Easy Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cookies

Oatmeal raisin cookie with carrots and chocolate chips with a bite taken out next to other cookies.

This recipe is just what you need when you want a sweet treat that's a little more wholesome than typical desserts and tastes old fashioned. Studded with shredded carrots, raisins, and mini chocolate chips, these cookies are delicious and perfectly chewy! Make them for Easter or freeze the dough to bake when you want a hassle-free dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Chilling Time 20

Total Time 55

Servings cookies

Calories 146kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Equipment

Baking sheet
hand mixer

Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter at room temp
¾ cup coconut sugar sub light brown sugar if needed
2 eggs at room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups old fashioned oats also known as rolled oats
1 cup shredded carrots works best if you use a hand or box grater with small holes to grate 2 large carrots
¾ cup raisins
½ cup mini chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. You will need to bake a few batches of cookies if you only use one baking sheet. If you want to bake more than one at a time, prepare more baking sheets.
If you didn't have time to get the butter to room temp, microwave it in 15-second intervals until soft but not melted. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter with the coconut sugar. Then, mix in the eggs and vanilla.
Note: these cookies taste best if you use fresh raisins that you open for this recipe. If you only have a package of raisins that has already been opened and are harder/more dried out than fresh ones, you can pour the raisins into the bowl with the wet ingredients at this point. Let them sit in the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes while you gather the rest of the ingredients. If you are using fresh raisins, just add them later when indicated.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add this to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything until just combined.
Pour the old fashioned oats and shredded carrots into the bowl and gently fold them into the dough with a rubber spatula.
Finally, add the raisins (if you didn't do so already) and mini chocolate chips. Stir gently to fold them into the dough.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes. If you're short on time, you can skip this step. However, it does help the cookies get extra chewy.
Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball about 1.5 inches in diameter. Use slightly damp hands to prevent sticking if needed. Repeat until you have enough dough balls to be placed on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches from each other. I usually put 8 balls on a baking sheet so that I can keep 2 inches between them.
Bake for 11 to 14 minutes until lightly browned around the edges and very slightly underbaked in the center. If you are baking multiple sheets at once, rotate them halfway through the baking time. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to complete cooling. Enjoy!
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Notes

Keep cookies in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days either on a counter away from direct sunlight or, for better results and to extend shelf life, in the refrigerator.
To freeze baked cookies, place them in a container or bag in layers separated by parchment paper. Seal tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
To freeze unbaked cookies/dough, roll the dough into balls as specified. Place the balls in a container or lay them flat in a bag. Separate layers with parchment paper if needed. Seal tightly. Bake directly from frozen on a lined baking sheet for about 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 degrees F/177 degrees C oven. The balls will last for up to 3 months but are probably best if used within 1 month.

Nutrition