(Secret Squash) Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 These "cookies" are more muffin-like in texture and density, and are good with morning coffee or a glass of milk.  Hearty enough to be a substantial snack on their own!

I've been trying to use up old baby food cubes the little one will no longer eat due to his distaste of purees!  He only wants "finger foods" so this was my solution to get him to eat his pumpkin and squash! (although I left out the chocolate chips for him and made some with chocolate chips for my older son).

In this recipe, you can sub in any combination of pumpkin/butternut squash that you like, as long as it equals 1 c. total - so you can make it all pumpkin, all butternut squash or a combination of both, which I did since I had both in the freezer.

My 3 yr. old helped me bake these and so the pumpkin/squash was no actual secret, but he was excited and didn't mind.  He even ate the pumpkin puree out of the mixing bowl when we were done!  That's my Veggie Boy!

Set oven to 350

Line 3 cookie sheets with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray or parchment paper

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c. oatmeal
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. Earth Balance (butter alternative, or use butter)
• 1/2 c. Coconut Oil 
• *You can just use 1 c. butter instead of using coconut oil AND butter, but I like the taste 
• 1 c packed brown sugar
• 1/2 banana, mashed (*used as an egg replacer in this recipe and also in place of added sugar)
• 1/2 c. Pureed Butternut Squash (use canned if you have it)
• 1/2 c. Pureed Pumpkin (use canned if you have it)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 c. dark chocolate chips

Method

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl

In a KitchenAid mixer, combine wet ingredients

Pour dry ingredients into wet and mix

Spoon onto cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray and bake for 14 min. at 350

Let cool 2 min. on cookie sheet then transfer cookies to wire cooling racks

Freeze any leftovers in a Ziploc bag, and pull out some when needed, defrost in the microwave or let thaw "on the go" in your diaper bag, lunch bag or purse!