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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Healthy Carrot Cookies

    Published: Mar 8, 2024 · Modified: Mar 12, 2025 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · 28 Comments

    pinterest image.

    These Healthy Carrot Cookies may not be the prettiest but they are one of the healthiest cookies you'll ever make! Made using 6 wholesome ingredients, these have a soft and chewy texture, and are a guilt-free treat. No butter, oil, sugar or flour!

    Jump to Recipe

    Love healthy cookies? Try my black sesame cookies or 3 ingredient almond butter cookies next!

    carrot cookies placed in a white rectangular tray.

    You will love these healthy carrot cookies. They a beloved favorite among our readers since it was published in 2017.

    Featured comments

    From Marianne: "The directions were easy to follow and the cookies are delicious and healthy. Win win win" ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    From Deepthi: "I tried this. wow! - Its quite sweet with these natural sweeteners 🙂 I will eat 2 per day, so will have to keep in refrigerator for a few days, I guess. Thank you very much for this recipe." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    These healthy carrot cookies are made using only nutrient dense, wholesome ingredients. There is no butter, oil sugar, eggs or leavening!

    They are chewy, dense, and satisfying; and they make a wonderful grab-and-go guilt free cookie or anytime snack you can feel good about.

    These are a twist to the famous banana cookies, made primarily with mashed ripe bananas as one of the main ingredients. They are typically soft and moist, and the mashed banana helps to bind all other ingredients together.

    They are a popular choice for those looking for a healthier alternative to traditional cookies due to the natural sweetness and moisture provided by the bananas and dates.

    If you love these healthy carrot cookies using oats, then you might love our collection of oats recipes that aren't oatmeal or other eggless cookies.

    Jump to:
    • Featured comments
    • Why you'll love them?
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • How to make healthy carrot cookies?
    • How to store?
    • Helpful tips
    • More healthy treats
    • Healthy Carrot Cookies

    Why you'll love them?

    1. An anytime healthy cookie - No butter, oil, sugar or flour!
    2. Naturally vegan and dairy free
    3. Use gluten free oats to make them gluten free
    4. Eggless cookie recipe
    5. Sweetened using dates and banana
    6. Soft, chewy and satisfying
    7. Reader favorite recipe

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

    ingredients needed to make carrot cookies.
    • Carrot - Carrots add natural sweetness, vibrant color and tastes incredible.
    • Dates - Two common types of dates are typically available in grocery stores: the soft, plump Medjool and the drier, chewier Deglet Noor. For this recipe, I opted for three large Medjool dates, which grind smoothly and aid in binding.
    • Banana - As these cookies rely solely on dates and ripe bananas for sweetness, it's crucial to use bananas that are fully ripened, preferably with brown spots.
    • Oats - Unlike the carrot oatmeal, which specifically requires rolled oats, this carrot cookie recipe is versatile and accommodates both rolled and instant oats. However, steel-cut oats are not recommended as they are too hard and not suitable for cookies.
    • Walnuts - A quarter cup of raw walnuts adds some texture contrast as in carrot walnut cake and also more health benefits.
    • Flavorings - You can use either cinnamon alone or a combination of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for added flavor. If incorporating nutmeg, it's recommended to use freshly grated nutmeg, as it significantly enhances the flavor.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Use other nuts - Sliced almonds or toasted pecans would be a great substitution for walnuts. In fact, carrots and pecans complement each other beautifully.
    • Make it nut-free - Skip the walnuts and add total of 1 ¼ cups rolled oats.
    • Make it gluten-free - Use gluten-free oats to make gluten-free carrot cookies.
    • Flavorings - Use fall spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla.
    • Add raisins - Stir in a few golden raisins at the end.
    • Use frozen banana - When using frozen bananas, it's important to note that they release a significant amount of liquid upon thawing, which can result in a very wet cookie dough. I recommend draining off this excess liquid before adding it to your food processor.
    • Use pre-shredded carrots - Use one cup of store bought pre-shredded carrots instead.

    How to make healthy carrot cookies?

    You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

    Want To Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more creative recipe ideas every Sunday!

    chopped bananas and pitted dates in a food processor.
    Step 1 - Add peeled banana and pitted dates into a food processor.
    ground brown batter in a food processor.
    Step 2 - Process until smooth and mostly ground.

    grated carrots and oats in a food processor.
    Step 3 - Add oats, grated carrots, cinnamon and walnuts.
    carrot cookie dough in a food processor.
    Step 4 - Pulse until it gathers together.

    5 orange cookie dough mounds on a parchment lined black baking sheet.
    Step 5 - Using a cookie scoop, scoop mounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
    a hand shaping orange cookie dough mound into a flat disc.
    Step 6 - Using a spoon, flatten the cookies into ½-inch thick discs.

    Tip: These healthy carrot oatmeal cookies won’t spread, so this helps give them some shape. I give these a little encouragement to spread using the same method.

    two hands breaking apart a carrot cookie.
    Step 7- Bake cookies at 360 degrees, or until deep golden on the top.

    Pro tip: Like some icing on your carrot banana cookies? Combine confectioners' sugar, a pinch of salt, and a small amount of water until you achieve a very thick but pourable icing consistency. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies using a fork. Allow the icing to set for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Please refer to the instructions for drizzling icing found in the almond joy cookies recipe.

    How to store?

    These healthy carrot cookies are soft and chewy and not crisp like tradional cookies. While they are technically cookies, they’re great all day, every day. I love them as an afternoon snack, a light breakfast on the go, or as a healthier dessert.

    Store carrot cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days and they are also fabulous frozen for up to a month. My husband likes to enjoy them straight from the freezer when craving strikes.

    Helpful tips

    • Banana - Use a very ripe banana for natural sweetness.
    • Dates - Soft Medjool dates make it easy to grind and help with the binding. If using Noor dates, I like to soak them in water for about 30 minutes and then drain them thoroughly before using.
    • Oats - Use old fashioned or rolled oats for the best chewy texture in the healthy carrot cookies recipe.
    • Nuts - Try using toasted pecans or sliced almonds instead of walnuts in these healthy oat carrot cookies.
    orange colored carrot cookies placed on a wire rack.

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    carrot cookies placed in a white enamel tray.

    Healthy Carrot Cookies

    These Healthy Carrot Cookies may not be the prettiest but they are one of the healthiest cookies you'll ever make! Made using 6 wholesome ingredients, these have a soft and chewy texture, and are a guilt-free treat.
    3.9 from 35 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 cookies
    Calories: 94kcal
    Author: Maria Doss

    Equipment

    • Food processor
    • Cookie scoop

    Ingredients

    Group-1

    • 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into big chunks
    • 3 Medjool dates, pitted

    Group-2

    • 1 medium ripe banana
    • 1 cup old fashioned oats
    • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    • 2 pinches salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 360° F (190°C) . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    • Add carrots and dates into a food processor, process for few seconds until finely chopped. 
    • Add all group-2 ingredients and pulse about 5 times, until combined. Do not grind too much. Remove the blade and stir mixture well to evenly combine.
    • using an ice cream scoop, scoop about 3 tablepoons measure balls and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart.
    • Using a flat spoon, gently pat each dough ball into ½-inch thick discs.
    • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden around the edges. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

    Notes

    Banana - Use a very ripe banana for natural sweetness.
    Dates - Soft Medjool dates make it easy to grind and help with the binding. If using Noor dates, I like to soak them in water for about 30 minutes and then drain them thoroughly before using. 
    Oats - Use old fashioned or rolled oats for the best chewy texture.
    Nuts - Try using toasted pecans or sliced almonds instead of walnuts

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1298IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

     

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    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats

      May 14, 2017 at 2:33 pm

      Looks super yummy Maria! I love that these are healthy! Happy Mother's Day:) xoxo

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 14, 2017 at 6:11 pm

        Thank you Kelly:)

        Reply
    2. Patrick@looneyforfood.com

      May 14, 2017 at 7:11 pm

      These are beautiful and I love the ingredient list! So natural and healthy! I will be making these!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 14, 2017 at 7:23 pm

        Thank you Patrick, have a great Sunday

        Reply
    3. Ashika @ Gardening Foodie

      May 15, 2017 at 8:05 am

      WOW these make such a great snack compared to the sugar loaded store bought cookies. This will make a yummy surprise for my sons who are always raiding the cookie tin for snacks 😋 Saving and pinning to bake this afternoon.😊

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 15, 2017 at 4:17 pm

        Thank you dear, let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    4. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen

      May 15, 2017 at 2:55 pm

      These look SO yummy! I love cookies but of course I can't eat them all the time. This recipe is a perfect alternative! Have a great week, Maria!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 15, 2017 at 4:18 pm

        Thank you Kelsie:)

        Reply
    5. Leslie

      May 15, 2017 at 10:49 pm

      I will be making these this week for sure! I love your site!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 16, 2017 at 5:18 am

        Thank you so much Leslie, let me know how it goes:)

        Reply
    6. Jessica

      September 21, 2017 at 11:42 pm

      Oh my goodness! Just added this gem of a recipe to my Facebook post line up! YUM!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        September 22, 2017 at 12:46 am

        Thank you so much!!!

        Reply
    7. Katie

      September 28, 2017 at 5:29 pm

      Wow! This recipe is just what I've been looking for!!! This may be a stupid question but is that a raw carrot (not a cooked one) in the recipe?!! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        September 28, 2017 at 5:47 pm

        It is raw carrot. Thank you so much, hope you like it:)

        Reply
    8. Mae

      January 28, 2019 at 9:54 am

      Are they supposed to be soft and chewy?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 28, 2019 at 2:06 pm

        Mae, Yes! These do not get crispy due to the addition of banana. Hope you liked the taste:)

        Reply
    9. Vanessa

      May 03, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 05, 2019 at 1:23 am

        I'd give it couple of days, not long shelf life like a normal cookie:)

        Reply
    10. Deepthi

      June 13, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      Hi,

      I tried this. wow! - Its quite sweet with these natural sweeteners 🙂
      One thing I noted is that it took only 15 mins and the sides of the cookies were already brown. So I took them out and they were already done. I don't know why.
      I will eat 2 per day, so will have to keep in refrigerator for a few days, I guess. Thank you very much for this recipe.
      Just a question - could we use different nuts like almonds or cashew or something else also instead of walnuts?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 13, 2020 at 7:21 pm

        Hi Deepthi, Walnuts/ Pecans pair extremely well with carrots. However, you could try with other nuts for sure. hope it helps)

        Reply
    11. Marianne

      September 06, 2021 at 2:46 pm

      5 stars
      The directions were easy to follow and the cookies are delicious and healthy. Win win win.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        September 07, 2021 at 12:11 am

        Glad you loved these cookies, Maria

        Reply
    12. Nelly

      March 30, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      Those look amazing! A quick question here - will it work if I blitz the oat into flour first? I don't like to bite into them so most of the time I pick recipes with oat flour of whole-wheat but those sound so nice that I really want to give them a try 😀 I'll buy some carrots tomorrow 🙂

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        March 30, 2022 at 3:25 pm

        Hi Nelly, It will work without any problem! The only difference would be that the cookies will turn out much more softer and loose some of the texture. Hope it helps, Maria

        Reply
    13. Ms.BE

      November 22, 2023 at 9:44 am

      5 stars
      just came out of the oven. Of course; I tasted one. I didn't have dates, used; date sugar powder. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 22, 2023 at 2:37 pm

        That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡

        Reply
    14. Cynthia

      December 22, 2024 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is a go-to recipe. Soo delicious! I LOVE having these around during the holidays to keep away from other high sugar traps.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 23, 2024 at 3:51 am

        That’s so great to hear! Wishing you a very happy holidays - Maria ♡

        Reply
    3.89 from 35 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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