Healthy Carrot Cookies with Orange Icing. These soft and chewy cookies have all the flavors and ingredients of your favorite carrot cake but are FLOURLESS, vegan, gluten free, and naturally sweetened! Super easy recipe with oatmeal, cinnamon, and any of your other favorite carrot cake mix-ins.
Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, oat flour, flaxseed, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add the carrots, walnuts, and raisins. With a rubber spatula, stir to combine.
In a separate medium bowl, briskly whisk together the honey, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. If your coconut oil resolidifies, pop the mixture in the microwave for a few seconds, then stir until smooth. Pour the liquid mixture into the oat mixture and fold in by hand, just until combined. The dough will be thick, wet, and sticky.
With a large cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measure, portion the dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each. Carefully flatten each cookie to be about 3/4 inch thick. If the dough is sticking to your hands, wet your palms slightly to make the process easier.
Bake until the cookies are lightly golden and firm at the edges and on the top, 12 to 14 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack (do not keep it on top of your hot oven) and let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies from the sheet to the wire rack to finish cooling completely.
For the orange icing: Whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the cooled cookies. Wait a few minutes to allow the icing to set. Enjoy!
Notes
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container lined with a paper towel at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
If freezing the cookies, I recommend waiting to frost them or freezing the frosting separately. If your cookies are already frosted, to freeze, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies harden, then transfer the cookies to an airtight container or ziptop bag.
TO MAKE YOUR OWN OAT FLOUR: To make your own oat flour, pulse 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon rolled or quick oats in a food processor until they are well ground. Measure out 1 cup for the recipe, then use as directed.