Feb 5, 2015
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These healthy breakfast cookies are one of my favorites for a quick and healthy breakfast on the go. They’re hearty, slightly sweet, and delicious with a cup of coffee.
While regular bakery cookies might leave you with an energy crash 30 minutes later, these breakfast cookies are full of protein and fiber to keep you satiated and focused for hours.
This recipe is one of my family’s favorite recipes from The Best Homemade Kids’ Lunches on the Planet and has been visited over half a million times, so I guess you could say it’s quite the success.
Are Breakfast Cookies Healthy?
Cookies for breakfast aren’t the first idea of a wholesome meal to start the day, but these are made with nutritious ingredients such as oats, flax, peanut butter, and protein powder without tasting like cardboard.
The peanut butter and protein powder give each cookie 6 grams of protein, and they add flavor, so you won’t need as much sugar.
Oats are high in fiber and protein (compared to other grains) and slow-digesting carbohydrates making them one of the most nutritious foods. Knowing the health benefits of oats and all they can do as far as yummy breakfasts and baking go, it’s no wonder I keep them in my pantry year-round.
Make Next: Baked Oatmeal Muffins
Healthy Ingredients for Breakfast Cookies
And the best part- thanks to the gluten-free oat and all-purpose gluten-free flour, these cookies are an option for anyone with a gluten allergy or intolerance. Of course, if gluten isn’t an issue, you could make these with regular or whole wheat flour.
Here’s everything you need to make these healthy breakfast cookies:
- mashed banana: adds sweetness
- peanut butter: an excellent source of protein and healthy fats
- honey or maple syrup: gives the cookies just the right amount of sweet
- vanilla extract: adds flavor
- old fashioned oats: gluten-free and full of fiber
- gluten-free all-purpose flour: makes these gluten-free breakfast cookies possible
- flaxseed: contains healthy fats and helps bind the dough
- vanilla protein: reduces the need for sugar and adds protein
- cinnamon: makes them smell (and taste) amazing
- baking soda: works with the salt and helps the cookies rise
- salt: counteracts the sweetness and reacts with the baking soda
Healthy Swaps to Change up Your Breakfast Cookies
This breakfast cookie recipe is highly customizable. Once you get the base dough, you can swap the raisins for other mix-ins like the one’s I’ve listed below:
- frozen blueberries
- dried cranberries
- dark chocolate chips
- chopped walnuts or pecans
Make sure you use regular, old-fashioned oats. Quick or instant oats will make the cookies lose their shape and texture.
Best Protein Powder for Breakfast Cookies
I recommend using a vanilla protein powder you actually like the taste of, whether it’s plant-based or whey. I have an entire post on the best protein powders and their uses, so you can get a full rundown of your options there.
How to Make Healthy Breakfast cookies
Not only are these cookies easy, but you can eat the dough because there’s no raw egg! Shh- I won’t tell.
- Prep
Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly coat 2 large baking sheets with baking spray. - Combine the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. - Make the dough
In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, flax, protein powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients and stir to create a dough. - Fold in
Stir in the raisins or your choice of add-ins. - Scoop
Using a ¼ measuring cup, scoop and drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Use the back of a spoon to flatten each cookie to ½-inch thick. - Bake
Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
Keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days if they last that long. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Healthy Breakfast Cookie Recipe Video
Watch how these delicious cookies are made, below.
Egg-Free Breakfast Cookies
Instead of eggs, peanut butter, honey, and mashed banana help bind the rest of the ingredients. However, if you find the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and combine until it reaches the right consistency.
Nut-Free Breakfast Cookies
You can make these breakfast cookies nut-free by substituting the peanut butter with a nut-free alternative such as soy butter or sunflower butter. Just keep the measurements the same.
After these breakfast cookies, be sure to check out my healthy baked oatmeal recipe!
What’s your go-to breakfast in the morning?
Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- ½ cup mashed banana approx 1 large
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup all-purpose gluten-free baking flour*
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed*
- ¼ cup vanilla protein powder*
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, ground flax, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.
- Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in raisins.
- Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.
- Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.
Notes
- I’ve tested this recipe successfully with Cup4Cup (in the video), King Arthur Flour AP GF Baking Mix, and Namaste Baking Blend.
- Make sure to use old-fashioned oats (not quick or instant) for this recipe. Using quick/instant oats will make the cookies lose their shape.
- You may substitute the ground flaxseed (flax meal) for the same amount of flour.
- If your mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water to the mixture. Some protein powders are thicker than others and they will yield slightly different texture to the dough.
- You can reduce the sweetness to ⅓ cup of honey or use maple syrup.
Cristin
Hi Laura, this recipe is great. My kids love to help me make the cookies and we always try different combos of add ins. They are such a hit that I like to have them in the morning, too! Have you been able to calculate the nutrition value for the cookies?
Laura Fuentes
Hi Cristin, I’ve updated the recipe for you with the nutritional information. Enjoy!
Noe
Hi Laura, thanks for this recipe I am trying it tonight. I am always on the lookout for good snack options for my toddler that are easy, healthy and quick as I also have a demanding 7 month old. I was wondering if you could post up perhaps a section on quick easy and healthy snacks that are toddler friendly (no sugar, no salt) that can also be cooked in batches that can be freezed for another day? Also, I have a lot of Goji berries, almond meal, flaxseeds and quinoa flakes that I’d love to make use of. Are there any recipes for toddler that you could suggest (both savoury and sweet) that could use up these ingredients? Thanks so much for your time and the time it must take to run this blog and website! X
From Australia,
Noellia
Laura Fuentes
Hi Noelia,
thank you for checking out my recipes! My best suggestion is to browse through the recipe index under the snack category. the 2 ingredient magic cookies are perfect as well as using the goji in any of my smoothies recipes (search bar in sidebar). I hope this helps!
Christina W.
My children’s favorite breakfast! I make it only the nights before an early work meeting the next morning. Then my kids don’t mind waking up extra early before school! Thank you for this recipe. I discovered it from your book. We’ll be making this for years to come!
Diane Lewis
Curious is something can be subbed for banana? I’m allergic. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Laura Fuentes
eggs. 1 per banana in any recipe. I hope this helps!
Amy
I just made a double batch of these and I’m in cookie heaven. So is my 10 month old. The dough alone is fantastic! I didn’t have any old fashioned oats so I used half steel cut and half quick. I love the crunch the steel cut added to it. My boys have vetoed sandwiches in their lunches so I’ve been meaning to make this for weeks. I’m so glad I finally had some bananas to use for it. It will be a weekly thing for us now. Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Sharon
Can i substitute applesauce for the banana?
Kat
Uh, not sure what went wrong with my batch but I got something that looks more like granola than a cookie. My kids and I were both disappointed (them because they were excited for a cookie, and me because I wasted a lot of expensive, quality ingredients in my attempt to make this!)
Laura Fuentes
I am sorry this didn’t turn out for you. Were any substitutions made? I make these weekly.
Tara
Ha I never read 1/2 cup banana, just saw about 1 large… Apparently in south Florida our bananas are on the ridiculously large size! Even though slightly mushy/soft with the excess banana, the cookies are still awesome for quickie breakfasts and midafternoon snacks. Maybe next time I can actually measure the banana 🙂
Laura Fuentes
Tara, too funny on the sizing! Glad they were ok 🙂
Tiffany
My kids aren’t really into oatmeal, but this is a cool way to get them involved since they like to cook and LOVE to eat what they cook. Good job!
Shonda
This cookie is yummy! I discovered it the other day in your book. I need to double my recipe. I love all the healthy ingredients included. Way to go!!