These yellow squash cookies use yellow squash and mashed banana to make a soft and tender oatmeal cookie. They're topped with a dreamy cinnamon frosting that will keep you coming back for more!
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If you're one of those people who gets mad about vegetables in your desserts, look away now.
We're making cookies out of yellow summer squash and I won't apologize for it. The yellow squash makes these cookies super soft and arguably a little bit healthier than your ordinary oatmeal cookie.
Maybe I can rope you back in with a luxurious cinnamon frosting? Sugar cookies aren't the only ones who get to enjoy a little frosting on top. This duo is a match made in heaven, and I'm ready to tell you all about it.
Yellow squash oatmeal cookie ingredients
- White whole wheat flour
- Old fashioned oats
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Butter
- Dark brown sugar
- Banana
- Yellow squash
How to make yellow squash oatmeal cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add banana, squash, and egg and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350ºF for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are just set.
- Allow to cool on the pan 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cinnamon frosting ingredients
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Cinnamon
- Whole milk
How to make cinnamon frosting
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until no sugar lumps remain.
- If you prefer a smoother glaze for drizzling, add a few drops of milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
Top tips
Sift powdered sugar for frosting
For the smoothest frosting possible, be sure to sift your powdered sugar before mixing up your frosting. This will eliminate any lumps.
Double the frosting
I was very generous with my frosting on these. If you're feeling the same you may want to double or triple the frosting recipe. The other option is thinning it out with a little more milk and just drizzling it on (what fun would that be?).
Let the cookies cool before removing from the pan
The cookies are very soft, so make sure you let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before you frost them to avoid melting the frosting.
Tips for customizing yellow squash cookies
- Skip the frosting, or swap it for vanilla glaze
- Make sandwich cookies by frosting the bottom of one cookie and then pressing the bottom of another cookie against it
- Add more flavor to your cookies by swapping the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice or a mixture of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves
- Swap half of the white whole wheat flour for all purpose flour
FAQ
Yellow squash and zucchini are both summer squashes, but are slightly different. They're easy to tell apart because yellow squash is yellow and zucchini is green.
You can substitute the yellow squash in this recipe for zucchini if needed, but the cookies may have a slightly different flavor and texture. You may also need to drain some of the liquid from the grated zucchini before baking with it.
I do not recommend swapping the old fashioned oats in this recipe for quick cooking oats. It will result in a different texture and would likely affect the baking time.
Yes, you can substitute light brown sugar for the dark brown sugar. You could add a small amount of molasses to the mixture to make up for the lost flavor, or just know that your cookies will not be as soft and deep in flavor as if you used dark brown sugar.
More cookie recipes
- Pillowy Maple Nut Breakfast Cookies
- Whole Wheat Chocolate Fudge Cookies
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies
- Buttery Bourbon Cherry Cookies
- Christmas Cut Out Cookies
- Nutmeg Ginger Apple Snaps
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Boston Cream Whoopie Pies
- Giant Ginger Cookies with Icing
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Yellow Squash Oatmeal Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons butter, partially melted
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup mashed banana, (about 1 large)
- ½ cup finely grated yellow squash, (about ½ a small squash)
- 1 large egg
Frosting
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Instructions
Yellow Squash Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add banana, squash, and egg and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are just set. Allow to cool on the pan 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cinnamon Frosting
- Once the cookies are completely cool, prepare the frosting. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until no sugar lumps remain.
- If you prefer a smoother glaze for drizzling, add a few drops of milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
Baby June says
ooh those cookies look fab! such a great use for summer squash 🙂
Alyson says
I made these cookies today.
Yummy!
I made a double batch and froze 1/2
Will let you know how they keep.
Thank you!