Carrot Date Almond Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons mild olive oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

¾ cup dark brown sugar

1 egg

1 teasponn vanilla

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1½ cups old-fashioned oats

½ teaspoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½  teaspoon toasted ground cardamom 

4 medium carrots or 9½ ounces baby carrots, peeled and finely grated (about 2 cups)

1 cup roughly chopped pitted dates

½ cup  toasted almonds, roughly chopped

1½ cup  toasted sesame seeds

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the oils and brown sugar and whisk until completely combined.  Add the egg, vanilla and ginger and stir well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cardamom and mix well. Add the carrots, dates,  toasted almonds, and sesame seeds and mix well.

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix just until combined. 

Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Line 3 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 

With damp hands or an ice cream scooper, shape about 2 tablespoons of the dough into a ball and place it on one of the prepared baking sheets.  Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving about 1½ inches between the cookies (12 cookies per sheet).  With damp fingers, press each ball to a thickness of about ½ inch (they will be about 1¾ inches in diameter).

Bake 2 trays at a time for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden brown at the edges. Cool on the baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes; then transfer to cooling racks and let cool completely. These cookies will keep for one week. In a pinch, they can also be individually wrapped and frozen for up to a month and reheated before serving.