Vegan Carrot Ginger Spice Cookies

Each month, Better Homes and Gardens Magazine has a recipe contest. There are always two categories.  One category caught my eye a few years back... the category was called "Smart Cookie."  I came up with a recipe called "Carrot Ginger Spice Cookies," mailed it in, and the magazine picked it. I was super excited.  I should tell you that I did not get the big prize.  In each category, they pick a $400.00 winner, a $200.00 winner, and two $50.00 honor award winners. I got a $50.00 prize, but I tell you... I felt as if I had won the big prize in the lottery.  It's exciting to win anything.  Since I've had some pretty good success with vegan baking with quick breads and muffins lately, I decided I just had to try to make a vegan version of my Carrot Ginger Spice Cookies.  It was pretty easy to adjust.  Here's the recipe:

Carrot Ginger Spice Cookies


Dry Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour *

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour pastry flour *

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt (I use kosher salt)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground allspice

Wet Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup agave nectar (I used honey in the original recipe)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups finely grated carrot (3 medium sized carrots)
1 tablespoon flax seeds and 1/2 cup water (I used 3 large egg whites in the original recipe)
3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (I used granulated sugar in the original recipe)
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
3/4 to 1 cup raisins (optional - my original recipe did not include raisins)
Extra turbinado sugar for topping cookies (optional)

Directions:
1.  In a small pot, combine the flax seeds & 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately three minutes; strain in a fine mesh strainer, discard flax seeds, and allow "flax seed goo" to cool (this "goo" acts as an egg replacer).  NOTE:  I learned about "flax seed goo" on www.affectioknit.blogspot.com.  Thank you, Affectioknit!
2  Combine the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice in a medium-sized mixing bowl; stir with a whisk to combine. Set aside.
3.  Combine the oil, agave nectar, vanilla, brown sugar and 1tablespoon turbinado sugar in a large-sized mixing bowl; whisk to combine. Add the cooled flax seed goo; whisk to combine. Add the grated
carrot; whisk to combine.
4.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once; stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When all of the flour-mixture is moistened by the wet ingredients, add the oats and chopped pecans (an raisins if using). Fold all ingredients together with the wooden spoon until the oats and pecans are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with aluminum foil (mist aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray) or parchment and drop dough on to lined baking sheets (each cookie should be 1 rounded tablespoon in size); cookies should be spaced approximately two inches apart on the baking sheets. Slightly flatten each cookie with fingertips moistened with water; sprinkle approximately 1/8 teaspoon of turbinado sugar on each cookie.  Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges and bottom. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for three to four minutes. Remove the foil and cookies from baking sheets and allow the cookies to cool further on the counter top. While cookies are still slightly warm, remove cookies from foil (or parchment) and place cookies in plastic bags with zip closures or in airtight containers.  These cookies freeze well and, in my opinion, are better the next day (as opposed to fresh out of the oven).

* When measuring the flours, lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then sweep with the back of a knife to level.  Dipping the measuring cup into the flour bag or container may compact the flour and may make the cookies too dry.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Don't miss there instruction in step 3... slightly flatten each cookie with fingertips moistened with water. 
These cookies are so dense that they do not spread out well on their own.
Also, the moisture helps the sugar crystals stick to the cookie tops.