Healthy Breakfast Cookies (Print Version)
Chewy oat cookies loaded with bananas, nuts, and fruit for a nutritious morning start.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
07 - 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
08 - 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
09 - 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
11 - 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
13 - 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
14 - 2 tablespoons chia seeds or flaxseeds (optional)
# How to Cook:
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 cranberries, dark chocolate chips, and chia seeds until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. 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 cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These cookies taste like a reward for being a responsible adult who meal preps but they come together in under thirty minutes with zero fancy equipment.
- The bananas and applesauce keep everything moist and tender without needing butter or eggs so you can eat two without that heavy feeling.
02 -
- The dough will seem wetter than typical cookie dough but that moisture is exactly what keeps them chewy for days so resist the urge to add more flour.
- Underbaking by one minute is actually your friend here because the carryover heat finishes the job while they cool and you get a softer center.
03 -
- Use bananas that are so spotted and soft they look past their prime because that is peak sweetness and it means you can cut back on added sweeteners.
- Press a few extra chocolate chips or a walnut half on top of each cookie before baking for a bakery style look that takes zero extra effort.