Looking for a great Fall Flavor alternative to Pumpkin Spice this season? Give these Carrot-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies a try! They make your kitchen smell amazing and are the perfect thing to welcome you home after enjoying the brisk Autumn air! These cookies are also a great way to add more carrots into your diet, or introduce them in new ways to your favorite picky eater.

My preschooler likes to call them Yummy Bunny Cookies due to the added carrots. 😉 The pop of vibrant color from the shredded carrots adds to any Autumn table and the various textures brought together by the carrots, oats and raisins complement each other beautifully in this chewy cookie. Even carrot-haters can’t help but fall in love with this seasonal treat!

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Butter at room temperature, or your favorite butter substitute
• ½ cup Brown Sugar packed
• 1 Egg
• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract (leave out if nut allergies)
• 1 ½ cups Old Fashioned Oats (Make sure they are Gluten
• Free certified.)
• 1 cup of your favorite Gluten-Free flour blend (I found both
• ‘King Arthur’, and ‘Cup 4 Cup’ brands both did very well.)
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoon Salt (I prefer pink mineral salt.)
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 cup Shredded Carrots
• ¼ cup Raisins

Preheat your oven to 325*
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Start by creaming together the butter, or butter alternative and brown sugar.

Then add in the egg, oil, vanilla, and almond extract.

Mix together your remaining dry ingredients: gluten-free old-fashioned oats, gluten-free flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

Combine your dry and wet ingredients; being careful to not over-mix.

Carefully fold in the raisins and shredded carrots.

Drop by tablespoons onto your parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake at 325° for 15 minutes or until outside edges start to lightly brown.

Enjoy them straight from the oven, or alternately, for those with a well-developed sweet tooth, add a little of your favorite cream cheese frosting!

Enjoying the Flavors of the Harvest Season, the Homesteading Hen