Zany Zucchini Apricot Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Cool Cream Cheese Filling + Very Vanilla Honey Soda
Zany Zucchini Apricot Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Cool Cream Cheese Filling
Why would anyone put zucchini in a cookie? Who says that cookies can’t be both tasty and nutritious? Zucchini is surprisingly sweet. This recipe allows us to use less sugar than in a traditional cookie, while still maintaining all the yumminess you’d expect. When baked into breads or cookies, zucchini provides an excellent source of the nutrients potassium, vitamins A and C, fiber, and antioxidants.
Happy & Healthy Cooking,
Shopping List
- FRESH
- 1/2 zucchini
- DAIRY AND EGGS
- 1 egg **(see allergy subs below)**
- 1/4 C or 1/2 stick butter **(see allergy subs below)**
- 1/4 C or 2 oz cream cheese **(see allergy subs below)**
- PANTRY
- 1/4 C dried apricots
- 3/4 C all-purpose flour **(see allergy subs below)**
- 1/2 C quick-cooking oats **(see allergy subs below)**
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract **(see allergy subs below)**
- 3 T honey
- 3 C sparkling water
- HAVE ON HAND
- 2 C ice
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- bake :
to cook food with dry heat, as in an oven.
- chop :
to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.
- grate :
to reduce food, like a carrot, to very small shreds or pieces of the same size by rubbing it on a tool with an outside surface that has holes with cutting edges (a grater).
- pour :
to cause liquid, granules, or powder to stream from one container into another.
- spread :
to apply a food, like butter, soft cheese, nut butter, jam, or frosting to another food, such as a cracker, bread, or cake using a butter knife or spatula.
- whisk :
to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.
Equipment Checklist
- Pitcher
- Liquid measuring
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Oven
- Cookie or baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Grater
- Clean dish towel or paper towels
- Cutting board
- Kid-safe knife
- Dry measuring cups
- Metal fork
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Zany Zucchini Apricot Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Cool Cream Cheese Filling
- Cookie:
- 1/2 zucchini, grated with moisture squeezed out
- 1/4 C dried apricots, chopped
- 3/4 C all-purpose flour **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub 3/4 C gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour)**
- 1/2 C quick-cooking oats **(for CELIAC sub 1/2 C certified gluten-free quick-cooking oats)**
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 C or 1/2 stick butter, softened **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub 1/4 C dairy-free/nut-free butter)**
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 1 egg **(for EGG ALLERGY sub 1/4 C applesauce or mashed banana)**
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor—check label)**
- Filling:
- 1/4 C or 2 oz cream cheese, softened **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub 1/4 C or 2 oz dairy-free/nut-free cream cheese)**
- 1 T honey
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor—check label)**
Very Vanilla Honey Soda
- 3 C sparkling water
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor—check label)**
- 2 T honey
- 2 C ice
Food Allergen Substitutions
Zany Zucchini Apricot Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Cool Cream Cheese Filling
- Celiac/Gluten/Wheat: For 3/4 C all-purpose flour, substitute 3/4 C gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour. For 1/2 C quick-cooking oats, substitute 1/2 C certified gluten-free quick-cooking oats. Use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor.
- Dairy: For 1/4 C or 1/2 stick butter, substitute 1/4 C dairy-free/nut-free butter. For 1/4 C or 2 oz cream cheese, substitute 1/4 C or 2 oz dairy-free/nut-free cream cheese.
- Egg: For 1 egg, substitute 1/4 C applesauce or mashed banana.
Very Vanilla Honey Soda
- Gluten/Wheat: Use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor.
Instructions
Zany Zucchini Apricot Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Cool Cream Cheese Filling
preheat + grate + chop
Preheat your oven to 375 F while we start with the cookie dough. Have your kids grate 1/2 zucchini and use a clean dish towel or paper towels to squeeze out the excess liquid. Set zucchini aside and discard the liquid. Dip a kid-safe knife in water, chop 1/4 cup of apricots, and set aside.
combine + whisk
In a small mixing bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup oats, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Whisk together your dry ingredients.
crack + measure + mix
Crack 1 egg into a large mixing bowl. Then, measure and add 1/4 cup softened butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until all the ingredients come together.
combine + press + bake
Pour the dry ingredients bit-by-bit into the wet ingredients, stirring after each addition until all traces of flour disappear. Add the grated zucchini and chopped apricots. Mix well. Scoop rounded half tablespoons of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and flatten them with the palm of your clean hands. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. While they bake, prepare the filling. Carefully remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool before adding the filling.
soften + mix
To make the Cool Cream Cheese Filling, add 1/4 cup softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to a small bowl. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined and smooth.
spread + top + press
Spread a small dollop of filling onto half of the cookies. Top with another cookie and press down gently to make your cookie sandwiches. Enjoy!
Very Vanilla Honey Soda
pour + whisk + serve
In a large pitcher, pour 3 cups of sparkling water. Measure and add 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons honey. Whisk gently to combine. Pour over ice served in glasses. Cheers!
Hi! I'm Zucchini!
“I'm very fond of summer, aren't you? After all, I'm a summer squash! I have beautiful, tender green skin, so don't peel it off before cooking, or you'll lose some of my fiber and nutrients. I may be a small gourd, but you wouldn't like my taste as much if I got too big. You can do all sorts of things with me to fit your recipes: slicing, dicing, grating, and even making spaghetti-like noodles out of me using a vegetable peeler or a fancy device called a spiralizer!"
History
- Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is a summer squash of the same family that includes cucumbers and melons. Summer squash is a squash that is picked when immature, while its peel is still tender.
- Like many other veggies we've seen, zucchini is technically a fruit, not a vegetable!
- Central and South American people have been eating zucchini for several thousand years. However, the zucchini we know today is an Italian variety of summer squash developed from those of native Central and South America.
- Christopher Columbus brought squash seeds to the Mediterranean region and Africa.
- The Native American word for zucchini is "skutasquash," which means "green thing eaten raw."
Anatomy & Etymology
- Zucchini grow on vines just like cucumbers do.
- Zucchini plants produce male and female flowers on the same plant, with the female flowers directly attached to the fruit and the male flowers attached to a long stem on the plant. Therefore, insects must pollinate the plants for the fruit to grow.
- Zucchini can rapidly grow to several feet long, but the smaller ones taste sweeter.
- The record for the longest zucchini is 8 feet 3.3 inches. The heaviest zucchini was 64 pounds 8 ounces!
- It's "zucchini" in the US, Canada, and a few other countries. The word is a plural of the Italian "zucchino" (masculine form—the feminine form, "zucchina" is preferred), which is a diminutive (smaller version) of "zucca" or "gourd."
- In France, they say "courgette" (koor-ZHET), which the British also use. It's a diminutive of the French "courge," which also means "gourd."
How to Pick, Buy, & Eat
- Harvesting zucchini when they're between 6 to 8 inches long and 3 to 4 inches in diameter ensures they will be more tender and sweet.
- A "bumper crop" of zucchini is an overload of zucchini that grows faster than a home gardener can cook and eat it!
- When buying zucchini, choose firm and heavy ones for their size. In addition, fresh zucchini should have bright, glossy skin free of bruises or nicks. Zucchini stay fresh for up to a week when stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
- Zucchini is very versatile, and you can use them in both savory and sweet dishes, like ratatouille and zucchini bread.
- Fresh zucchini blossoms can be cooked and eaten raw. You can remove the pistils from the female flower blossoms and the stamens from male flower blossoms, but you don't have to. Both have flavor and are edible.
Nutrition
- Potassium: helps reduce blood pressure and increase blood flow to and from our hearts.
- Manganese: helps wounds heal and bones grow.
- Antioxidants: help keep us healthy and healing faster when we're sick.
- Fiber: helps us digest our food and absorb nutrients from our food.
History of Oats and Oatmeal Cookies!
- Oats were cultivated thousands of years ago. Before they were used as human food, oats were only used to feed animals. Oats as human food originated in northern Europe and Scotland, originally as porridge.
- Oatcakes were the precursor to oatmeal cookies. Oatcakes were popular during Roman times in Scotland. It was relied upon for an energy boost. During wartime, soldiers would carry oatcakes with them as a quick snack.
- Quaker Mill Company in Ohio began producing steel-cut oats around 1877. Later, they developed a roller to flatten groats, creating the modern-day rolled oats, leading to the formation of the Quaker Oats Company.
- Oatmeal cookies have been made since at least the 1800s, but they gained popularity in the 1900s. Fannie Farmer published the first oatmeal cookie recipe in the United States in her 1896 cookbook.
- Some oatmeal cookie recipes include raisins, dried cranberries, or chocolate chips.
Let's Learn About Scotland!
- Scotland is a country in Europe, at the northern end of the island of Great Britain, and is part of the United Kingdom, along with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- Scotland is made up of over 700 islands! These include the Orkney, Shetland, and Hebrides archipelagos (island groups).
- Edinburgh is Scotland's capital city and is famous for Edinburgh Castle. Glasgow is the largest city.
- Scotland is home to much wildlife, including seals, mountain hare, ptarmigan, stoats, and the golden eagle.
- The national animal of Scotland is the mythical Unicorn, loved for its purity and strength.
- The thistle is a national symbol of Scotland!
- In Scotland, people drive on the left-hand side of the road!
- Scotland has a unique culture with traditions like bagpipes, kilts, tartans, and highland dancing.
- Two sports invented in Scotland are golf and curling. Golf first appeared in the 15th century and curling in the early 16th century. Scottish settlers to Canada brought curling with them, where it has become very popular.
- Archaeological evidence suggests that the first indoor toilets were possibly built in 3,000 BCE in a Neolithic settlement on Mainland, the largest of the Orkney Islands.
- Scotland was the first country worldwide to educate both boys and girls, beginning in the 17th century.
- Scottish dishes are well-known for their peculiar names: Forfar Bridie (meat pie), Cock-a-leekie (soup), Collops (thin meat slices), Crappit heid (stuffed boiled fish head), Arbroath smokie (smoked haddock), Partan bree (seafood soup), Rumbledethumps (potato, cabbage, and onion dish), and Skirlie (oatmeal side dish).
- The most infamous Scottish dish is "Haggis," a savory pudding. It is usually made with sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver, and lungs) that is minced and combined with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, then mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in a casing of the animal's stomach for about an hour.
What's It Like to Be a Kid in Scotland?
- In addition to Haggis, kids may eat "Neeps and Tatties" (mashed turnips and potatoes). Some popular sweets are Shortbread biscuits (cookies); Scottish Tablet, a medium-hard sugary confection made with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and butter; and Irn-Bru, a carbonated soft drink.
- Scottish kids may play football (soccer), rugby, curling, golf, tennis, cricket, shinty (similar to field hockey), and ice hockey.
- Scotland is full of places to hike and lochs (lakes) and castles to visit. On the Isle of Skye, Fairy Glen is a popular place for kids to explore. Its name comes from the unusual land formations on the hills.
- Kids can ride the Harry Potter Train (actually the Jacobite Steam Train) that runs from Fort William to Mallaig in the Scottish Highlands. The train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which was seen in a Harry Potter movie when the Hogwarts Express crosses it.
THYME for a Laugh
What does a vegetable wear to the beach?
A zoo-kini!
THYME for a Laugh
Did you hear the joke about oatmeal?
Oh, nevermind! It's a bunch of mush!
Lettuce Joke Around
What does a duck like to have for breakfast?
Quacker Oats!
Lettuce Joke Around
Who is the honeybee’s favorite singer?
Bee-yonce!
THYME for a Laugh
The date on my vanilla must have expired.
It just doesn't make any scents!
The Yolk's On You
How does carbon dioxide make soda so bubbly?
By obeying the laws of fizz-ics!
THYME for a Laugh
Did you hear the joke about the apricot?
It was pit-iful.
THYME for a Laugh
What kind of vegetable likes to look at animals?
A zoo-chini!
Lettuce Joke Around
What do you call the time between eating apricots?
A pit-stop.
