Breakfast Cookies

This recipe is a childhood dream fulfilled: cookies for breakfast! Our breakfast cookies are chewy, nuttychocolatey and irresistible. Plus, they can be adapted for everyone to enjoy, no matter your diet or allergies. They’re naturally vegandairy and gluten free and they have no refined sugar. You probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now: a ripe banana and a handful of simple pantry staples. Start your day off strong with these nutritious, breakfast cookies. No sugar crash – just a, not-too-sweet way to start your morning.

What stands out

Ready in just 15 minutes these breakfast cookies are suited to busy mornings. The best part? They’re naturally sweetened and packed with wholesome ingredients, so you can feel good about starting your day off AND immediately satisfying your sweet tooth. Make them ahead for a grab-and-go breakfast or snack. They’re soft, chewy, and studded with crunchy nuts and melty chocolate—like trail mix in cookie form.

Banana: Who doesn’t have an overripe banana on their kitchen counter right now? The banana acts as a binder for all the ingredients in this cookie recipe, and adds moisture, natural sweetness, and nutrition.

Maple syrup: we love this low glycemic index choice for a sweetener. Plus, maple syrup is vegan. And the Canadian in us can’t help but opt for maple syrup. But runny honey will work in a pinch.

Quick-Cooking Rolled Oats: This variety of oats—versus old-fashioned—will give you the most cohesive, soft, pleasantly textured cookies, thanks to their small flake size.

Peanut Butter: Opt for creamy, sugar- and oil-free peanut butter (as in, the jar should contain just one ingredient: peanuts!) to add protein, flavor, and healthy fat to these breakfast cookies.

Salt: A pinch of salt helps bring out the flavors in this nutty, oaty cookie.

Pumpkin Seeds: Also called pepitas, these seeds are loaded in omega-6s, magnesium, and iron.

Crushed Walnuts: Another excellent source of protein and omegas. We take whole, toasted, unsalted walnuts, and roughly chop them with a large knife. These add lovely texture and additional protein to the recipe.

Mini Chocolate Chips: What’s a cookie without chocolate? Finish off the cookies with a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips. If you don’t eat dairy, be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips.

Kitchen tip

To ensure these are gluten-free, look for quick-cooking oats that are labeled “gluten-free.”

Secrets to Results

Cookies…for breakfast? Yes, we’re doing this! If you want breakfast cookies that taste like a warm good morning hug, then follow these secrets for results:

• Use ripe bananas – Don’t toss those brown bananas! Mix them into the batter to add syrupy sweetness without the need for refined sugar.
• Don’t skip the chill time – This, our loves, is cookie baking 101! Even 10–15 minutes in the fridge helps the dough hold its shape and bake up beautifully.
• Oats matter – Use quick cooking rolled oats – not old fashioned or steel cut. They absorb the liquid ingredients much better and give the cookies their chewy texture without coming out crumbly.
• Shape with your hands – These cookies won’t spread much, so give them a little press and shape into round edges before baking.
• Let them cool completely – They will be soft and delicate right out of the oven. Give them a few minutes to set so they don’t crumble while handling.

Breakfast Cookies Variations and Substitutions

1. To make these nut-free swap the peanut butter for a seed butter, such as tahini or sunflower seed butter, and use your favorite seeds in place of walnuts.
2. Feel free to add other toppings instead of or in place of the mini chocolate chips, such as a sprinkling of unsweetened shredded coconut. Additionally, you can add flaky sea salt.
3. Instead of crushed walnuts, try slivered almonds or crushed hazelnuts.
4. To make mini muffins place the batter inside a mini muffin tin lined with mini liners. Then, bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve it with

• Serve these with a slice of High Protein Breakfast Casserole. Both can be meal-prepped in advance, because you deserve a straightforward morning!
• Eggs, homemade Breakfast Sausage breakfast cookies, and a cup of coffee = dream start to the day.
• These aren’t just for breakfast. They make an excellent pre- or post-workout treat alongside a drink, such as Strawberry Protein Shake or Homemade Gatorade
• Cookies and coffee, anyone? Try these alongside a glass of our Iced Coffee with Vanilla

Ingredients

Makes 6 cookies

• 1 large banana, ripe
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or honey
• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats, *see note
• ¼ cup smooth peanut butter, any nut butter
• 1 pinch salt
• ⅛ cup pumpkin seeds
• ⅛ cup crushed walnuts, or sunflower seeds
• mini chocolate chips, for topping (optional)

Equipment

• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Redmond Real Salt
• Cookie Scoop
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Mixing Bowls
• Silicone Spatula

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Peel the banana and add it to a large bowl. Using a fork, mash the banana. Add the oats, peanut butter, salt, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts, and using a silicone spatula stir to combine.
3. Use a cookie scoop to make 6 large, equal balls of cookie dough.
4. Place the cookie dough balls on the baking sheet, leaving a few inches between each ball. Using the bottom of a sturdy drinking cup or measuring cup, gently press down on each ball, making sure the cookie is flat, but round.
5. Place mini chocolate chips on top of each cookie, if using, and gently press them into the batter. We like to shape the cookie with our fingers making sure they are smooth all around.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Enjoy!

Kitchen notes

• Quick-Cooking Rolled Oats: we chose this particular style of oats because they have a smaller flake size and make for the most pleasant, softer texture in these cookies (at least, IMHO). Old-Fashioned Oats, which have a longer cook time than the quick-cooking variety, have a larger, coarser texture and make for chewier, heartier cookies. If you use old-fashioned oats, expect the cookies to have more texture, structure, and chew.
• Colossal Cookies: This recipe makes 6 LARGE cookies. If you want yours smaller, you can reduce the cooking time to 8 to 10 minutes.
• Storage: we store these in an airtight container in a dark, cool space for 3 days or in the fridge for 5 days. Refrigeration will alter the texture of the cookies.

Questions

Are these breakfast cookies gluten free?

Yes, the cookies are gluten free IF you purchase quick-cooking, gluten free oats. So, make sure the oats you purchase are labeled “gluten free.” If you’d rather have chewier, more textured cookies, you can use gluten free old-fasioned oats.

How can i make these cookies nut-free, or allergen friendly?

To make these cookies nut-free, use tahini or sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter and swap the walnuts for your favorite seeds, such as sunflower seeds or sesame seeds.

Are these cookies dairy free?

Yes, these are dairy free IF you use dairy-free chocolate chips or omit the chocolate chips. You can also opt for sugar-free chocolate if you like.

Are these vegan?

Yes, these breakfast cookies are vegan. In addition, be sure to use dairy-free, vegan chocolate chips.

can i meal prep these cookies?

Certainly, these make a great meal prep recipe. Bake the cookies, let them cool completely, and then store in an airtight container in a cool, dark area for up to 3 days. Or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Refrigeration will alter the texture of the cookies.