Soft and tender carrot cake oatmeal cookies combine two favorite desserts into one tasty treat! These frosted cookies are gluten free and vegan. Serve a batch of these at your next potluck or bake sale!
Don’t you love desserts that combine two things?
Like chocolate cake and cookies and cream, or ice cream and brownies, or chocolate chip cookies and brownies.
These carrot cake oatmeal cookies do the same thing – combine the best qualities from two very delicious desserts. Chewy oatmeal cookies combine with the flavors of carrot cake and a sweet vanilla icing. These are so good, and they’re the perfect springtime dessert. My vegan carrot cake is just right for an Easter dessert, if you’re looking for one!
These oatmeal cookies are gluten free and vegan, and free of nuts as well. However, if you don’t have food allergies and want to make substitutes, feel free to use regular dairy ingredients, or even all-purpose flour. This recipe should still turn out just fine.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – Namaste Perfect Flour Blend works very well for this recipe. If you have different store bought blend you prefer, you can try that. I don’t recommend grain free flours like coconut or cassava for these cookies.
- Certified Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats – If you’re gluten free, it’s important that your oats are labeled, “certified gluten free.” Otherwise, they may be cross contaminated with gluten.
- Powdered Sugar – We like Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar, which is corn free, but you can use any brand that works for you.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have carrots, you can leave them out! Or you could add some shredded apple instead if you want to have a fruit or vegetable in there. Some sweet potato puree would also be a good addition to this recipe you like sweet potatoes.
- If you don’t need to be gluten free, feel free to use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or spelt flour in this recipe.
Special Equipment
I think shredding the carrots by hand is a much better option rather than using store bought shredded carrots. I recommend a grater or a food processor to get those carrots finely grated.
Variations
For a change, try adding any of these ingredients to this recipe:
- raisins or dried cranberries
- pumpkin seeds
- finely chopped apple
- fresh pineapple or dried pineapple
👩🏻🍳 Are you ready to learn more about gluten free and vegan baking? Join my community today and get emails with delicious recipes that really work!
Disclosure: This post contains paid affiliate links.
Recipe
Frosted Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan).
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 Tablespoon golden ground flax seed
- 3 Tablespoons water
- ½ cup vegan buttery spread
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups certified gluten free old fashioned oats
For the frosting:
- 2 Tablespoons vegan buttery spread
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk or water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the flax egg: mix the water and flax meal together in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes until it forms a gel.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the buttery spread and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add the flax egg and vanilla extract, and continue to mix. Add the shredded carrots and 2 tablespoons water.
- Add the gluten free flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
- Stop the mixer and stir in the oats by hand.
- Take spoonfuls of dough and roll into a ball about one inch wide and place on the cookie sheet. Leave about one inch between cookies. Flatten the cookie slightly with the back of a spoon. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 11-13 minutes.
Make the frosting:
- Place the powdered sugar, vegan buttery spread, and non-dairy milk in a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until smooth. Add more liquid if desired.
- Place the frosting in a piping bag or use a spoon to drizzle it over the cookies.
Katie
Delicious recipe!
Darryl
THESE ARE INSANELY GOOD!