Breakfast Cookies Recipe (One Bowl)

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies recipe offers a winning combination of convenience, nutrition, and versatility. 

• Convenience: You ONLY need one bowl to mix everything together in 10 minutes and bake for 15 minutes! No fuss, no mess—incredibly simple!
• Nutrient-Dense Ingredients: These cookies are loaded with essential nutrients. providing energizing protein, filling fiber, and healthy fats for a wholesome start to your day.
• No Refined Sugar: Unlike store-bought options, these oatmeal breakfast cookies are sweetened naturally with fruit and honey but without sacrificing flavor.
• Customizable: It’s also highly adaptable by swapping in different dried fruits, nut butters, or even adding chocolate chips for an extra treat.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Perfect for meal prep, you can make a batch of these cookies in advance and store them in the freezer, to have a nutritious meal or snack at your fingertips.

We all need a quick and nutritious breakfast option, and if you’re like me, you want it to taste absolutely delicious as well! These oatmeal cookies are a great morning option for the whole family, and of course, Georgie loves thinking he’s getting away with a cookie for breakfast!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 5/7/2024, to include substitutes for key ingredients and more answers to the most frequently asked questions. 

Table of Contents

• What are One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies?
• Tools You Need for Breakfast Cookies Recipe
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies
• Can I Make Breakfast Cookies in Advance?
• How Do I Store One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies?
• FAQs
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

What are One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies?

• One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies are peanut butter, oat, and banana cookies studded with chopped fruit and coconut.
• They’re dairy-free, fiber-rich, and high in protein and are a good source of healthy fats.
• More importantly, these are a popular energizing and healthy portable morning option to a traditional muffin or biscuit.

Tools You Need for Breakfast Cookies Recipe

• Baking sheet and parchment paper
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

• Old-fashioned rolled oats

  • Old-fashioned oats are thicker than quick-cooking oats or instant oats. They give One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies a satisfyingly chewy bite.
  • Oats give the cookies their hearty structure and provide a slightly nutty, mild flavor to complement the other ingredients.
  • Alternatively, you can substitute quick-cooking oats or steel-cut oats for rolled oats:
    • Quick-cooking oats are thinner and cook faster. They’ll work well in the recipe but might yield a slightly different texture.
    • Steel-cut oats are less processed than rolled oats and will provide a chewier texture to the cookies. You may need to adjust the baking time to ensure they cook through.

• Dried fruit

  • Dried fruit adds sweetness and texture to breakfast cookies. Also, dried fruit’s fiber, iron, and vitamins add to the nutritional value.
  • Finely dice the dried fruit and mix in evenly to spread the flavors and texture throughout the cookies.
  • Alternatively, you can substitute chopped fresh fruit for dried fruit: 
    • Fresh fruits like apples, bananas, or berries can add moisture and natural sweetness to the cookies.
    • However, they may release more liquid during baking, so you may need to adjust the dry ingredients accordingly.

• Dried unsweetened coconut flakes

  • Fresh coconut is dehydrated to make coconut flakes. Unlike sweetened coconut flakes, no sugar or corn syrup is added.
  • Dried unsweetened coconut flakes give the cookies a mild natural sweetness and a tropical flavor. In addition, they create textural interest and visual appeal.
  • Coconut is high in fiber and healthy fat and contributes to the oatmeal breakfast cookies’ nutritional value.
  • Alternatively, you can substitute unsweetened shredded coconut for unsweetened coconut flakes. Or omit coconut if you’re allergic and add more oats or other dry ingredients to get the same consistency. 

• Peanut butter

  • Peanut butter gives the breakfast cookies a rich and nutty, slightly sweet, slightly salty flavor. Plus, its thick, creamy texture helps bind the other ingredients together.
  • It is a good source of protein and healthy fat.
  • Go even bolder by using How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter!
  • Alternatively, you can substitute almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini for peanut butter: 
    • These alternatives provide a similar creamy texture and nutty flavor to peanut butter. Choose based on your preference or any allergies.

• Banana

  • Sweet and creamy banana gives One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies a lovely flavor and helps hold the dough together.
  • Use a ripe banana for the best flavor and texture.
  • To replace banana, you can add one of these alternatives gradually until you get the same consistency as the recipe’s in the video: applesauce, pumpkin puree, prune puree, date puree, mashed sweet potatoes, avocado, Greek yogurt or strained yogurt, sour cream, silken tofu, or nut butter or syrup of your choice.
  • Alternatively, you can substitute one of these alternatives gradually until you get the same consistency as the recipe’s in the video: applesauce, pumpkin puree, prune puree, date puree, mashed sweet potatoes, avocado, Greek yogurt or strained yogurt, sour cream, silken tofu, or nut butter or syrup of your choice.

• Honey

  • Floral and slightly fruity honey adds just the right amount of sweetness.
  • Honey is less processed than sugar and has antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
  • Alternatively, you can substitute maple syrup, agave syrup, date syrup, or golden syrup for honey. 
    • These liquid sweeteners provide sweetness similar to honey. They can also add unique flavors like maple or caramel.

• Eggs

  • Overall, eggs play a crucial role in the texture, structure, and moisture content of these breakfast cookies, helping to create a delicious and satisfying treat:
    • Binding: Eggs hold the ingredients together so the cookies don’t fall apart.
    • Moisture: Eggs keep the cookies soft and chewy by adding moisture.
    • Structure: Eggs help shape the cookies while baking, giving them their texture.
    • Leavening: While not the main leavening agent, eggs still contribute to some fluffiness in the cookies.
  • Alternatively, you can use egg substitutes:  
    • Flax eggs, and chia eggs are vegan alternatives that act as binding agents similar to eggs. They’re made by mixing ground flaxseed or chia seeds with water until they form a gel-like consistency.
    • Applesauce, and mashed banana add moisture and act as binders. They also contribute natural sweetness.
    • Commercial egg replacers are powdered substitutes specifically designed to replace eggs in baking. They often contain a blend of starches and leavening agents.

How to Make One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies

• Preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheets.
• Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix in the wet ingredients until everything is well-blended and the batter has a uniform texture.
• Divide the cookie dough into 12 portions, place on baking sheets, and flatten the cookies down slightly.
• Bake the cookies just until the edges are slightly brown.

Can I Make Healthy Breakfast Cookies in Advance?

Yes, you can make the cookies in advance. I like to make these cookies, shape them and put them in the freezer while they’re flat on a tray. Then I take one or two out, defrost them and bake them in my air fryer for a quick breakfast or snack for George.

How Do I Store One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies?

• Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature (around 68°F/20°C-74°F/23°C) for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to four days.
• Store cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to two months.

FAQs

• Can I make One-Bowl Breakfast cookies vegan?

Yes, you can make them vegan by replacing the eggs. Unsweetened applesauce or a flax egg, made with ground flaxseed from my chart, 12 Best Egg Substitutes and How to Use Them would be good egg substitutes in this recipe.

• I have a nut allergy. What can I use instead of peanut butter?

You can try sunflower seed butter or tahini, but note that the results could differ in flavor and texture from the original recipe.

• How can I keep my cookies from being dry?

  • Be sure not to over bake the cookies. They’re ready when the edges are just slightly brown.
  • Also, too little banana could cause dryness. Bananas vary in size,  so for best results, mash up the banana and measure one-half cup to use in the recipe (4 ounces/115 grams).

• Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes, you can use certified gluten-free oats to make these cookies gluten-free.

• How can I make these cookies nut-free?

Substitute peanut butter with seed butter or tahini for a nut-free option.

• Can I omit the coconut flakes?

Yes, you can omit the coconut flakes if you’re allergic or prefer not to use them. Note to add more oats or other dry ingredients to get the same consistency.

• How do I prevent the cookies from spreading too much?

Chill the dough in the refrigerator before baking to help prevent excessive spreading.

• Can I add nuts to these cookies?

Yes, you can add chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans for extra crunch.

• Are these cookies suitable for a diabetic diet?

They contain natural sugars from fruit and honey, so they’re not suitable for a diabetic diet.

• Can I add protein powder to these cookies?

Yes, you can add protein powder to boost the protein content of the cookies, but adjust the other ingredients accordingly to maintain the desired texture.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• You can use quick-cooking oats for this breakfast cookie recipe.
• The peanut butter can be replaced with any other seed or nut butter of your choice. You can try making your own nut butter for the cookies with these How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter or How to Make Almond Butter recipes!
• For dried fruit, you can use familiar favorites like raisins and cranberries, or branch out and use apples, apricots, cherries, blueberries, pineapple, or even pumpkin seeds.
• Either crunchy or smooth peanut butter will work in this recipe.
• You can add one-half cup (3 ounces/85 grams) of chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips to these cookies.
• If you love these healthy cookies, make a double batch and freeze them! First, freeze them on a parchment-lined tray, then transfer them to an airtight container. Defrost at room temperature for an hour before baking.

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

• Healthy Granola Bars (Sugar-Free, Grain Free)
• My Mum’s Healthy Banana Muffins
• Georgie’s Healthy Breakfast Muffins
• Healthy Banana Nut Muffins (Paleo, Vegan, and Gluten-Free)
• 4-Ingredient Paleo Pancakes

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 5/7/2024, to include substitutes for key ingredients and more answers to the most frequently asked questions. 

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