Carrot Cake Holiday Cookie

My last post was about a great retro find:   a cool 1950s era pamphlet from the University of Missouri Extension Service.   The purpose of this hand-out was to make cookies healthier for children (all the while using shortening as one of the main ingredients).

I applaud their intentions.

I, however, wanted to take one of these heirloom recipes and see if I couldn’t really make it worthwhile, tasty and healthier.

This is an original photo from the pamphlet. Let’s hope mine looks better in living color.

I chose the Carrot-Raisin “Cooky.”    Here it is with my modernizations.   The main ingredient substitution was using coconut oil instead of shortening.

Carrot Cake Holiday Cookie
Based on Carrot-Raisin Cooky from Cookies for Children

1/3 c. coconut oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 c. honey
1 farm fresh egg
1/4 c. instant nonfat dry milk
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. fine sea salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 1/4 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. grated raw carrot (or sweet potato)
zest of one lemon, chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries (or raisins)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together coconut oil, sugar, molasses, honey and egg.

In another bowl, combine dry ingredients (including the oats) and whisk to combine.

Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture.

Add grated carrots or sweet potatoes, lemon zest, and raisins.  Mix well.   (Dough should be stiff enough to hold shape on baking sheet.   Grated sweet potatoes are drier than grated carrots.   If dough is too stiff, add milk in small quantities.)

Using a small cookie scoop, drop onto a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or a silpat).

Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

Makes 18-24 dozen  cookies.

Besides the shortening which I replaced with coconut oil, the original recipe also called for 1/2 cup of molasses.    Luckily, I ran out and used 1/4 cup molasses and 1/4 cup honey.    This was a happy accident for I think that much molasses would have been overpowering.

Cookies for Santa, perhaps?

I still haven’t figured out why the dry milk in all of the recipes in this bulletin,  except that it has a longer shelf life and was such valuable pantry staple in the 40s and 50s.

I do like that sweet potatoes can be substituted for the carrots.    In fact, I think that would make a really good holiday cooky.   🙂

Nonetheless, the carrot version is making the cut as a gifting cookie this year (along with the “cooky” mix from my last post.)