may have tasted a few :) |
I bet they are delicious with almond milk!
ReplyDeleteOMG..these look soooo good! I'm going to have to try it..thank you!
ReplyDeleteYes, please try them out and let me know what you think! They were definitely a hit at my house.
ReplyDelete