Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies are a great meal prep recipe for busy weekday mornings. Oats, eggs, bananas, nuts, and seeds are mixed in one bowl then baked for a simple on-the-go snack. These easy cookies can be made vegan and gluten-free, and customized with all your favorite flavors.
“Cookies for breakfast?!”
I chuckled the other day as the hubs lovingly lectured his 91-year-old grandmother about eating cookies for breakfast.
And then it occurred to me, “Why CAN’T we have a breakfast cookie that’s actually pretty HEALTHY?!”
So I set to work… in order to make all of the sweet-toothed Nana’s and well-meaning grandsons happy.
What resulted was not only an incredibly DELICIOUS oatmeal cookie recipe…
But also one that is LOADED with heart-healthy fats, fiber, antioxidants, and even a bit of protein.
How can you get all of that out of a little ole’ breakfast cookie recipe?
Quick cooking oats make an awesome base, but then it’s all about the add-ins.
Chopped nuts, bananas, shredded coconut, dried fruit, and pumpkin seeds are a great start. Feel free to add in whatever else you like in order to bump up the nutritional content!
Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients needed to make this healthy breakfast cookies recipe:
- Oats. Quick cooking oats are best, as rolled oats won’t cook up as fast. You can try using a mix of half of each if you want a chewier texture.
- Flour. You only need just a bit, but it is absolutely necessary.
- Sweetener. This is a healthiER breakfast cookie, but it’s still gotta’ taste good too! A pure maple syrup is used to keep it free of refined sugars, but the amount can be reduced to make it less sweet. You can substitute it with honey, agave nectar, or even regular sugar.
- Eggs. Add some protein and help bind the cookies together. Swap out with a flax or chia egg for a vegan cookie.
- Bananas. Two medium-sized and VERY ripe bananas are preferred as they are the most naturally sweet.
- Butter. You can also use coconut oil or a plant-based butter alternative.
- Add-ins. The fun part! Mix in nuts, seeds, or dried fruit. You could even sweeten it up with chocolate chips or toss in some chia seeds or flax seeds.
How to Make Breakfast Cookies
Much like other drop and bake cookie recipes, the steps for making breakfast cookies are easy to follow:
- Whisk together maple syrup, eggs, bananas, butter, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
Wait until the butter has cooled down a little after melting before putting it in.
- Add in oats, flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Mix until everything is well incorporated.
- Pour in pecans, coconut, dried fruit, and seeds.
Stir by hand until the fillings are dispersed.
- Scoop out 2 ½ -3 tablespoons of cookie batter for each cookie and place at least 1 inch apart on a large baking sheet.
Prepare the baking sheet by lining with parchment paper for easier cleanup!
- Bake in 350°F oven for 12-14 minutes.
Look for when the edges are golden and the middle is no longer soft.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: Breakfast cookies are great to prep ahead for busy weeks.
- To Store: Keep in an loosely covered container on the counter for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
- To Freeze: These are perfect for freezing! Wrap them individually and freeze for up to 4-6 months.
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already vegetarian as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Gluten-Free. Use certified gluten-free oats and a gluten-free flour.
- Vegan. Substitute the butter for coconut oil, and flax or chia egg for the egg.
- Lower sugar. Cut the amount of syrup in half.
FAQs
To make cookies more dry, add in more oats or flour. For cookies on the moist side, you can add in more banana.
Yes you can. They won’t be as sweet, but you can reduce the amount of syrup or sugar used.
No, you can substitute coconut oil for butter in this cookie recipe.
Get creative with a variety of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or chocolate.
You can swap out the banana for applesauce. Use ½ cup of applesauce in place of 1 banana. You can also try avocado, yogurt, or cooked potato.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- The quicker the better. Use quick-cooking oats for the perfect texture.
- Go halfsies. Mix half quick-cooking oats and half rolled oats for a chewier bite.
- Load ’em up. Grab your favorite additions and toss them in. Make sure to try and keep the same ratio of add-ins to batter.
- Reduce the sweetener. You can decrease to ¼ cup without much change to the consistency of the cookies. If they come out dry try adding in a tablespoon or two of milk.
- Freeze for later. Make up extras and store for easy grab-and-go breakfasts.
More Oatmeal Recipes for Breakfast
Want a few more ways to use up those oats? You might also enjoy these other oatmeal recipes:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
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Ingredients
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup bananas mashed, about 2 medium
- 4 Tbsp. butter melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup oats quick cooking
- ½ cup flour*
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup pecans coarsely chopped
- ½ cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- ½ cup dried fruit raisins or cranberries
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds raw
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine maple syrup, eggs, bananas, and vanilla extract in a large bowl, whisk to combine. Wait until butter has cooled down some after melting to add it to the bowl and then whisk until combined.
- Add in oats, flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Toss until everything is well mixed.
- Pour in pecans, coconut, dried fruit, and seeds. Stir by hand until well incorporated.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 2 ½ – 3 tablespoons worth of cookie batter for each cookie and place at least 1 inch apart on the sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 14-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the middle is no longer soft.
- Let cool to room temperature before eating. Enjoy!
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Video
Notes
- To Store: Keep in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: These are perfect for freezing! Wrap them individually and freeze for up to 4-6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
YUM! SO sick of power bars or breakfast bars! This is such a yummy replacement! grab a couple to go in the morning:-)
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Rita! This is such a great alternative to breakfast bars but still so healthy. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I LOVE these cookies! I used regular rolled oats and cassava root flour and they are perfect. Thank you for a great recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle! Thanks for leaving a comment and rating.
Breath-taking one!! Keep up the Good work
Thanks!