The Best Healthy Breakfast Cookies
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These healthy breakfast cookies are gluten-free, vegan, naturally sweetened, packed with wholesome ingredients, and believe me – they taste incredible. They are perfect for a nutritious breakfast on the move or a quick snack!
Table of contents
Want to know my secret for breakfast on the go?
My shockingly good breakfast cookies!
Since Dan and I travel quite a bit, we often have breakfast in places like airports and train stations. So I was looking for an easy-to-transport breakfast that tasted delicious but was healthy too.
I could tell you that I started experimenting with hundreds of different recipes and combinations, but I honestly put these ingredients together, and on the first go, I couldn’t believe how incredibly delicious these breakfast cookies came out to be!
That’s pure luck!
Ready in less than 30 minutes, these easy breakfast cookies will become your new favorite make-ahead breakfast.
I since tried at least another 5 variations, but none of them compare with the simplicity and the taste of this first version (although they were still delicious, and I have included some below to give you other ideas).
What I love about these breakfast cookies is that they are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
They are not as mushy as some other breakfast cookie recipes you’ll find online. And that’s why I like them so much!
I was looking for something a bit more friable and crumbly. Something in between a biscuit and a soft cookie.
And here they are, in all their glory.
What you’ll need to make these cookies
The ingredients in these cookies are what make them incredibly healthy.
One word of warning if you have a sweet tooth: these cookies are naturally sweetened, which means they are not as sweet as your typical cookie full of sugar.
But I promise you: healthy doesn’t mean tasteless. Once you try your first one, you won’t be able to stop eating them!
So, here is what you need:
- rolled oats
- almond flour
- 1 small ripe banana
- maple syrup
- mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
- dark chocolate
- coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
- ground flax seeds
- chia seeds
- a pinch of vanilla
- Rolled oats: I used rolled oats for this recipe, but to get an even crunchier texture, I normally blend them to get a finer, coarse flour-like consistency. A bit like I do with my healthy oatcakes if I don’t have oatmeal at home. You don’t have to, but I prefer them this way. If you want to make these cookies gluten-free, make sure to use certified GF-rolled oats like these ones.
- Almond flour: Almond flour gives these cookies a golden color and a special depth of flavor. Plus, it adds some extra protein and healthy fats.
- Banana: Make sure to pick a ripe one to make your cookies extra sweet.
- Maple syrup: A touch of maple syrup adds more sweetness to these cookies. If you have a sweet tooth, feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two.
- Mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts): Get creative here. You can add any nuts you have in your pantry.
- Dark chocolate: You could use chocolate chips. Yes, they might hold their shape better, but that’s because they contain added ingredients like soy lecithin to stabilize them. I prefer to use dark chocolate like this one. It’s not only healthier, but it tastes much better too.
- Ground flax seeds and Chia seeds: Both flax seeds and chia seeds are incredibly healthy. They are full of omega-3 and fiber, and lignans, which have powerful antioxidant and estrogen properties.
- Coconut oil: To add a nuttier flavor or opt for extra-virgin olive oil for a healthier version and less saturated fats.
- A pinch of vanilla: Because it tastes amazing!
How to make these healthy breakfast cookies
The list of ingredients seems a bit long, but these cookies are incredibly easy to make.
You just need to add all the ingredients in one bowl, mix, and shape.
It’s really that simple.
- Blend the rolled oats until you get coarse oat flour (optional).
- Combine everything in 1 bowl. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix. I use my hands to combine them, but you can also use a mixer for ease.
- Form 12 balls. Divide the dough into 12 equally-sized balls.
- Flatten the cookies. Using the palm of your hand, flatten each cookie to give it a round shape. These cookies won’t change shape in the oven, so make sure you make them the shape you want them at this point!
- Bake. These cookies take about 12-14 minutes to bake to perfection. I use a fan-assisted oven, so my cookies are ready in exactly 12 minutes. But make sure you look at them after 10 minutes and take them out as soon as the edges get a slightly golden color.
Ideas for substitutions and alternatives
- Rolled oats: You can substitute them for steel-cut oats.
- Almond flour: You can use coconut flour.
- Banana: I know there are some banana haters out there. Don’t worry, my friends, you are not alone. You can substitute the banana for a small, freshly grated apple or even apple sauce. The cookies will be a touch less sweet than the version with banana, so feel free to add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup.
- Maple syrup: You can use date syrup or honey (if you don’t mind the cookies not being 100% vegan).
- Dark chocolate: Who doesn’t like chocolate? But if you don’t want to eat it every morning, you can simply leave it out of the recipe or add dried fruit instead (apricots, dried berries, sultanas).
- Oil: Easy to substitute for a tablespoon of nut butter for an oil-free version (I love to use my almond butter, but peanut butter, hazelnut butter, or cashew nut butter are great alternatives too).
- Ground flax seeds & Chia seeds: if you can, don’t leave them out! If you don’t want to use both, opt for using ground flax seeds, as they have even more lignans than chia seeds.
- Vanilla: easy to substitute for cinnamon for a more autumnal taste. A great cookie alternative to try is a version with applesauce and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Delicious!
How to Store
What I love about these breakfast cookies is that they are perfect for meal prep.
And the more you keep them in a jar, the more complex the flavor gets. They are delicious as soon as they come out of the oven, but they are absolutely perfect after you leave them for a couple of days in an airtight container.
You can store them at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Or you can freeze them for up to a month. When you are ready to eat them, simply take them out of the freezer the night before and let them thaw covered on the counter overnight.
And these cookies are not only good for breakfast! They are also a healthy snack to have at any time of the day.
More cookie recipes you’ll love:
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies (No Sugar)
- Vegan Chocolate Amaretti
- Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Almond Crescent Cookies
- Hazelnut Gingerbread Man Sandwich Cookies
Healthy Breakfast Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats - or oat flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 banana - (or 1 small grated apple – around 90 grams)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/3 cup mixed nuts - (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon coconut or extra-virgin olive oil - (or nut butter – almond butter, peanut butter, cashew nut butter – for an oil-free version)
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- A pinch of vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- If you are using rolled oats, add the oats into a blender and blend for a few seconds. If you prefer a slightly rougher texture for your cookies, you can skip this step and simply use rolled oats in the recipe as they are.
- Mash the banana. Chop the nuts and dark chocolate into small chunks.
- Combine all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well until combined. The dough might seem quite dry, but don't be tempted to add water. For the best result, combine and mix the dough by hand.
- Divide the dough into 12 balls.
- With the palm of your hands, flatten the balls into a cookie shape. Whatever shape you give to the cookies, they will remain the same once cooked as this dough does not spread in the oven.
- Put the cookies onto the baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are slightly brown.
- Once ready, let your breakfast cookies cool on a wire rack.
- You can store them in an airtight container or in a jar at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze them for up to a month.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Tag @gatheringdreams on Instagram. I want to see it!
Can I substitute the chocolate with raisins or cranberries. I am not a fan of chocolate.
Of course, Julie! You can use anything you like!
Made these today and they were soo good!
Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Thanks Kate! So happy you love them!
I followed the ingredients you listed and there is not nearly enough liquid to hold this together. I added more oil, nut butter and more maple syrup until it started to come together. Are you sure the proportions are correct here? 3 tbs maple syrup, 1 tbs oil or nut butter and a banana are not enough. Very frustrating.
Hi Nancy, sorry you found it dry, but as the recipe instructions say, it has to be dry 🙂
“The dough might seem quite dry, but don’t be tempted to add water. For the best result, combine and mix the dough by hand.”
You can even see in the video how dry it needs to be. Just roll up the cookies and cook them. They are delicious!
Quick question: if you use steel cut oats (I have those on hand) do I grind that to flour too? Thank you!
Hey Ginger,
Yes, if you want to use steel cut oats, you are going to need to grind them into a very fine flour. It’ll take a few minutes because they are much harder than rolled oats. And make sure to measure the flour after you’ve grinded the oats as steel cut oats tend to yield more flour than rolled oats. Normally 1 cup of steel cut oats should make 2 cups of flour if you grind it well.
Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Made these today as preparation for healthy take to work breakfasts and they are fantastic. Not too sweet with a lovely texture.
Thank you so much, Sarah! So glad you liked them. These breakfast cookies are my favorite 🙂