Birthday Chocolate Chip Cookies {Vegan, Healthy}

I make these easy and delicious Birthday Chocolate Chip Cookies every year for all of my kids on their birthdays.  With just a little bit of fun m & m candies, it brightens up these crispy (healthier) chocolate chip cookies!  Note* these are only vegan WITHOUT the m & m's!

Today is my oldest's 10th birthday and my middle guy's 8th birthday.  Yes, I am aware that it's pretty crazy to have two kids born on the same day two years apart.  

No, it wasn't planned.  Just the opposite actually.  

I went into labor 2 weeks early and was devastated to leave my son on his 2nd birthday.  And just as hormones make you crazy, I was a lunatic leaving for the hospital.  

Ask my husband,  I tried desperately NOT to have him born on his brother's birthday.  But he had different plans.  

And they ended up being 2 years and 12 minutes apart.  It was just meant to be and I loved him the second I saw him.    

I knew he was going to be stubborn though! 😉

So to go along with mom overcompensation (I am seriously the queen on that) I have made my kids' birthdays crazy special.  Fancy breakfasts, balloons, presents right when they wake up…you name it.  

It's hard when you have to share your one special day.  This year, I was so honored to be asked along with a few other bloggers to go to Cascadian Farms in Seattle and visit their organic farm.  

This sounded like a chance in a lifetime and I was overjoyed.  And then I saw the dates.  

I'd have to miss my kids's birthday morning.  Cue the waterworks.  

And that awful, terrible mom guilt.

I'll be back in time for dinner to celebrate, but I will miss them running down in the morning in their pjs, excited to see what I've prepared for breakfast and what surprises I have in store.  Of course I still made pumpkin bread (their favorite) and packed a few fun presents (that my husband will give them) but of course, they want me there.  

And that's where these cookies come in.

These babies are lightened up a bit but still incredibly delicious. You an easily leave out the m & m's to make them completely vegan and add some more vegan chocolate chips if you'd like.

I like the m & m's because they add some fun colors and a little crispy texture. And what kid doesn't like m & m's?

Birthday Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 from 4 votes

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Author: Lauren Kelly

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ▢ ¾ cup oats
• ▢ ½ cup ground flaxseed
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ▢ ½ cup unrefined sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup coconut oil softened
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ cup dark chocolate chips I used Enjoy Life
• ▢ ¼ cup mini M & M's no longer vegan

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Place oats in food processor or blender and blend until powdery.
• Pour into a medium size bowl and add flour, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, salt and beat with electric mixer until combined. Add applesauce, sugar , coconut oil and vanilla extract while continuing to beat with the electric mixer.
• Add chocolate chips and M & M's and stir to combine.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls onto undressed cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
• bake for about 12-5 minutes until golden brown. Cook on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack until completely cooled.

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I made a double batch and froze a few to have ready for their lunch boxes.  I make these EVERY year for them and this year was going to be no different.

So along with my three page list for my husband (yes, 3 pages) he has instructions to take each bag out of the freezer and put into their lunch boxes.  I couldn't let them down.  

And I know I will make even more when I get home!

I can't wait to share my Seattle experience with you all.  I am so excited to be here at Cascadian Farms.  We are HUGE fans of their products!  Seattle is gorgeous, but NJ, here I come~

If you make these Birthday Chocolate Chip Cookies or any of the other recipes I have shared with you, please some back and let me know. You guys know that I love to hear from you!

I hope you enjoy these! Thank you for stopping by and please come back soon!