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A carrot cookie recipe from WW2 that only doesn't use any refined sugar and comes straight from Great-grandma's recipe box, yes please.
Most vintage recipes use frugal and real food ingredients, making them healthier for us and lighter on the pocket book. One of my favorite things about vintage recipes is the stories behind them. Andrea has been taking us through her great-grandmother's recipe collection from the 1930's and 1940's.
Anyone else have a love affair with this time period and all things vintage? I can't help but love this is a WW2 carrot recipe. Often though a lowly root vegetable, carrots are a great addition to baked goods with providing both moisture and flavor.
Many of us have vegetables coming along in the garden so this a fabulous recipe to put to work with what you have. It calls for carrots, but I might try playing around with some zucchini or even pumpkin. If you missed the other parts in this fabulous series (Andrea, huge thank you for sharing your families treasures with the rest of us) check out Frugal Kitchen Tips from 1913 and Historical Recipe: Honey Date Squares
If you're looking for a carrot cake cookie recipe, you'll still want to try these, but don't expect them to taste like carrot cake. These healthy carrot cookies are more like an oatmeal cookie in texture.
Andrea~
This recipe for oatmeal carrot raisin cookies is another 1940's find from my great-grandmother's collection. Sweetened with honey, and full of raisins, nuts, carrots, and oats. Breakfast cookies are totally a thing, especially a carrot breakfast cookie because veggies, right?
And to up the health factor, though traditionally made with pastry flour, they turn out equally as well with whole wheat pastry four, spelt flour, or a gluten-free blend. Walnuts and pecans are both good choices for the nuts.
Don't be afraid to make these your own. And if you need to be nut free, feel free to leave them out.
How to use fresh ground Spelt flour in carrot cookies
I love using spelt flour in my baking because spelt is an ancient grain that has a higher protein count but less gluten,who doesn't love all that, right?
However, I've always have to increase the amount of spelt flour by an extra quarter cup to 1 cup of regular flour, so if you make this recipe with spelt flour, you may need to add an extra 1/2 cup of flour, using 2 and 1/2 cups total. I usually start with the regular amount, but if it feels to wet or doughy, I add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup until if feels correct.
Want to bake these healthy carrot cookies with fresh ground flour? Check out my Best Flour for Baking- Home Baker’s Flour Guide 101
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Carrot Cookies Recipe
- Mix together flour, baking powder, and spices and set aside.
- Cream together butter or oil and carrot. Beat in baking soda, honey, and eggs.
- Stir in raisins, nuts, and oats.
- Add dry ingredients to carrot mixture and mix until combined.
- Drop by spoonfuls on greased or lined pans and bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes. (The original recipe calls for 15 minutes, but I found mine were done by 12 and over-browned by 15)
- Cool on a wire rack.
Print version of healthy carrot cookie recipe
Carrot Cookies Recipe WW2
MelissaKNorris
This carrot cookies recipe is not only healthy (no refined sugar) but is also hales from WW2 making it an old-fashioned delicious dessert or snack every house should have on hand… or in the cookie jar!
4.25 from 37 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 7 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 19 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 60 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour whole wheat pastry, spelt, or gluten-free blend
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup softened butter or coconut oil
- 1 cup grated raw carrot
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup honey
- 2 eggs well beaten
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 2 cups rolled oats
Instructions
Mix together flour, baking powder, and spices and set aside.
Cream together butter or oil and carrot. Beat in baking soda, honey, and eggs.
Stir in raisins, nuts, and oats.
Add dry ingredients to carrot mixture and mix until combined.
Drop by spoonfuls on greased or lined pans and bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes.
Notes
Feel free to sub in your favorite flour for these healthy carrot cookies, we love ancient grains but a gluten free blend of equal parts almond flour, coconut flour, and ground golden flax meal is our at home go to.
Keyword carrot cookies recipe healthy carrot cookie carrot cookie recipe WW2
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
The original carrot cookies recipe was published in a victory economy bulletin by the Lakeside Milling Company of Toronto, Canada.