These carob cookies are sweet with crispy edges and chewy centers. There's no fancy ingredients involved (except for the carob powder of course) and no chilling time required!
New to the carob game? Let's break it down. Carob powder comes from the pods of the carob tree, a sturdy Mediterranean plant. These pods, when ground into a powder, offer a unique flavor profile.
Unlike cocoa, carob brings a milder sweetness and a hint of caramel. Picture it as cocoa's caffeine-free and chocolate-free cousin.
Just like my Carob Brownies carob chip cookie recipe uses less than 10 simple ingredients. They are made with oil instead of butter and come together in 20 minutes!
For more easy, straight forward cookies recipes check out my Low-Calorie Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe or these 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Flour: White, all-purpose flour is what you'll need. If you want to make these cookies gluten-free I recommend using a gluten-free flour blend (don't simply swap the flour for coconut flour or oat flour). I haven't tested using whole wheat flour.
- Carob: Usually available in health food stores. Could be replaced by cocoa powder.
- Eggs: I highly recommend choosing high-quality eggs. I used free range, organic ones. If you want to make these vegan, you can sub the eggs with flax eggs. Check out my FAQs section for more details.
- Oil: You can use any neutral tasting vegetable oil of choice. I opted for a mix of extra virgin olive oil and castor oil. Coconut oil would also work if you don't mind subtle coconut flavors.
- Sugar: Go for soft brown sugar. I haven't tried using a different type of granulated sugar such as coconut sugar or regular white sugar but I guess it might work as well. You can't substitute the granulated sweetener for a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup in this recipe because the liquid-flour ratio wouldn't work anymore.
- Baking powder + soda: used as leavening agents.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-step: How to make carob cookies
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, carob, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until creamy using an electric mixer. Add the oil and beat again.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Stir until well combined using a spatula. Then fold in chocolate-chips (if using).
Step 5: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop small portions of the cookie dough onto the sheet, leaving enough room between them.
Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for about 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the tray for another 10 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack.
Katie's expert tips
- Thoroughly measure the flour. Using a spoon, lightly scoop the flour into the dry measuring cup. Once you've filled the measuring cup, use the back of a knife or a flat edge to level off the excess flour. This ensures an accurate measurement without compacting the flour. Alternatively, you could use a kitchen scale.
- High quality ingredients. As mentioned above I highly recommend using high-quality eggs and oil. It really does make a difference when it comes to taste.
- Watch baking time. To prevent overbaked cookies, stick to the recommended baking time. Remember, the residual heat continues to work its magic even after they're out. Every oven is slightly different but I recommend sticking to 9 minutes at 355°F. The goal is to achieve slightly crispy edges with a soft, chewy center.
Storage
- To store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: These cookies freeze well. Use a freezer-friendly container and freeze up to 3 months. Let thaw on the counter overnight.
FAQs
Yes actually, however, the method will be slightly different and you won't need an electric mixer. Whisk together all the dry ingredients. Replace the egg with a flax egg and add it to the dry ingredients together with the oil. Once the dough is slightly sticky (it won't be as sticky as the egg dough), shape cookies by hand and bake for 9-10 minutes.
More cookie recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Carob Cookies
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet with parchment paper
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 electric mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup flour *white all-purpose
- ⅓ cup carob
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup soft brown sugar
- ⅓ cup oil *I used half olive half sunflower
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or carob chips *optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 355°F/ 180°C and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients except for the sugar.½ cup flour, ⅓ cup carob, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar until creamy (see step-by-step photos or video) using an electric mixer.1 egg, ¾ cup soft brown sugar
- Add the oil and beat again until well incorporated.⅓ cup oil
- Fold in chocolate chips using a spatula.¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or carob chips
- Use a small cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) and scoop small balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking tray.
Video
Notes
- Thoroughly measure the flour. Using a spoon, lightly scoop the flour into the dry measuring cup. Once you've filled the measuring cup, use the back of a knife or a flat edge to level off the excess flour. This ensures an accurate measurement without compacting the flour. Alternatively, you could use a kitchen scale.
- High quality ingredients. As mentioned above I highly recommend using high-quality eggs and oil. It really does make a difference when it comes to taste.
- Watch baking time. To prevent overbaked cookies, stick to the recommended baking time. Remember, the residual heat continues to work its magic even after they're out. Every oven is slightly different but I recommend sticking to 9 minutes t 355°F. The goal is to achieve slightly crispy edges with a soft, chewy center.
Kira says
Is it possible to beat the eggs and sugar without an electric mixer?
Katie says
Yes you could give it a try but beating with an electric mixer will incorporate some air into the mixture making the cookies a bit fluffier.
Skylar says
I love the looks of this recipe. It's well done, beautiful and looks super easy to follow. I plan on trying them today. The only thing I couldn't find was how many cookies it makes. These will be a gift to someone struggling with gut issues and carob powder is known to be beneficial for that. I'll comment on how they turn out once baked. Thanks!
Katie says
Hi Skylar- right under "prep time" and "cook time" there it says "servings: 18 cookies"- but you can change the amount of cookies you'll like to make. I hope that helps. 🙂 Happy to hear how they turn out.