Bake these easy to make, vegan carrot cookie sandwiches. Top them off with a zesty cream cheese frosting filling that can be made using dairy-free cream cheese.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup carrot, grated

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1/3 cup almond meal

• ½ cup nut butter (peanut, almond or cashew nut butter work well)

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

• ¾ cup water

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• ¼ cup walnuts roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp dried apricots roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp dried raisins

Cream cheesing filling:

• 200g Cream cheese (use a plain vegan cream cheese for a dairy free version)

• ¼ cup pure icing sugar (sifted)

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp lemon zest

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C

2. Line a flat baking tray with baking paper.

3. Combine the chia seeds and water into a jug, stir to combine and set aside while the seeds absorb the liquid (10 – 15 minutes).

4. Add ½ of the oats to a food processor and blitz until the oats turn into the consistency of flour. Turn out the oat flour into a large mixing bowl.

5. Add to this large mixing bowl, the dry ingredients; the remainder of the whole oats, almond meal, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

6. Once the dry ingredients are combined, add the wet ingredients; grated carrot, maple syrup, nut butter, lemon zest, vanilla essence as well as the chia seeds that have completely soaked up all of the water.  Stir well to combine.

7. Add the dried fruit and the walnuts at the end and stir through.

8. Using your hands roll out balls the size of a tablespoon, it helps to put a little oil or water on your hands to prevent sticking. Place the balls on the prepared baking tray 3cm apart, using a fork gently flatten down the balls.

9. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes.

10. Once cooked remove them from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

11. To make the cream cheese filling: combine the cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice, and zest into a small mixing bowl. Using a spatula mix until a smooth paste consistency is formed.

12. Once the cookies are completely cooled, spoon on 1 -2 tsp of the cream cheese filling on the flat underside of the cookie. Sandwich another cookie to the filling and lightly press together. Repeat the process for the remainder of the cookies.

13. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Serve: 10 cookies

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25-35 minutes

Recipe, styling and photography by Bonnie Coumbe. Visit her site here & Instagram here.