These Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies are full of wholesome oats, carrots, flaxseeds, and walnuts for deliciously chewy cookies. Vegan and refined sugar-free option.
If you are a fan of carrot cake, you're going to love these carrot cake cookies. With warm spices, oats, nuts, and carrots, the flavors of carrot cake are simplified into cookie form. A little drizzle of glaze on the tops of each cookie makes these chewy carrot cake cookies irresistible!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy recipe
- Made with whole-grain oats
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and refined sugar-free
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the main ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
Oats - Opt for certified gluten-free oats to avoid cross-contamination for a toasty, wheat flour-like flavor without wheat or all-purpose flour. This recipe uses instant oats but rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) can also be used.
Ground flaxseed - Mixed with water, ground flaxseed forms a "flax egg," gelling to work as a binder and egg replacer.
Carrots - Fresh carrots add flavor, color, and moisture. What I love about carrot recipes, is that you can have everything from savory carrot fries to delicious carrot pie.
Coconut sugar - Instead of brown sugar, unrefined coconut sugar makes for a healthier alternative.
Coconut oil - To avoid even a hint of coconut, choose refined coconut oil. Virgin or unrefined coconut oil has a slight coconut flavor.
Walnuts or pecans - Choose raw walnuts or pecans, whichever you like best, or omit them completely.
Organic powdered sugar - This sweetener and lemon juice create the glaze for the delicious carrot cake cookies. To keep this recipe refined sugar-free, omit the glaze.
Tessa's Tip: Don't have instant oats in the pantry? You can use rolled oats in this by pulsing them a few times in a food processor. Remove half of the oats and follow the recipe instructions!
How to make carrot cake cookies
Before you start: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Prepare your flaxseed eggs and use a box grater for your carrot. Set both aside.
Step 1: Add 1 ½ cups of the oats to the food processor. Pulse oats until it is a flour consistency.
Step 2: Cream coconut oil and coconut sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, and flaxseed eggs, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
Step 3: Transfer oat flour to the wet ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Then add the other dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Fold in grated carrots, walnuts, and remaining 1 ½ cups oats.
Step 4: Scoop dough with a cookie scoop and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 14-15 minutes.
To make carrot cookie glaze: Slowly add lemon juice to powdered sugar while stirring. Drizzle atop cookies and allow to set.
How to store
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Cookies can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To freeze, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in the freezer until frozen. Then, transfer the cookies to an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for 2-3 months.
More gluten-free cookie recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water
- 1 cup grated carrots about 1 large carrot
- 3 cups gluten-free instant oats, divided can sub rolled oats, see notes
- 1 cup coconut oil, room temperature
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup raw walnuts or pecan, chopped
Glaze (optional)
- ½ cup organic powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Prepare your flaxseed eggs and grate your carrot. Set both aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add 1 ½ cups of the oats. Pulse oats until it is a flour consistency. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream coconut oil and coconut sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, and flaxseed eggs. Mix until incorporated.
- Transfer oat flour from food processor to the mixture, along with baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix on low until incorporated. Fold in grated carrots, walnuts, and remaining 1 ½ cups oats.
- Scoop dough with a #40 cookie scoop or a tablespoon. Place cookie dough balls two inches apart on cookie sheet. Using the palm of your hand, press cookie dough balls halfway down.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
To make glaze:
- Slowly add lemon juice to powdered sugar until desired thickness is reached. Drizzle atop cooled cookies and allow to set.
Christina Bianco
Tessa,
Thanks for another fabulous recipe! These cookies are like mini carrot cakes. Just delicious! Even my neighbor, who is a professional baker, was impressed.
With Gratitude,
CC
Tessa
Hi Christina - thank you so much!! I'm so happy to hear that. Take care. <3
Kkg
Would I be able to freeze these
Tessa
Hi! I have never frozen these so I'm not sure how well they would do. They are a bit more delicate, so my hesitation would be how well they would hold up after thawing. If you freeze a few and give it a try, I'd love to know how it worked out.
Kasey
How cute are these! They look scrumptious!
Sarah
These look wonderful and will be a success for me as well as for my kiddos. Love the idea of carrots to add sweetness!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I know these would disappear quickly here Tessa! We love oatmeal cookies and I love the addition of the carrots.