Walk into any store this time of year and you are bound to see more pumpkin products than you ever thought possible. From air fresheners to yogurt and, of course, the famous pumpkin spice latte, our world goes bananas for pumpkin (which also happen to go great together!). There’s almost nothing you can’t find in pumpkin form at this point, but what’s also true is that many of these foods are packed with added sugars and don’t even contain real pumpkin. While I can enjoy the occasional PSL before a trip to the pumpkin patch, I opt for adding real pumpkin to my foods to reap the nutritional benefits this GOURD-eous vegetable has to offer.
From savory to sweet, the versatility of this winter squash is truly amazing. 
You can add a spoonful of pumpkin pureé to foods such as oatmeal, yogurt bowls and pasta sauce for more fiber and nutrients per bite. Have a little pumpkin left in the can? Freeze it in an ice cube tray and pop it out for future soups and smoothies.
Whether you’re looking for a pumpkin cookie recipe that meets certain dietary restrictions or just something that you can feel good about eating all fall long, look no further than these gluten- and dairy-free pumpkin cookies that combine pumpkin, banana and flax seed to create an autumnal sweetness that is perfectly pumpkin.
Gluten-free, Dairy-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 medium banana, ripe
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 3 tablespoons water
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2¼ cup gluten-free flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
OR
- 1 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, mix coconut oil and brown sugar until combined.
- In a small bowl, mash banana. In a second small bowl whisk flax seed and water, until consistency resembles an egg.
- Add banana and flax mixture to coconut oil and brown sugar, then add pumpkin and vanilla and mix together.
- Sift flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Add to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips, and drop by the spoonful onto baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 16 minutes, cool on wire rack and enjoy! Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
