These breakfast cookies are your excuse to have dessert for breakfast! Made with just 4 ingredients, there are over 10 flavor options to try!
Some of my favorite sweet breakfasts include breakfast muffins or a delicious smoothie. However, when I REALLY want something sweet that requires minimal effort, I love making breakfast cookies.
Why this breakfast cookie recipe will be something worth waking up to-
- 4 Ingredients only. Count them yourself! The base recipe for these cookies needs just 4 ingredients.
- Made in just ONE bowl. No fancy mixers or kitchen gadgets needed.
- Satisfying and filling. While most cookies leave you reaching for a second (okay, fifth one) soon after, one of these babies will keep you energized and fueled until the morning!
- Easy to customize. With over 10 flavor options and counting, you have NO excuse to say breakfast is boring or repetitive!
What I love about these cookies is just how filling and satisfying they are. Thick, chewy, and loaded with delicious flavors, enjoy a couple of these for your morning meal, or have one with a protein shake to keep you full until lunch!
How to make breakfast cookies
The Ingredients.
- Rolled oats– Also known as old fashioned oats. Be sure to use certified gluten free oats if needed.
- Nut or seed butter– Peanut butter, almond butter, or nut free alternatives, like tahini. Be sure that the nut/seed butter is smooth, with no added sugar.
- Banana OR applesauce– Mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce helps hold the cookies together. I prefer using banana, as they become thicker and they provide extra sweetness.
- Protein powder– Optional, but makes the cookies more satisfying and can provide over 15 grams of protein per cookie.
- Maple syrup OR honey– Optional, but adds extra sweetness. You should add some sweetener if you opt to make these cookies with applesauce.
The Instructions.
In a mixing bowl, add all your ingredients and mix well. If using mix-ins, fold them through at the end.
Now, using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop out portions of the dough and place them on a lined baking sheet. Use a knife to tidy the sides to keep them in a cookie shape. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges go golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely.
Flavor variations
The beauty of these breakfast cookies is that they are perfect to customize. Here are TEN flavor options to try out-
- Cinnamon roll– Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or a brown sugar substitute). Drizzle the baked cookies with a simple glaze made of cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Oatmeal raisin– Fold through 1/2 cup of raisins.
- Biscoff– Swap out half the peanut butter (or nut/seed butter of choice) with smooth Biscoff or cookie butter spread.
- Caramilk– Drizzle the cookies with melted caramilk chocolate and/or caramilk baking chips.
- White chocolate and raspberry– Add 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries and 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips.
- Strawberry– Fold through 1/2 cup of strawberries.
- Double chocolate– Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and fold through 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
- Chocolate peanut butter– Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and drizzle melted peanut butter over the freshly baked cookies.
- Nutella– Replace the nut/seed butter with homemade Nutella.
- Monster– Fold through 1/2 cup of m&m’s or candy buttons.
Dietary swaps and ingredient substitutions
- Make it gluten free. Ensure the oats you are using are certified gluten free.
- Make them nut free. Instead of peanut butter or almond butter, use sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- Skip the sugar. Swap out the maple syrup or honey for sugar free maple syrup and sugar free honey.
- Lower the carbs. Try making keto breakfast cookies instead.
- Substitute the oats. While oats are preferred, quinoa flakes and brown rice flakes can be substituted.
Storing and freezing instructions
- To store: As the base of these cookies use banana/applesauce, they need to always be stored in the refrigerator, covered. They will keep well for up to one week.
- To freeze: Place leftover cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More healthy breakfast recipes to try
- Protein oatmeal
- Overnight oats
- Oatmeal breakfast cookies
- Blueberry breakfast cookies
- Oatmeal breakfast bars
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade breakfast cookies, like in this recipe, are a healthy meal to kick-start your day. They are packed with slow releasing carbs (oats), healthy fats (peanut butter) and protein (protein powder).
Quaker continue to make their breakfast cookies, although they are packed with sugar and contain very little protein, so are not the best choice for breakfast. The same can be said for Belvita breakfast cookies, which have similar nutritional benefits.
Homemade breakfast cookies have around 143 calories per giant cookie. The calories change depending on what you add into them.
Belvita, Quaker, Uncle Toby’s and Wholesome all have a breakfast cookie range.
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Breakfast Cookies (10 Flavors!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup protein powder optional
- 1 1/4 cups banana mashed * See notes
- 1/2 cup peanut butter ** See notes
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add your oats, protein powder, banana, peanut butter, and maple syrup and mix until a thick dough remains. Fold through your favorite mix-ins.
- Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop out portions of the dough and place them on the lined sheet. Use a knife to shape the dough into large, cookie shapes.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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Hello! The recipe looks amazing! Which type of protein powder did you use? I’ve read that whey protein isn’t good for baking, does this apply to this cookies??
Thanks in advance!
Dana
Yes! Definitely avoid whey protein for anything besides a shake. I always recommend casein protein or brown rice protein powder.
Nevermind my phone just hates me sorry!!
Do you think egg white protein powder will work?
I absolutely love these cookies. With my scoop, I got a total of 15 cookies. I use applesauce and add mini chocolate chips. 2 of these with coffee lasts me until lunch. Such a quick and easy breakfast. I even add extra protein powder just to bump up the protein content.
Hi there, how much applesauce would we use for this recipe?
Thank you!
About 2- 2 1/4 cups
I use 1 1 /4 cups of applesauce and they come out great.
It doesn’t say how much of each ingredient to use 🙁