Fall is just around the corner, which means it’s time to cozy up with our favorite baked goods and get some quality nourishment in. I don’t know about you, but I’m a big cookie person.
As much as I love cookies, I also can’t go too hard on sugar or processed food without ending up with a tummy ache. You too? Ugh, I feel you.
This is why I love to get creative with my cookie recipes, and to make sure to add in a bunch of delicious nutrients that help me feel good, while also satisfying my cookie craving.
Carrot, Spinach, and Cacao Juice Pulp Cookies
I hope you’ve checked out some of my other juice pulp recipes so that you have a good understanding of just how valuable juice pulp is when you’re baking. But in case you’re new here, I’ll break it down for you.
Juice pulp is the leftover fiber that comes from juicing. So, if you’re invested in a Namawell (my personal favorite at-home juicer), then you know how much pulp comes from just one batch of juice. A lot!
Rather than wasting all of that dense, nutritious fiber, let’s put it to good use! In fact, all of the pulp you have left can easily be added to most of your favorite baked goods. Think about dark chocolate carrot orange muffins, pulp muffins with pear, kiwi and ginger, spiced crumb cookies with apple pulp, or lime with dark chocolate cookies. The options are endless really.
I highly recommend compartmentalizing your left juice pulp with sweet and savory options (fruit and veggies separate), so that you can easily mix and match as you bake.
It’s time to line your baking sheet, grease up your muffin tin, and get that Vitamix dusted off. We’re making juice pulp goodness today!
Ingredients Juice Pulp Cookies
Savory juice pulp (I used carrot and spinach, but you can use beetroot, carrot, apple, or anything that you have on hand)
Cacao nibs
Ripe bananas
Maple syrup (agave, date syrup or honey works here too)
Chia seeds
Flax seed meal
Almond flour
Almonds or nut of choice
Dried figs or any fruit of choice
YourSuperFood Muscle Powder Blend (optional)
Coconut Oil
Non-dairy milk of your choice (unsweetened- I used almond milk)
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Sea Salt
Instructions
You guys are going to kill me. I know you’re used to me not measuring, but when it comes to baking you’re meant to be pretty precise, right? Well, what can I say- I’m an intuitive cook! These are estimated values. Do your best to tap into your intuitive self in the kitchen to feel what you need more or less of.
These estimated measurements made just over two dozen cookies.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
Step 2
Blend overripe banana until it resembles a banana smoothie. I used 5 small-ish bananas here, which made a little over 1 cup.
Step 3
In a mixing bowl, combine about 4 heaping cups of juice pulp with blended banana mixture. Add about 3/4 cups of flaxseed meal, and about 1 1/2 cups of almond flour. Stir in about 1/4 cups of coconut oil, and 1 1/2 cups of non-dairy milk.
Step 4
Stir mixture as is to see consistency. If you need more moisture, add coconut oil and milk to your liking. If it’s not sticking together, add more flax seed meal.
Step 5
Once it’s pretty sticky, add in YourSuperFoods Muscle Power blend. I used about 3/4 cups, but you can use to your liking, or not at all. Stir, and notice if the mixture gets too dry. Then add coconut oil or milk as needed.
Step 6
Now it’s time to sweeten! Add cacao nibs to your liking (I used about 1 1/2 cups), and maple syrup (I used about 1/4 cups). The more syrup you use, the sweeter it will be. I’d start with less, and then taste test along the way. These ingredients are all safe to eat raw.
Step 7
Add some texture with chopped raw nuts, chia seeds, and dried fruit of your choice. You can quantify these to your liking. I used slivered almonds, black chia seeds, and diced dried figs.
Step 8
Lastly, spice it up with cinnamon and nutmeg to your liking. Add a bit of salt at the end.
Step 9
Stir and taste test here. If you want it sweeter, add more maple syrup or blended banana. If it’s lost its stickiness, then add more coconut oil, milk and/or flaxseed meal.
Step 10
Put parchment paper on a baking sheet, and make medium-sized cookies with your hands. I needed three baking trays to fit all of mine.
Step 11
Once the oven is preheated, put cookies in for 30 – 35 minutes. I’d check on them after about 25 minutes, and possibly flip them to make sure they cook all the way through. This really depends on the size that you make. I made one batch small, and another one large- so they needed about 20 extra minutes in the oven.
Step 12
Bake to the crunch of your liking. I made mine a little brown, but you can keep them a bit more raw if that’s your thing.
Step 13
Cool and enjoy!
Other Juice Pulp Cookie Combinations
Feel free to stick to the same recipe above, just play around with the juice pulp, nuts, and fruit that you use! Pro tip, candy your pecans or walnuts first to give the best flavor and crunch. I love using date syrup (link) to candy my nuts, rather than sugar.
Below are some of my favorite flavor options:
- Chocolate, carrot, orange, apple cookies
- Apple with cinnamon pecans
- Pecans and beetroot, apple, with ginger
- Cinnamon pecans and beetroot
- Pear, kiwi, spinach, lime
- Orange apple with cinnamon
- Spinach, lime, with dark chocolate
- (muffins) pear, kiwi, spinach
Happy creating, my friends!
xx,
K