Cookies: Carrot Cake Cookies

Note: This is a repost from my old blog. I’d apologize for it, but it is actually quite fitting and aptly timed, so no apology for you.

Why is it fitting and aptly timed? I’ll give you two reasons.

1. I’ve got a stevia giveaway going on right now!!!  <– Click on that link to enter to WIN STEVIA!!!

2. I just bought a ginormous bag of carrots with the intention of making carrot ginger soup, but damn if it isn’t about 70 degrees and not at all coup weather. Cookies are always appropriate, no matter the weather.

I’d like you to focus your attention on the following photo. What you see (or don’t see, as it is admittedly a very blurry picture) is the contents of a GINORMOUS package I received courtesy of NuNaturals. I’m only one person over here, so it seems highly unlikely that I will have to buy stevia, or any permutation thereof, ever again*.

So what is a busy girl to do with this bounty of sweet stuffs? Why, she uses it in her latest snack addiction: popcorn. (Note: my dad is the king of popcorn. You can try to dispute this, but you will not win. Though the stuff that he makes is about as healthy as a BigMac.)

I, on the other hand, have been making healthy kettle corn Averie-style: throw some kernels into a paper bag, fold over top, nuke until popping slows. Spray with oil and top with whatever your little heart desires. My little heart usually desires simply salt, but after the addition of stevia, I believe I have found a new love.

I’ve been eating this every night for about a week now, and only two days ago did it dawn on me to make a huge batch so that I don’t have to repeat the process every night. I get there guys, it just takes me a while.

I was going to put in a photo of my popcorn here. I’m feeling lazy, so pretend that I did. Click here if you are curious what popcorn looks like.

I bought a 5 pound bag of carrots at the store a while ago, so I’ve been eating my weight in carrots lately (See: evil stomach ache-inducing carrot soup). I haven’t turned orange yet, but I have a feeling it isn’t too far off. I used some of the stevia baking blend to make these awesome (gluten-free) carrot cake cookies.

Carrot Cake Cookies (Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies)

• 140 grams gluten-free flour, 1 1/4 cups
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ⅛ tsp cardamom
• ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 140 grams shredded carrots, about a cup
• ½ cup NuNaturals stevia baking blend (or brown sugar, if you don’t have it)
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Mix flour, baking soda, spices, salt together in small bowl and set aside. Mix brown sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla until creamy. Add flour mixture a little bit at a time. Stir in shredded carrots and oats by hand until just combined.

Chill dough while oven preheats to 350.

Drop by generous tablespoonfuls onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min. (Bake according to what your batter looks like. Mine was really wet, so I should have baked them a bit longer. If it is more cookie dough consistency, you can bake them longer.)

Cool on sheet for about a minute and then transfer to wire rack. They keep for a week in the fridge (at least I assume they do…mine didn’t last that long. )

What is your favorite way to eat carrots? If you have a good recipe that uses a lot, link up in the comments. I’ve got a carrot or two to use over here.

*I haven’t.