Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies with Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing ~ a fun spin on my original Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies



Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies ~ Here is another spin on my original Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies recipe.  This time I turned the breakfast cookies into a moist, dense, spicy cookie version of carrot cake.   They still have all the healthy goodness of my original breakfast cookie recipe, but also have the additional sweetness of both pureed & shredded carrot, as well as even more spices.  Roy really likes this Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookie version, especially with the 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' that I spread on top of the cooled cookies.  The 'icing' is a healthy spin on the the traditional cream cheese icing that is so often found on carrot cake.  Since my 'icing' is made with Greek yogurt & cream cheese, it's a soft spreadable 'icing' that is perfect when added right before serving.

I think the texture of the cookie is best if you use old fashioned oats & eat the cookies when they are completely cooled, or even when chilled first in the fridge.  Try my Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies with & without the 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' to see which way you like best.   Enjoy!

The Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing is a soft, spreadable 'icing' that is the perfect way to top your Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookie!

To see the nutritional breakdown of just the breakfast cookies (without the optional 'icing') click ~ HERE.


Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies with Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing ~ a tasty spin on my original Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies
makes 12 large or 16 regular cookies
  • 2 mashed bananas
  • 2/3 cup applesauce
  • 2/3 cup pureed cooked carrots  ((I nuke my sliced carrots until they're getting soft, then puree them in my small food processor))
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp dark molasses
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup ground almond flour
  • 1 1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal ~ uncooked
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

** Optional 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' 
  • 1/4 cup plain fat free or low fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup fat free or low fat cream cheese
  • 1 Tbsp crushed pineapple, drained (or more to taste) *optional
  • 3 packets Equal (or your favorite sweetener, to taste)


Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix ~ vanilla extract, molasses & spices into the applesauce & carrot puree. When fully blended stir in the mashed banana & the shredded carrots until well combined.

Stir in the dry ingredients ~ oatmeal, almond flour, raisins & walnuts ~ combine until well blended.  Let mixture sit for 10 minutes.

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into rounds.

Bake approx. 35-45 minutes, or until golden & done.  (time depends on how thick the cookies are)



Remove cookies from oven & let them rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.
 
** for the optional 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' ~ While cookies are baking, place the yogurt & cream cheese in a small food processor & blend until smooth. (or do by hand)  When nice & creamy, stir in the crushed pineapple & sweetener of choice.  Taste & add more sweetener if desired.  Store in fridge until ready to use and/or if you have any leftover.

When cookies are completely cool (or chilled in fridge), serve as is ~ or spread a layer of the 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' on the top of the cookies & then serve.

Store remaining cookies in a covered container.


16 comments:

  1. I'm loving the idea of these breakfast cookies. I've been looking for healthy breakfast options. Do you think these could be made using the pulp left over from juicing carrots?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I do! Why didn't I think of that?? Great idea!! :) I'd probably cut back on the applesauce & replace it with some carrot pulp. Taste it to make sure it's still sweet enough. (maybe add a touch of honey, maple syrup or brown sugar if it needs to be a bit sweeter) You might be able to get way with just swapping out the applesauce for the carrot pulp, depending on how sweet the pulp is. Maybe add some of the carrot juice back into the pulp, too. Try to make it more moist like applesauce would be. A friend of mine said if you soak your carrots overnight you get more juice out of them. I haven't tried it yet, but that might be worth a shot next time you juice carrots. I'll be trying it soon myself. :) Now I'll have to make Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies with carrot pulp, too. Too bad I just put a new kind of cookies in the oven, just a bit ago. (Double Cherry Chip ~ hope they turn out! :)

      I have a recipe for Spiced Carrot Cake that uses carrot pulp that you might like, just type in Spiced Carrot Cake in the 'Search This Blog' box, on the right side of the page.

      Thanks for stopping by ~ Cheers!

      Delete
  2. Yummy! I tired these with slight modifications because I didn't have everything :) Thanks for sharing!

    http://therealfoodrunner.blogspot.com/2012/08/carrot-cake-cookies.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed. These cookies are great to tinker with. My hubby is really fond of the double cherry chip breakfast cookies, they're his new fav. Thanks for stopping by & commenting. :) I just checked out your blog & it looks amazing ~ you take really nice photos & have a good writing style! They work perfectly together. Good luck on your next race!

      Delete
  3. "These are delicious! I used unsweetened pumpkin butter instead of applesauce and it gave it a wonderful taste!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tracey, that sounds really good!! Thanks so much for sharing your tweaks to the recipe. I'll have to try them that way next time I make a batch. Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

      Delete
  4. I just made these and they're delicious! I tweeked a little and replaced the raisins with cranberries. I couldn't find almond flour but did find coconut flour instead. Gives them a little extra sweetness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sarah! That sounds really good!!! Thanks so much for stopping by & sharing the tweaks you did to the recipe ~ Cheers!

      Delete
  5. Do you think these would still be good without the tbsp of dark molasses? Could I substitute maple syrup instead?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ashley!

      Absolutely! While molasses has a deep, dark, rich flavor/color ~ the maple syrup's flavor will be more subtle. So, the overall flavor will be a bit different, but it'll still be just as tasty. You could always add a touch more spice to the cookies, to compensate, if you think they need it, but, I think you'll be just fine with the straight swap. You may have just hit on the next best thing. :)

      Please come back & let us know how they turn out. I'm sure others would be interested in your changes, too. Thanks so much for stopping by & commenting ~ Cheers!

      Delete
  6. these look delicious! any idea the calorie count of one?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Asha!
      I worked up the nutritional info over on Calorie Count for the basic carrot cake breakfast cookies, without the optional 'icing'. Just click on the blue 'HERE" link, that I added right above the recipe. Hope you like them. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting ~ Cheers!

      Delete
  7. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. We have gone off wheat and sugar and this was perfect.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so glad that you liked it!! I've got lots more Breakfast Cookies that are wheat-free & sweetened with fruit, hope you find others that you like. :)
      Your kind words have made my night, thank you!!!
      Cheers!

      Delete
  8. Can I sub oat flour for almond flour?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Madhurika!
      Sure, I don't see why not. It'll change up the texture/taste, but just a bit. These breakfast cookie recipes are easy to tinker with, have fun. :)
      Cheers!

      Delete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...