I’ve been playing around with some more sweet snacks for Otis’s preschool lunchbox that are “allergen friendly” (nut free, egg free and soy free) and came up with these cookies. They’re soft and naturally a little sweet and were originally envisioned as a simple oat cookie, then I added carrot – always trying to squeeze in extra veggies – and sultanas because Otis just loves them, then fragrant spices reminiscent of a carrot cake. Because there’s no egg or nuts in these, I’ve added some hemp seeds for extra protein. I keep them in the freezer and pop one in to his lunchbox frozen, so by the time lunch rolls around they’ve freshly defrosted.
Carrot Cake Lunchbox Cookies
Makes: 18 – Prep time: 10-mins – Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
1 banana
I tsp vanilla
1 chia egg (1 Tbsp chia seeds mixed with 3 Tbsp water)
2 Tbsp sweet end of choice (maple syrup, honey, rice malt syrup)
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 cinnamon
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup preservative-free sultanas
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup preservative-free desiccated coconut
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 170’C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Mix together the banana, chia egg, melted coconut oil and sweetener – you can do this in the food processor or thermomix.
- Add buckwheat flour, spices, coconut and oats then mix to combine.
- Add carrot and sultanas and mix until just combined.
- Spoon tablespoonfuls of mix on to a baking tray and bake for 20-25 mins until they just start to golden – they won’t spread too much.
- Allow to cool, then enjoy. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer (they don’t take long to defrost).
