Summer Squash Nut Bread Cookies {V}

**soft vegan cream cheese = a delicious grainy mess

Summer comes and summer goes. 

Cookies will always stay...

on your hips.

Kidding, kidding! These cookies are totally fat-free, calorie-free, gluten-free, vegan, and when you eat one an angel gets his wings. Okay... that was also a lie. But the cookies shouldn't get too bad of a rap. I mean they have squash in 'em for peeps sake!

So maybe I can't bill these as "healthy cookies" but I did add some flaxseed meal & chia seeds for a little omega-3 & fiber. Of course you can omit the chia seeds if you wanna save on some calories. Either way, if you're trying to get rid of some summer squash to make room for some butternut squash, let me be of some assistance. 

These cookies are so so good! Tender, moist little mini nut breads for your morning coffee or tea. 

Enjoy!

Summer Squash Nut Bread Cookies

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 cup vegan butter substitute (earth balance), softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp ground chia seeds + 3 tbsp water

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

1 yellow squash, finely grated

1 cup oats

1/2 cup pecans

1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, & salt together; set aside. Beat "butter" and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer til pale & fluffy. Add egg & vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, squash, oats , & walnuts. Refrigerate dough til firm, about 1 hour. Using a cookie scoop, or whatever your preference, drop balls of cookie dough on baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake until edges are golden, about 15-17 minutes.

**I prefer the cookies by themselves but if you wanna fatten these up & make them cookie sandwiches as pictured above, beat 8 oz vegan cream cheese & 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar together. Also, it's important not to let the cream cheese sit out for too long or it could become a grainy mess. (Oh and do not over mix!) As you can see from the picture, I made that mistake. Not only did I realize I forgot about the cream cheese sitting out before I used it, but my impatient self decided to just go with it anyways. It was good nonetheless but not very pretty.