Jack-Oat-Lantern Pumpkin Cookies by Stacey Antine MS, RDN

A delicious pumpkin treat the whole family will enjoy!

This cookie definitely celebrates the spirit of the autumn season combining the super fruit pumpkin with beloved chocolate chips and spices. Get creative by encouraging children to make jack-o-lantern faces on the cookies using the chocolate chips instead of folding them into the batter. Make double batches for the cookie jar because these treats disappear quickly.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oats, rolled ½ cup gluten-free flour (or enriched white flour) 4 Tablespoons flaxseeds, ground ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon all spice, ground ¼ teaspoon clove, ground 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground 1 cup 100% pumpkin puree ¼ cup applesauce, unsweetened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup brown sugar 1 egg white ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets.

2. Combine oats, flour, flaxseeds, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and spices in a medium mixing bowl.

3. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, applesauce, vanilla extract, and brown sugar and mix thoroughly.

4. Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in small batches, mixing well.

5. Beat the egg white until you see many bubbles and add it to the batter.

6. Fold in chocolate chips to distribute evenly.

7. Using rounded tablespoons, drop cookies onto baking sheets and press cookies flat.

8. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly for 1-2 minutes and then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

9. Once cool, enjoy right away or store in airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days, or freeze up to 1 month.

Makes 18 servings (2 cookies per serving).

Nutrition Facts per serving: 110 calories; 3g fat (1g sat fat, 0g mono, 1g poly, 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 19g carbohydrate (2g fiber, 11g sugar); 3g protein; 65mg sodium; 35% Daily Value (DV) vitamin A; 2% calcium; 6% DV iron.

Stacey Antine, MS, RDN, author, Appetite for Life, founder, HealthBarn USA, director, HealthBarn Foundation, and recognized as top 10 dietitians nationally by Today’s Dietitian magazine for her work with HealthBarn USA.