Carrot Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I know--cookie is not the word you expected to see at the end of a recipe starting with carrot.  But hey, carrot and cake are good friends, and the carrot muffins I made were mighty tasty, so why not give carrots and cookies a chance to get to know each other?   These cookies are sweet but not sugary and the flavors from carrot and cranberry match well with the soft, almost cakey, oatmeal cookie

I'd been asked a few months ago about a "breakfast" cookie and thought these would come close to fitting the bill since they are a relatively healthy cookie.  Well, they aren't quite ready to take a place at the breakfast table, but they are on the healthy side of sweet treats, so I whipped up a batch to share as birthday baking for my Grandma and friend Lisa who is pregnant and likes things a little less bad for you.  I'd pinned this recipe and thought the flavors were pretty interesting.    Jaclyn at Cooking Classy did a great job with this one.  I opted for all cranberries instead of part raisin and really like the outcome.  I got far more cookies than Jaclyn did, but I wasn't sure what size to make them, so I deferred to a small cookie scoop.  I also left off the glaze because I really didn't think they needed it.  Don't be afraid of carrots in your cookies--these are wonderful and unique.  Make, share, love.



Carrot Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup dried cranberries

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl and an electric mixer, beat applesauce, butter and sugars until combined and smooth, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.

Stir in egg and vanilla.

Gradually stir in flour mixture until incorporated.

Stir in oats, carrots and dried cranberries.  Refrigerate for about an hour.

Drop heaps of cookie dough (I used a small cookie scoop) onto a parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes; cookies will be golden brown and set up to the touch.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through baking. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.

Cool on pans for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to complete cooling.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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