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! π
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 upβ¦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?
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ΒΎ cup oats
- Β½ cup ground flaxseed
- Β½ teaspoon baking powder
- ΒΌ teaspoon baking soda
- Β½ teaspoon salt
- ΒΌ cup unsweetened applesauce
- Β½ cup unrefined sugar
- ΒΌ cup coconut oil softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Β½ cup dark chocolate chips I used Enjoy Life
- ΒΌ 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.
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!
Paula+-+bell'alimento
Well chocolate chips just got a whole lot more exciting!
genevieve @ gratitude & greens
Happy birthday to your kids! It's so cute that they have the same birthday- even though it wasn't planned!
lauren.kelly
Thank you Genevieve!
Lauren+@+Healthy+Delicious
I love that you go super crazy overboard! Also, I want one of these cookies. Loving that ingredient list!
lauren.kelly
I love my kids' birthdays, Lauren! π
Ashley+@+Wishes+&+Dishes
M&M's in cookies make me happy. I don't know what it is about them. Love the cookies and want them for MY next birthday π
Brianne@Cupcakes & Kale Chips
What a great mama! These sound amazing and your boys are very lucky for many reasons!
Cookin+Canuck
What lucky kids you have! How crazy that they share the same birthday, but I bet they appreciate the lengths you go to make the day special for each of them. Case in point...these cookies.
Stephanie+@+Back+For+Seconds
Happy birthday to your boys! 2 of my boys have the same birthday too...of course, they're twins π I think that's awesome! And the cookies look delish!
lauren.kelly
Ha, that's awesome Stephanie!! π
Heather+//+girlichef
M & M cookies were always one of my favorites when I was a kid. I don't know why I don't make them anymore...I must change that. Yours sound wonderful, I bet the ww pastry flour makes them so tender!
Brenda@Sugar-Free+Mom
YOU are a good momma !! I love you my friend!
Ginny+McMeans
You are a great mom! I love the colorful cookies and your kids are so lucky!
Donna
How sweet! Your boys will be all the more appreciative to have a Mom like you who took the time to make the day special, even though you were not there in the AM. Don't feel guilty and enjoy the day! You are a great Mom!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking
Aah! Love that these are 100% whole grain! π And two kids with the same birthday?! That's pretty crazy. I hope they have a great birthday!
Sylvie | Gourmande in the Kitchen
What a special bond that they share a birthday, I bet they'll think that's pretty cool when they're older.
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
You are such a great mom!!! I am same with birthdays, and I don't even have kids that have the same birthdays! We recently went to Hawaii and the only time we could go was during the week of my 10 year old's Birthday. I was so upset I had to leave him and tried to plan all these fun things for him to do while I was gone. He didn't even care that I wasn't there on his Birthday, lol! It's hard dealing with that mom-guilt sometimes, though! These cookies look amazing!! Pinned! P.S. World's longest comment award goes to me! π
Joelen
What a great cookie and even better are the little notes included! What a delicious way to brighten up a special day...