Healthy Breakfast Cookies (Print Layout)
Hearty oats, bananas, and nuts create chewy morning bakes ready in 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - ¾ cup whole wheat flour
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
07 - ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
08 - ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
09 - ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
11 - ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - ⅓ cup dried cranberries or raisins
13 - ¼ 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 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 fruit, dark chocolate chips, and seeds until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. 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 - Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These cookies use no refined sugar, relying on bananas and maple syrup for natural sweetness that does not cause a morning crash.
- You can freeze a whole batch and grab one on your way out the door, and it thaws by the time you reach your destination.
02 -
- Overmixing the dough makes these cookies tough, so stop stirring as soon as you no longer see dry flour.
- Underripe bananas will leave the cookies bland and crumbly, so wait for those heavy brown spots before peeling.
03 -
- Use a cookie scoop instead of a spoon so every cookie is the same size and bakes evenly.
- Let the melted coconut oil cool slightly before mixing it in, hot oil can cook the raw flour and create off flavors.