Healthy Breakfast Cookies (Printable)
Chewy oat-based morning treats with bananas, nuts, and dried fruit for a nutritious start.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
07 - 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
08 - 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
09 - 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
11 - 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
13 - 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
14 - 2 tablespoons chia seeds or flaxseeds (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, unsweetened applesauce, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
05 - Gently fold in the chopped nuts, dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips, and chia seeds until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each mound gently with the back of a spoon to shape.
07 - Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are set.
08 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- They taste like a cozy bowl of oatmeal got dressed up and became portable, which means you can eat one while driving without spilling on your shirt.
- The bananas do all the sweetening heavy lifting so you never feel that heavy sugar crash an hour later.
02 -
- The dough will seem wetter than traditional cookie dough and that is completely normal since the oats absorb moisture as they bake.
- Overbaking is the fastest way to ruin these because they go from perfectly chewy to dry and crumbly in just two minutes.
03 -
- Toast the nuts in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them and the flavor upgrade will knock your socks off.
- Mash the bananas with a fork rather than a blender because a few small lumps create the best texture in the finished cookie.