Like most normal, sane human beings, I love a good carrot cake. If a restaurant or bakery offers a vegan version, it's usually the dessert I am most likely to try on my first visit. Because I like to satisfy my sweet tooth without necessarily consuming the potentially 800+ calories of a piece of cake, I decided to adapt this classic into a cookie. All of the fun and flavor at a fraction of the caloric costs! Plus, a cookie is much easier to take with you for a post-lunch treat at work.

Makes 2 dozen small cookies.

2 Tbsp ground Flax seeds

6 Tbsp water

6.75 oz brown sugar (roughly 1 cup)

3/4 cup margarine 

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup grated carrot

12 oz flour (roughly 2.5 C flour)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup raisins 

2.5 oz powdered sugar ( about 2/3 cup)

1/4 cardamom powder

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp water

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the water and flax seed and let it sit for a minute or so to let the flax seed to gel up a bit to make a flax egg.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the margarine and sugar and cream together until smooth. 

Add the flax egg and vanilla to the sugar mixture and blend until well combined.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, ginger, and salt. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 1/2 cup increments and mix until just combined. 

Finally fold in the walnuts and raisins until just combined.

Using a 1oz cookie scoop (this will make sure all of your cookies look nice and uniform or be a savage and just use a teaspoon), scoop out nice round balls of dough and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and then press each ball down slightly to flatten the cookie a bit (I just use the palm of my hand after I dampen it a bit). Space the cookies about 2 inches apart (they won't spread much when baked).

Bake for about 12 minutes and remove when the bottoms of the cookies are just starting to turn golden.

Remove from the cookie sheet and allow them to cool on a rack completely.

While the cookies are baking prepare the icing by placing the powdered sugar and the cardamon powder in a medium bowl and add the lemon juice and water. With a spoon stir to combine until the icing is smooth.

Once the cookies are cooled completely, spread roughly 1/2 teaspoon of the icing on each cookie and smooth it out in a circle. Allow the icing to set up a bit before serving.

Nutritional information: Per cookie 165 cal., 38.5 g fat, 1 g protein