This oil-free vegan recipe for Carrot Quinoa Breakfast Cookies makes the perfect bite for energizing your day. A combination of oats, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and whole wheat flour are a tasty way to get plant-based nutrition. Make a batch of these gluten-free vegan snacks for breakfast on-the-go.
Plant-Based Vegan Cookies
Traditional cookies will often use butter, eggs, and sugar for moisture and sweetness. Even most vegan recipes call for white flour and loads of sugar. However, for this plant-based recipe, I use lots of whole foods ingredients. This ensures delicious flavor while also providing sustained nutrition.
Cooked quinoa, applesauce, maple syrup, and almond butter create the wet base for moisture and sweetness. All of these ingredients are naturally and plant-based. Plus, they’re full of healthy nutrition including fiber, protein, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals.
How to Use Cooked Quinoa for Cookies
Cooked quinoa is used in these vegan cookies to provide plant-based protein and healthy fiber. For this recipe, it’s important to use white quinoa. You can cook the quinoa in about 12 minutes, the time it takes for your oven to preheat and to measure the other ingredients. You can also use frozen, precooked quinoa, but you’ll want to thaw it out (or just microwave it to thaw). You’ll need 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
Other Plant-Based Ingredients You Need for These Vegan Breakfast Cookies:
A well-stocked plant-based pantry has all the ingredients you need to make these vegan quinoa breakfast cookies. Here’s what you need for this recipe:
- Quick Oats: Quick oats are smaller, thinner, and cook faster than traditional rolled oats. They soak up moisture and mix well with the other ingredients in the this recipe. Oats are naturally gluten-free. However, if Celiac is a concern, double-check for “certified gluten-free” oats.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce stands in for oil and eggs to add moisture to these cookies
- Whole Wheat Flour: Provides the structure and chew needed to give these cookies their body. Use whole wheat pastry flour for a lighter texture, most similar to white flour
- Vegan Egg Replacer: Works as a binder to hold the cookies together. Use a packaged egg replacer (like Bob’s Red Mill, which you find in the baking aisle), or use flax “eggs”
- Nut Butter: Provides richness and density. Without any added oils, nut butter stands in for the fat in your dough. You can substitute with sunflower butter (allergy-free), cashew butter, or even peanut butter.
- Shredded Carrots: Add moisture, a pop of color, and a dose of nutrition with Vitamin C and potassium
- Maple Syrup: Adds a bit of sweetness. You can also use brown rice syrup or agave syrup
- Pumpkin Seeds: Provide a crunchy texture and a good source of iron and zinc. Be sure to use raw, unsalted, shelled seeds for this recipe.
- Dried Cranberries: Add a burst of sweetness and pops of chewy texture.
- Cinnamon: A dash of this warm spice really helps get you going in the morning
Are These Plant-Based Quinoa Breakfast Cookies Healthy?
Yes, these quinoa cookies are very healthy! Thesre is a ton of whole foods, plant-based nutrition in those dried fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains.. Nuts and seeds are a healthy source of fat (including omega-3), protein, and fiber. Plus, they have Vitamin E and magnesium. Dried fruits offer more nutrition with potassium, fiber, vitamin E, C, and B12.
However, nuts and dried fruits, and maple syrup are calorie-dense foods. While they offer lots of nutrition, they also are higher in calories. In turn, it’s best to moderate how much of these foods you eat. In other words, 1 or 2 cookies is fine. Enjoy with a bowl of fruit, a banana, or some Get Your Greens Vegan Protein Breakfast Smoothie if you find you’re not satiated.
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Baking Tips
Gluten-Free Celiac: Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they can processed in a facility near wheat. If this is a concern, check for “Certified Gluten-Free” oats.
Weigh Your Ingredients: For precise measuring and consistent results, always weigh your ingredients. A small kitchen scale makes this easy to do. This will save you time and give you more delicious muffins and breads.
Portion Scoop: A portion scoop makes it easy to quickly portion out consistent cookies
Carrot Quinoa Breakfast Cookies — Oil-Free Vegan Recipe
- Servings: 20
- Ready In: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 20 cookies
Carrot Quinoa Breakfast Cookies — Oil-Free Vegan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 90g uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup 8 oz water
- 2 tablespoons 20g egg replacer
- 1/2 cup 113g unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup 130g maple syrup
- 1/2 cup 128g almond butter
- 1 cup 110g shredded carrot
- 1 cup 120g whole wheat flour
- 1 cup 80g quick rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup 30g raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup 55g dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup 60g vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F
- To cook the quinoa: Combine the uncooked quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small pot. Cover and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until quinoa “pops”, about 11-12 minutes. Set aside to cool. You’ll have 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
- While the quinoa cooks, measure your other ingredients.
- To make the vegan “egg”: Combine the egg replacer and unsweetened applesauce in a large bowl. Let set for 5 minutes, until gooey and egg-like. You can weigh your dry ingredients and line your sheet pans while this happens.
- Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or non-stick baking pads. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine your dry ingredients: The whole wheat flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk or fork to thoroughly mix.
- Once the vegan egg has set, you can finish making your cookie batter.
- In the same bowl with the vegan egg, add the maple syrup, almond butter, and shredded carrots. Mix well to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and cooled quinoa to the egg bowl and mix well.
- Fold in the pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips (if using).
- Portion about 2 tablespoons of batter per cookie and place on the lined cookie sheets. You’ll have about 18-20 cookies.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until set and golden brown on the bottom.
- Let cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Transfer to a container to refrigerate.
- Refrigerate for up to 10 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: About 1 cookie
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 20.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 174 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 6 g | 10 % |
| Saturated Fat 2 g | 10 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 2 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 122 mg | 5 % |
| Potassium 113 mg | 3 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 26 g | 9 % |
| Dietary Fiber 3 g | 11 % |
| Sugars 13 g | |
| Protein 4 g | 8 % |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 1 % |
| Calcium | 5 % |
| Iron | 5 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats
- Raw Pumpkin Seeds
- Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Deglet Noor Dates (Pitted)
- Steve’s PaleoGoods, Dried Fruit Cranberries
- Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale and Baking Scale
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