Healthy Vegan Carrot-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour (all-purpose works too)
• 4 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup hemp hearts
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 1½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt

Wet ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅔ cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
• 4 tsp vanilla

Add-ins

• 3 cups finely grated carrot
• 1 cup raisins
• ⅔ cup vegan chocolate chips — optional, but good
• Optional: ¾ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, hemp hearts, flax, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk applesauce, maple syrup, nut butter and vanilla until smooth.
4. Stir wet into dry, then fold in carrots, raisins and chocolate chips.
5. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
6. Check the texture. It should be thick, sticky and moist enough to scoop. Because the flax and hemp absorb some moisture, if it seems too dry, add plant milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Don’t add it unless needed.
7. Scoop roughly 2 tablespoons per cookie onto the trays and flatten each one slightly.
8. Bake 14–17 minutes. The edges should be set, but don’t wait for the centres to become hard.
9. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. They’ll firm up as they cool.