Protein Packed Pumpkin Cookies

What is better than pumpkin cookies? Pumpkin sandwich cookies filled with delicious cream! Wait there is more! These cookies, and the cream filling, can be made with or without protein powder. You can make them raw (no bake) or if you do like yours baked these bake in less than 10 minutes. So quick, healthy, and delicious! Oh the fun part… there are so many options, raw, baked, protein filled, peanut butter filled, or no filling. There are more than 12 combos not counting the endless options when you factor in all the flavored nut butter options! Which ones will you make first? What is your favorite combo?

Protein Packed Pumpkin Cookies

Makes 12-14 cookies

½ c oats or quinoa flakes

¾ c oat flour, gluten free

1 scoop vanilla protein powder, optional* (used Vega Performance Protein Vanilla)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 TBSP coconut palm sugar

1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

1/2 c pumpkin puree

1 TBSP coconut oil, melted

1tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 c almond milk, or non dairy milk of choice (used So Delicious Almond Milk Plus, for extra protein)

*If omitting protein powder use only 2 TBSP for raw cookies, 3 TBSP of almond milk if baking. If you are making raw cookies you can also make them using Vega One Vanilla or Chai.

If baking preheat oven to 350. In a bowl mix together oats or quinoa flakes, oat flour, optional protein powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. In a larger bowl mix together pumpkin, coconut palm sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, and almond milk. Stir dry mixture into the wet and stir until combined. Roll into balls and flatten. If baking place on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. If no baking place them on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet and place in the freezer. If you don’t want to fill the cookies you can eat them fresh out of the oven or once they have hardened in the freezer. If making them into Protein Packed Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies see below for filling recipe.

Protein Cream for Protein Packed Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

2 TBSP vanilla almond butter, or cashew butter (I use Justin’s Vanilla Almond Butter or MaraNatha Almond Butter)

½ c almond milk or non dairy milk of choice

1 scoop protein powder (used Vega Performance Protein Vanilla)

OR

You can just fill them with your favorite nut butter, which is what I do for the kids! We like to fill them with Justin’s Vanilla Almond Butter, MaraNatha Raw Almond Butter, or Peanut Butter & Co Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter or White Chocolate Peanut Butter!

As a Vega Recipe Ambassador I receive Vega products, which I used as an option in this recipe. I use Vega not because it is given to me but because it has been my plant-based protein of choice since before I started blogging and some recipes are made with Vega products I purchase. I only write about foods I love, my blog is an extension of my hobby to make fun healthy food creations for me and my family.