Let's be apron girls

When I asked my daughter what she wanted to do on this rainy day, she said, "Let's be apron girls, mom." So, I looked through some recipes I'd been wanting to try and announced that we'd bake muffins. And she said, "No, cookies." I choose this cookie recipe because we had the ingredients on hand, there are no butter or eggs to bring to room temperature, and I knew I wouldn't feel guilty about letting her eat a few. She could also eat a big spoonful of the batter (honestly, her favorite part of baking) since there are no raw eggs. In fact, the recipe is vegan.

I haven't done much baking without white flour or sugar since before the holidays (except for Steph's banana oatmeal cookies) and this recipe did not disappoint me. Don't be put off by the maple syrup or the coconut oil - neither flavor dominates the final product. I think if you want more coconut flavor, some shredded coconut would be a nice addition. Without the usual cookie ingredients, I thought the texture might not be great but they were moist, and chewy like a good oatmeal cookie should be. They won't taste as sweet as "regular" cookies but my food critic declared them "yummy."



Carrot Oatmeal Cookies (makes 2 1/2 dozen)
from 101 Cookbooks

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
scant 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed until just melted

Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and oats. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup and coconut oil (you can also do this in the pan you used to warm the coconut oil). Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Mine didn't spread much and I got 15 cookies on each sheet. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.