Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies - Gluten Free, Eggless

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These gluten free carrot cake breakfast cookies are so soft and bursting with flavor! They're great for busy mornings or any time of the day.

Attention carrot cake lovers! These gluten free carrot cake cookies were developed with you in mind. Similar to my carrot cake cupcakes, this is a great recipe for Spring and Easter, but we actually enjoy these year-round.

These cookies are thick and soft in texture, very similar to oatmeal raisin cookies, except we're using quinoa flakes instead of oats.

I actually based this recipe on my banana breakfast cookies, because those are definitely a fan favorite around here and I knew I wanted a similar texture for these cookies.

And while you could absolutely get creative and add a cream cheese frosting or drizzle, I kept things simple because I truly wanted to create a breakfast cookie that was relatively healthy, and easy to grab and go.

Why You'll Love These Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies...

• The flavor is just so warm and delicious. We're using brown sugar, plus a dash of cinnamon, and both of those flavors pair perfectly with the carrots.
• I said this before but it's worth repeating: the texture is everything! If you love thick and cakey cookies, and especially if you're an oatmeal raisin person, you will definitely enjoy these.
• They're so easy! This recipe is super straightforward and it all comes together very quickly (although there is some chill time involved, so plan accordingly).

What You'll Need...

• The dry ingredients: flour + quinoa flakes (a great oat substitute in baking, if you're allergic or simply want to try something new) + baking soda + salt.
• The fat: unsalted butter.
• The flavor: cinnamon + brown sugar + honey + vanilla extract.
• Instead of eggs: unsweetened applesauce.
• The star of the show: grated carrots.

How To Make Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cookies...

To make my carrot cake breakfast cookies, start by creaming the butter and brown sugar until it's smooth. Add in the rest of your wet ingredients, and continue beating until it's all incorporated.

Next, add the dry ingredients into your mixer and mix on low speed until your cookie dough starts to form. At this point, you'll want to add in the carrots and stir by hand to evenly distribute. I always use my food processor to grate the carrots because I find it so fast and easy.

You'll want to chill your cookie dough for at least an hour before baking. This will keep your cookies from spreading in the oven and result in perfectly thick and cakey cookies.

After the dough has chilled, use a spoon or cookie scoop to arrange onto your lined baking sheet. You may need to use your hands to gently press the dough together, but once you do, it should stick.

Bake on 350ºF for about 18 minutes. Once the cookies come out of the oven, I always like to use the back of a spoon to flatten slightly. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before attempting to transfer to a cooling rack.

Tips For Making The Best Carrot Cake Cookies...

• While I don't mention this in every post, I probably should because it's SO important: whenever possible, use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients. This is especially true with the dry ingredients, i.e. the flour. It's the best way to ensure accuracy!

• When it comes to the brown sugar in this recipe, I use light brown but you can use whatever kind you happen to have on hand.

• I love to use baby carrots here, and I've found the quickest and easiest way to shred them up is in the food processor. However you choose to do it, be sure to peel your carrots before grating.

Carrot Cake Cookie Ingredient Substitutions...

• I haven't personally tested it, but for vegan carrot cake cookies, you can try substituting your favorite non-dairy butter and use maple syrup instead of honey.

• If you have trouble finding quinoa flakes, you should be able to use gluten free rolled oats instead.

Did you try my carrot cake breakfast cookies? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog!