Name: Orange Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 1 overripe banana, mashed; 3/4 cup pumpkin puree; 1.5 cups quick oats; 1/4 teaspoon orange extract; 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Jump to recipe

Hi there, Mamas! With all of the pumpkin-spice foods rolling out this time of year, I was inspired to add a little fall flare to one of my daughter’s favorite breakfast recipes. {But, really I just wanted some pumpkin cookies.}

See the original recipe: Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookies

So, I came up with two scrumptious variations on this portable and tasty treat. {Check back soon for the Pumpkin-Spice Cookie recipe… you knew it was coming!}

This variation was inspired by some very tasty “traditional” cookies my brother had made for my daughter’s baptism party. So good, but with the typical baked good ingredients: sugar, salt, and white flour.

RDN Mama’s: Bread of Life or Deadly Sin – Kids Eating During Church

These “cookies” give all of the wonderful flavors that fall has to offer, with no added sugar or salt. These can also be made gluten-free if made with certified gluten-free oats. (Be sure to check the package.) These are also {nearly} fat free!

RDN Mama’s Info on Healthy Fats

Cooking with pumpkin and bananas is great! These wonderful fruits give incredible moisture to whatever you’re making and the banana adds sweetness, so you don’t even need sugar/honey/agave/Splenda/{your sweetener of choice}. Plus, pumpkins and bananas are potassium powerhouses! Potassium is a nutrient sorely lacking in many Americans’ diets. It’s really beneficial for heart health and acts as a sort-of counterbalance to sodium. These little babies have just over 76 milligrams (mg) of potassium each, so you’d need to eat a lot of these to get to the Recommended Daily Intake of 4,700 mg (but really, who can stop at just one?). But on the other hand, these cookies have virtually no sodium and only a half a gram of fat each. The oats and fruits also contribute fiber, so overall, I’d say these are a very heart-healthy pick! Not to mention, mama and toddler* approved!

RDN Mama’s Nutrition BFF – Fiber

Hope you enjoy, Mamas!

What are some of your favorite fall recipes?