
I’ve been dreaming of carrot cookies lately and decided to see if I could transform a favorite molasses cookie into a carrot spice cookie. Oh yes! My Bang Bang Carrot Spice Cookies are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and just sweet enough for an afternoon snack. This recipe makes four dozen vegan carrot cookies, loaded with healthy ingredients like carrots, white whole wheat flour, molasses, and aquafaba instead of eggs.
These carrot cookies are fun to make too. You take the cookie sheets out of the oven just before the cookies set and bang them on the counter. Bang bang! This flattens out the cookies a bit and creates cracks so they have a lovely light and dark pattern. You might find baking these cookies to be downright therapeutic, replacing a trip to the therapist or a double-shot of bourbon.
Bang Bang Carrot Cookies are a bargain. They cost just 14 cents a cookie, using organic ingredients, or $6.65 for the batch.

Prep Time | 1 hour |
Cook Time | 12 minutes |
Servings |
servings, 2 cookies each
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- 1/2 cup all-vegetable shortening
- 2 cups sugar divided 400 grams
- 4 cups white whole wheat flour 480 grams
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon ground
- 2 teaspoons cardamom ground
- 2 teaspoons ginger dry and ground
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 6 tablespoons aquafaba 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
Ingredients
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- Heat oven to 375 degrees F / 177 degrees C with two racks in the middle of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats if desired for easy cleanup.
- Beat shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar (300 grams) together in a large bowl until fluffy. Put remaining half-cup sugar (100 grams) on a plate for rolling cookies and set aside. Put flour, baking soda, salt, and spices on top of the shortening mixture and stir with a fork to blend flour and other dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well combined.
- Divide dough into four parts and roll into logs. Cut each log into twelve pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then roll in sugar to coat. Put cookie balls on cookie sheets as you go, a dozen to a sheet.
- Bake for 9 minutes, then remove each sheet from the oven and bang hard on the counter about four times, until cookies flatten slightly. Bake for 3 more minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then let cookies cool on a wire rack.
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Best the first day when they are still crispy, but tender and toothsome after that for about 5 days if kept covered at room temperature. Freezes well.
- Because these carrot cookies freeze well, I usually make a full batch and freeze two dozen for later. As I write this, I've got a dozen frozen as pre-baked cookie balls for baking later. I'll let you know how that turns out.
- I strain any left-over rolling sugar to get out any stray bits of dough, refrigerate it, and use it in other recipes within a week. Because these cookies don't contain raw eggs, it's safe to use every scrap of sugar.
- Thanks to my sister-by-choice Camille Armantrout for her delectable molasses cookies recipe that inspired this recipe, complete with the bang bang. Her molasses cookies were the hit of our New Year's Day party! Camille got the recipe from her friends Jill and Andy. Follow Camille's terrific blog, Plastic Farm Animals. She's funny and not afraid to go deep.
Nutritional Information for Bang Bang Carrot Spice Cookies
The nutrition is for one serving of two cookies, but use your own judgement. I've certainly had my four-cookie days! Nutritional information is for supporting members and donors. If you don't see it below, log in or join today!
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