Lunchbox Cookies
Nut free, gluten free and vegan cookies that are packed with veggies and taste amazing! Perfect for school lunches! You can add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans if you aren't making them nut free!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds or ground flax seeds*
- 5 tablespoons water
- ½ cup grated peeled carrots
- ½ cup grated peeled raw beets
- ½ cup grated zucchini, skin left on
- ½ cup grated apple, skin left on
- ½ cup grated ripe pear, skin left on
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup (use maple syrup to make it vegan)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour (all purpose or whole wheat) (use GF 1:1 flour to make them gluten free)
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- ¼ cup brown sugar** (optional, see note)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (you may not need the parchment paper if you have a good quality non-stick pan).
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In a small bowl, combine the ground chia or flax seeds with the water, stir to combine, and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
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In a medium bowl, combine the carrots, beets, zucchini, apple, pear, honey or maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla and chia or flax mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
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In a large bowl, stir together the flour, raisins, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, brown sugar (if using), cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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Stir the veggie mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, stirring and folding until well combined.
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Drop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough on to the baking sheet, spacing them about 1-inch apart (the cookies don't spread much). You may need to repeat this step depending on the size of your baking sheet.
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Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes, until they are cooked throughout and the bottoms are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack before storing in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. These freeze beautifully!
Recipe Notes
*use 2 eggs in place of the flax and water mixture if desired
**leave out the brown sugar if you want a less sweet cookie, it is a matter of taste preference!
IF you aren't making these nut-free you can add in 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts along with the raisins.