The Most Delicious Breakfast Cookies
These are the perfect breakfast cookies — delicious, yet packed with nutrients to help you start your day right. Full of nut butter and heart-healthy ingredients high in protein, they’re a guilt-free indulgence.
Flaxseed meal, chia seeds and hemp hearts deliver plenty of fiber and omega-3s, making every bite as healthy as it is delicious. Sweetened naturally with overripe bananas and maple syrup, they are perfect for all sorts of people, kids and breastfeeding mothers included.
These cookies are flavored like a snickerdoodle — a dash of cinnamon, a sprinkle of sea salt and a handful of chocolate chips — so they are somewhere between delicious and virtuous. They make for delicious bites from the oven or as a portable snack to pick at throughout the day.
The BEST Breakfast Cookies – Ingredients
These breakfast cookies combine healthy, nutrient-rich ingredients that complement one another to fuel your day. The nut butter delivers a generous amount of protein, and the overripe bananas sweeten the dough naturally and give it some moisture.
Flaxseed meal, chia seeds and hemp hearts are rich in fiber and omega-3s to promote heart health and digestion. The oats offer a chewy texture and steady energy release, paired with rich semi-sweet chocolate chips for an indulgent snack.
Recipe Tips
Use Overripe Bananas
For the right texture and natural sweetness, be sure to use bananas that are well past their prime. The bananas need to be brown and spotty, as that will keep the cookies sweet and moist without added sugar. If in a bind with no access to mushy bananas, try microwaving regular bananas for 30-40 seconds to help ripen them faster.
Rest the Dough
Resting the dough for about 5 minutes before shaping your cookies allows it to thicken and firm up, which makes it easier to scoop and shape. This little step also helps keep the cookies from spreading too much in the oven so they hold their shape and stay chewy in the middle.
Customize Your Add-ins
You can customize your cookies yourself by replacing or adding to the mix-ins. Chopped almonds or pecans are also a good option if you want a nuttier flavor. (If you want to sneak in a bit more protein, add some sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Make them with chocolate chips for a sweeter treat or without them for a healthier twist.
What to Serve with Recipe
Fresh Fruit Salad
Serve these breakfast cookies with a colorful bowl of fruit salad to provide a bright counterpoint of flavors. Opt for a variety of citrus fruits, berries and melons will give you a burst of hydration and vitamins. It also features the nutty and wholesome flavors of the cookies, with the natural sweetness of the fruit, to create a well rounded breakfast or snack.
Greek Yogurt
Add a scoop of creamy Greek yogurt on the side for a balanced — if deliciously so — meal. The yogurt brings a dose of protein and probiotics, the cookies fiber and healthy fats. For added decadence, drizzle honey over the yogurt or add a few more chia seeds.
Herbal Tea or Smoothie
These breakfast cookies pair well with a hot cup of herbal tea, or a nutrient-dense smoothie. Opt for an herbal blend such as chamomile or peppermint to help you relax, or slurp down a smoothie made with spinach, banana and almond milk to give you a burst of energy. The cookies provide a crispy texture to round out the liquid refresher.
FAQ
Can I use a plant-based egg replacer?
Yes! You can easily use a flax egg in place of a regular egg for a vegan version of this recipe. Just mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds with 2.5 tablespoons water, wait a few minutes until it thickens up and use in place of the egg in the recipe.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
Absolutely! Just replace the oat flour with a gluten-free flour and use certified gluten-free oats. This way, the recipe is safe for those with gluten sensitivities, but still tastes and feels delicious.
How can I increase sweetness in these cookies?
If you enjoy a sweeter cookie you may want to add a little extra maple syrup or more chocolate chips. Or half a teaspoon of cinnamon sugar, gives extra flavor without too much sugar,
Can I keep these cookies, and if so, how long?
Yes, these cookies are good to store. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. If keeping them longer, freeze the cookies in a single layer, then transfer them to a bag or container once frozen. They will freeze for 1 to 3 months.
The Most Delicious Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large very ripe bananas mashed
- Natural almond or peanut butter ½ cup
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg or flax egg for a vegan option
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup oat flour
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2-3 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus additional chips for garnish
- Optional: ⅓ cup walnuts chopped
- Topping:
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Method: Heat up Using Oven: the oven at 350°F (175°C) Use parchment paper on a large baking sheet so the cookies will not stick.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas very well. Add the nut butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Mix this all until combined, and smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Oat flour, flaxseed meal, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Gently mix until the ingredients are barely combined. Gently stir in rolled oats, hemp hearts, chia seeds, chocolate chips, and walnuts, if using. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Drop the cookies: Using a large cookie scoop, portion 3 tablespoons for each cookie, and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, with about 2 inches between each mound. Lightly press some extra chocolate chips into the tops for garnish.
- Bake: Transfer the baking sheet to the oven; bake for 10 to 14 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are still soft. Just be careful not to overbake so that the cookies remain tender.
- Cool: Transfer the cookies to the oven and then dust them lightly with flaky sea salt while still warm. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.
