Recipe: Vegan carrot cake sandwich cookies

Recipe makes 15-20 sandwich cookies

1 Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Stick, softened (1/2 cup vegan butter, softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbs ground flax seed (nutrient-packed food that I’ve found at my local grocery store, local health food store, and local Walmart)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I use unsweetened, but sweetened works too!)
2/3 cup grated whole carrot, not baby carrots, not packed (I use the small holes on the grater, but the large holes works as well and make for more visible carrot pieces)

8 oz (1/2 tub) store bought cream cheese frosting, regular not whipped (Pillsbury and Duncan Hines are both vegan as of 2019, but always check the label)

8 oz of your homemade vegan cream cheese recipe of choice or this maple cashew cream for a healthier option: https://www.cottercrunch.com/vegan-maple-cashew-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (without parchment paper, cookies will spread too much).
In a small bowl, combine ground flax seed with 2 1/2 tbs water and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken into a “flax egg.” More info here: https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-a-flax-egg/
Beat Earth Balance butter and sugars for 1-2 minutes until completely combined. Add thickened flax seed and vanilla and beat to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and stir well to avoid clumps of baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and beat on low until combined. Add the oats, coconut, and carrots and mix until combined.
Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes (and up to 3 days in advance). Use your teaspoon to scoop the dough evenly into approximately 2-teaspoon-sized mounds, roll into balls, and place a couple inches apart on the parchment-lined cookie sheets (expect spreading!). The cookie dough balls should be similar in size since the cookies will be sandwiched. The cookie dough balls will look TINY because a little dough goes a long way here and the cookies will spread a lot.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and still slightly under-baked and soft in the middle. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets. The cookies will firm up a lot while cooling. Only frost once cookies are completely cooled to avoid melting the frosting.

Pick two similar sized cookies. Use a butter knife to spread your desired amount of frosting on one cookie (there’s no wrong amount here, so go wild). Place the other cookie on top and push the cookies together until the frosting is evenly spread between them. Use the knife to scrape away any excess.

You can buy flax seed pre-ground (recommended) or grind whole flax seeds in a coffee or spice grinder. Store the ground flax seed in the freezer so it lasts longer (no need to defrost before using).
Don’t use baby carrots. They are too watery and could mess up the consistency of the cookies and waste all your hard work.
Yes, store bought “cream cheese” frosting is usually vegan! Tell your friends. (And if they say “ew,” ask them why on earth they would want cow’s milk to be sitting un-refrigerated on the shelf for that long!) Also, just because it’s vegan frosting does not mean it’s healthy. It’s not better or worse for you than the non-vegan off-the-shelf frostings.
Vegan vanilla frosting also works well for this recipe.
The carrot cake cookies taste delicious on their own without the frosting, like a thin, crunchy-chewy oatmeal cookie.
WARNING: I have always regretted not doubling this recipe and have recently begun to triple it and save any extra cookie dough in the fridge.

Seitan’s Advocate