Cookies for breakfast?!?
Most moms would agree and have probably uttered those words to excited kids.
But it recently occurred to me, “Why CAN’T we have a breakfast cookie that’s actually pretty good for you?!”
So, I set to work… in order to make all of the sweet-toothed kiddos and well-meaning mommas happy.
What resulted was not only an incredibly DELICIOUS breakfast oatmeal cookie recipe…
But also, one that is LOADED with good for you fats, fiber, antioxidants, and even a bit of protein.
How can you get all of that out of a little ol’ breakfast cookie recipe?
Quick-cooking oats make an awesome base, but then it’s all about the add-ins.
Chopped nuts, bananas, shredded coconut, dried fruit, and pumpkin seeds are a great start. Feel free to add in whatever else you like in order to bump up the nutritional content!
YUM! SO sick of power bars or breakfast bars! This is such a yummy replacement! Grab a couple to go in the morning:-)
Rita
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Oats. Quick-cooking oats are best, as rolled oats won’t cook up as fast. You can try using a mix of half of each if you want a chewier texture.
- Flour. You only need a bit, but it is absolutely necessary.
- Sweetener. This is a breakfast cookie, but it still has gotta’ taste good too! A pure maple syrup is used to keep it free of refined sugars, but the amount can be reduced to make it less sweet. You can substitute it with honey, agave nectar, or even regular sugar or brown sugar.
- Eggs. Add some protein and help bind the cookies together. Swap out with a flax or chia egg for a vegan cookie.
- Bananas. Two medium-sized and VERY ripe bananas are preferred as they are the most naturally sweet.
- Butter. You can also use coconut oil or a plant-based butter alternative.
- Add-ins. The fun part! Mix in nuts, seeds (like sunflower seeds), or dried fruit. You could even sweeten it up with chocolate chips or toss in some chia seeds or flax seeds.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Mix the wet ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Whisk together maple syrup, eggs, mashed bananas, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Wait until the butter has cooled down a little after melting before putting it in.
Pro Tip: Add the ripe banana to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and mash them with your hands. It’s so much easier than trying to mash them in a bowl with a fork!
Add the dry ingredients.
Carefully stir in the oats, flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Use a spatula to toss until everything is mixed well.
Then, pour the pecans, coconut, dried fruit, and seeds into the cookie batter. Gently stir until everything is combined well.
Scoop and bake.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
Use a large spoon or a cookie scoop to scoop out 2 ½- to 3-tablespoon servings of batter. Place them at least 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes.
Let the cookies cool to room temperature before digging in.
FAQs
You can make a few simple adjustments to make these cookies drier or more moist. To make cookies more dry, add in more oats or flour. For cookies on the moist side, you can add in more banana.
Yes, you can easily cut down on the amount of sugar in these breakfast cookies. They won’t be as sweet, but you can reduce the amount of syrup or sugar used.
You can add just about anything to these cookies to up the flavor and nutritional content. Get creative with a variety of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or chocolate.
You can swap out the banana for applesauce. Use ½-cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of 1 banana in these cookies. You can also try avocado, yogurt, or cooked potato.
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Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
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Ingredients
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup bananas mashed, about 2 medium
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup oats quick cooking
- ½ cup flour*
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pecans coarsely chopped
- ½ cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- ½ cup dried fruit raisins or cranberries
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds raw
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Make the Base. Combine maple syrup, eggs, bananas, and vanilla extract in a large bowl, whisk to combine. Wait until butter has cooled down some after melting to add it to the bowl and then whisk until combined.½ cup pure maple syrup, 2 eggs, ¾ cup bananas, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in Dry Ingredients. Add in oats, flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Toss until everything is well mixed. Pour in pecans, coconut, dried fruit, and seeds. Stir by hand until well incorporated.1 ¾ cup oats, ½ cup flour*, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup pecans, ½ cup shredded coconut, ½ cup dried fruit, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- Scoop and Bake. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 2 ½ – 3 tablespoons worth of cookie batter for each cookie and place at least 1 inch apart on the sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 14-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the middle is no longer soft.
- Let cool to room temperature before eating. Enjoy!
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Video
Notes
- Oats: Use quick cooking oats for the perfect texture. Mix half quick-cooking oats and half old-fashioned oats for a chewier bite.
- Additions: Grab your favorite additions and toss them in. Make sure to try and keep the same ratio of add-ins to batter.
- Sweetener: You can decrease to ¼ cup without much change to the consistency of the cookies. If the batter feels dry, try adding in a tablespoon or two of milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Oatmeal Recipes for Breakfast
Want a few more ways to use up those oats? You might also enjoy a new breakfast recipe or the perfect snack.
I am addicted to these wonderful cookies. I’m on a heart diet and eat them almost every morning. So filling,delicious and healthy
Thank you for posting these
Cookies.!!
Sharon
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Sharon! I’m so glad they work for your diet. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Easy, healthy and unique way to use up those ripe bananas! Made mine with sugar free chocolate chips and extra pecans since no pepitas or dried fruit in
my cupboard!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Shirley! This is one of my favorite ways to use ripe bananas, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Can you replace the flour for almond flour?
Hi Linda! Generally, almond flour is more moist than regular flour. You can try a 1:1 sub, but be ready to add extra almond flour to get the right consistency.
Delicious and extremely easy. I’ve just started trying to make my own gluten and dairy free foods, this was so easy.
Yay Gwen!! I’m so happy you enjoyed them. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and rating 🙂
YUM! SO sick of power bars or breakfast bars! This is such a yummy replacement! grab a couple to go in the morning:-)
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Rita! This is such a great alternative to breakfast bars but still so healthy. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I LOVE these cookies! I used regular rolled oats and cassava root flour and they are perfect. Thank you for a great recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle! Thanks for leaving a comment and rating.
Breath-taking one!! Keep up the Good work
Thanks!