Looking for a quick healthy breakfast option that will fill you up, give you energy for the entire morning, and taste great too? Try breakfast cookies — a nutritional and delicious breakfast on-the-go for busy morning.
Quick and easy Breakfast Cookies Recipe
Believe it or not, as far as I can remember, I’ve never made Breakfast Cookies. So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it.
Of course, I tweaked it because we didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand, but I was super happy with how my tweaked version turned out. They are delicious, healthy, and filling!
What is a Breakfast Cookie?
They are a cross between a cookie and a muffin — usually using more nutritious ingredients like dried fruits and nuts and containing much less sugar.
Breakfast cookies are usually a healthier option than sugary breakfast cereals or granola bars, yet still super convenient for busy mornings or even eating on the go.
Breakfast Cookie Recipe ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups oats (I used whole oats because that’s what I had. The original recipe calls for quick oats or said you could coarsely grind whole oats in the blender or food processor.)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
How to make Homemade Breakfast Cookies
1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
2. Drop heaping Tablespoons of mixture onto greased cookie sheet and flatten the tops slightly (these cookies won’t rise or spread when they bake).
3. Bake at 325ºF. for 15-16 minutes or until slightly browned.
4. Cool completely and store in an airtight container or freeze in a freezer bag.
(Makes 12-15 cookies.)
How to Serve Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
These cookies are great for a quick breakfast on-the-go, or an energy-boosting snack in between activities.
They are perfect on their own (maybe with a big glass of cold milk) or can be a yummy side dish to eggs and bacon.
They are also pack well in school lunches.
How to Store Breakfast Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies will store at room temperature for several days, AND they freeze wonderfully!
They can be a bit sticky, so if you plan to freeze a bunch in the same container, it usually works best to freeze the cookies flat on a cookie sheet or baking rack first, then, once they are frozen individually, transfer them into a zip top bag or food storage container.
Breakfast Cookies Recipe FAQs
Usually dry cookies are a result of baking too long or using too much flour. Since this recipe doesn’t call for flour, a dry cookie is likely due to a few too many minutes in the oven. Try decreasing the baking time by 2-3 minutes and see if that helps.
While oats are a wonderful source of whole grains and essential vitamins and nutrients, the “healthiness” factor depends on what you mix with the oats! If you mix in lots of sugar, oils, chocolate, etc. the finished product will likely be as nutritious as any other cookie. However, if you mix in fruits and nuts, these cookies will offer a higher nutritional value.
Quick cooking oats usually work best for baked goods because they are more finely chopped and hold together better than whole oats. That said, whole oats (or traditional oats) will taste fine — the cookies might just be a little messier. You should not use oat grouts for this recipe!
Homemade Breakfast Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups quick oats
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
- Drop heaping Tablespoons of mixture onto greased cookie sheet and flatten the tops slightly (these cookies won’t rise or spread when they bake).
- Bake at 325ºF. for 15-16 minutes or until slightly browned.
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container or freeze in a freezer bag.
Nutrition
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Have you ever made Breakfast Cookies? What do you put in yours?
Reader Interactions
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Phyllis says
Hi hi not sure what I miss.. the cookies is not getting hard…
Or is this the soft cookies?
Jordan says
The cookies won’t be completely hard. They will be a little softer than a traditional cookie baked with flour! Hope that helps! -Jordan, MSM Team
Phyllis says
Great… Thanks
Diane says
This looks like a great recipe…I am eating sugar free right now, and this looks great. If I skip the chocolate chips, then no sugar. (or, I could add stevia sweetened chocolate chips) Can’t wait to try! Thanks for sharing!
Jordan says
Hope you enjoy them! -Jordan, MSM Team
Lisa Valinsky says
These cookies are delicious! Just baked a batched with 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and I subbed walnut pieces for the raisins. They’re so good and would be great with a cup of coffee in the morning. Love that they’re dairy and egg free too!
Sophie says
Yum! We make a similar version, but with chocolate chips. Your Pinterest graphic looks awesome too!
Crystal says
These look so good! My kids would love cookies for breakfast and I wouldn’t feel guilty giving this to them.
am says
wondering if these would even need to be baked? sounds to me like refrigerating them would be all you would need to do? sound great though – will be trying this week!
Nicole says
My husband is allergic to bananas. Can you reccommend a substitute?
Christine says
You could try apples and/or applesauce.
Forest Rose says
Oh my yummy breakfast goodness! I am so pinning these and making them soon! You can’t go wrong with cookies for breakfast!
Aliss says
What is the nutritional information for this recipe, please?
Stephanie says
Is there something you could use to substitute the peanut butter out with other than another type of nut butter? My husband is allergic to nuts; thankfully not a really bad allergy, but it does make him uncomfortable. I would love to be able to make these, but don’t know if they would be the same if the peanut butter is removed all together. Same goes with no-bake chewy granola bars. Thanks in advance!
Melissa says
I’ve made these with store bought sunflower butter for my nut-allergic kids. It works as well as peanut butter. I also use sunbutter in no bake energy bites with oats, raisins, and a little honey. Just combine ingredients until mixture is a little sticky and roll into balls about the size of a Ping pong. Store in the fridge. My kids gobble them up like candy!
Stephanie says
Thank you so much! I would of never thought to use sunflower butter.
Nancy says
I use part sunflower seed butter and part peanut butter. You could easily use all sunbutter, or try pumpkin seed butter.
MaLisa Fundine says
It’s a start. Didn’t care for the cinnamon with the milk chocolate and cranberries. That whole thing didn’t blend well with me. I ate one warm, so maybe after they sit over night in the fridge, they’ll taste different. Going to try making it more like a cookie and do a chocolate chip walnut or an oatmeal raisin.
Ann says
perhaps you could try dark chocolate chips?
Sims says
Wondering about serving sizes and nutritional info? These are in the oven now and smelling amazing on a nice fall day 🙂
Carly says
I am excited to try these! I’m not a huge breakfast person, but do find that I ma famished by 10:00. I’m a school teacher so these will be great to pop in my bag for late morning snack or even afternoon pick me up. I did not have bananas so I used frozen raspberries. Crossing my fingers.
Christine says
These cookies are not that great. I did not care for them and neither did my kids. The texture is sticky and VERY dense and the flavor was a little bland.
Shawna says
Well….they are supposed to be healthy. 🙂
Tanya says
Does anyone have the nutrition info on these. I need to know how many carbs there are and how much protein if possible. Thanks.
Kathy says
Made these and they are wonderful! My husband wanted more cinnamon and more banana in them, they also turned out great.
Christine says
Oddly, my kids did not like these but my husband and I loved them. I froze them in individual snack bags and found that they are great for right after the gym when you are starving. Very filling! I throw a frozen one in my gym bag in the morning and they are perfect by the time I come out.
Annette says
Do these have a banana flavor to them?
Crystal says
I didn’t think so.
Nancy says
Yes they do. I love them, but my son and husband won’t eat them–they say they are too banana-y for them.
Koren says
Oh my, these look absolutely scrumptious! I’m trying out a detox program at the moment, meaning I’m avoiding all forms of sugar for a month. Might try a little modification, swapping the honey and chocolate chips for some more dried fruits. I’ll let you know how I go! 🙂
nancy says
I want to make these tomorrow. Do you use raw or roasted sunflower seeds?
Karolina says
Hi – Thank you for posting this I made them and they turned out great! I have a question though.. Can this dough be frozen? or refrigerated for a couple of days prior to baking?
Crystal says
Possibly — I’ve not tried it. Let us know if you do!
Jenn says
2 bananas and 1c oats (any kind, quick or just old fashioned) is the recipe I just remember now when I make these, this 2:1 ratio eliminates the need for any honey, then I add carob chips, flax seed, a pinch of salt, and a shake of cinnamon, mix all together add some more oats if needed and bake for 12min at 350. Easy peasy 🙂 And this is super duper easy to customize
Ange Merrell says
What could I use instead of bananas? My son is highly allergic to them.
Crystal says
You could try pureed pumpkin or apple butter.
Annie says
I used a cup of applesauce instead of the bananas, and they were delicious!
Rachael Neal says
So is there any substitute for honey? I have molasses and breakfast syrup.
Crystal says
I think you could try breakfast syrup. I wouldn’t suggest molasses as that would probably give them a weird taste.
Karen says
Mandi, looks like both Barbara and I would like to get your “cookie” version. Thanks in advance
Barbie says
Sounds great! I am looking for quick protein for my kids. These might do the trick!
Rachael @ ThrivingonThrifty says
These look amazing! I’m always looking for something to make in advance for breakfast so we don’t just end up with cereal on hurried mornings. I’ll have to give this a try. Thanks!
Mandi says
Our favorite breakfast cookies actually have cheese and bacon in them. We are eating the left overs this morning. It may be at the top of our list for all time favorite breakfasts!
Jen says
Could we have that recipe please?
Sue says
yes that sounds wonderful!
Angela says
Apple butter is hard to come by where I live does anyone know something cheep and available I can use as substitute?
Crystal says
The original recipe calls for apple butter, but this recipe above does not (I added in an extra mashed banana instead).
Angela says
I see that now, thank you, Crystal.
Stephanie says
I use applesauce that has been reduced in the crockpot
melissa says
If you have apple sauce, you can add cinnamon and cloves and cook in the slow cooker until thick and then can it.
Christal says
I know this is an OLD comment, but since the internet is forever . . . . It’s super easy to make your own apple butter from apple sauce. Just cook down the apple sauce and add cinnamon and clove. I usually add a bit of vanilla and a tiny bit of sugar, too. I know someone who will put a can of applesauce and a cup of red hots (the cinnamon candies) in the crock pot and cool on low for 6-8 hours to make quick apple butter. Bonus–It makes the house smell divine! 😀
Diane says
Apple sauce works great
Linda says
You could add homemade applesauce in place of the apple butter. Or as mentioned in another comment you can add more banana. I have made this recipe with both whole and ground oats and honestly like a combination of both since whole oats make the cookies fall apart a little too much. Very good recipe if you are trying to watch your sweets.
lisa says
so … did you chop up your whole oats or leave them as is?? I often use my organic thick rolled oats….??
Elizabeth | Ready. Set. Simplify. says
I was wondering the same thing. From the picture, it looks like maybe she didn’t chop them…?
Victoria says
I make breakfast cookies often, our current favorite version contains bran and whole wheat flour with a handful of chocolate chips and dried cranberries. I made the recipe up by combining 2 different ones I found online since I too didn’t have all the ingredients either recipe called for.
Nancy says
I love to add flax seed and some soy protein powder. I will try the recipe above and change it up a little . Thank you for all the great posts.
Claire says
Flax seeds produce a carcinogenic chemical when exposed to heat…
Jerri says
Could you be a little more specific than “chemical?” I’m interested.
Linda says
https://www.wellnessbakeries.com/baking-with-flaxseed/
Research shows that you can safely bake with flax seeds.