Carrot Cake Coconut Cookies with Carrot Cake M & M's

I have a confession to make. I saw these White Chocolate Carrot Cake M&M's last night online. They are only sold at Walmart so I went there today to pick up a bag. Less than 4 hours later, I made these cookies! I think I have a problem. And I need to go work out!

Carrot Cake Coconut Cookies with Carrot Cake M&M's

I made these for YOU, so that you will have a recipe to use when you buy these M&M's for Easter. Aren't I sweet?

These M&M's are so good! They have all the wonderful flavors of a carrot cake, cinnamon, nutmeg, a little carmely, and a hint of ginger. And my favorite thing about them is the color. They are mint green and peachy, perfect for this spring's fashion too!

These are carrot "cake" cookies because they are truly a cake-like cookie. Not too dense and oh so flavorful. They taste like carrot cake, and they are loaded with oats, coconut and nuts.

I know the measurements look strange, but trust a sister, it all works out.

Carrot Cake Coconut Cookies with Carrot Cake M&M's

    makes 16 cookies
7 tbs softened butter
1/4 C splenda brown sugar
1 T sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 C old fashioned oats
1/2 C packed freshly grated carrots
1/2 C unsweetened grated coconut
1/2 C White Chocolate Carrot Cake M&M's, plus more for decorating
1/4 C chopped nuts, optional {pecans, walnuts, macadamia}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, brown sugar and sugar together until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and combine. Fold in oats, grated carrots, coconut and nuts. Add carrot cake M&M's and roll dough into balls and arrange on parchment paper lined baking sheet. {Don't they kind of look like little eggs in a nest?}

Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

I made these cookies with Easter in mind, but they would be great anytime of year.

For other Easter inspiration, check out my holiday page. Need a good carrot cake recipe? Try my pineapple carrot cake recipe.