‘Tis the season for quick breakfasts! As the rising sun gets me up earlier in the warmer months, I tend to get out of the house earlier to get more done. It could be a quick walk before work, watering the outdoor plants in the vegetable garden or flower pots before running errands, or a ride on the bike trails before the masses get there on the weekends. It doesn’t matter which of these I’m doing, I like to get up and get moving when the weather is nice. And since I strongly believe in starting the day off with good nutrition, breakfast cookies are an inspired idea!
Initially, I made these for Kelly to take to work with her. She has a bit of a commute right now, so she needs to get on the road early. She likes to arrive before she needs to (I was always the same way!) and then have breakfast. Breakfast cookies work for her. They are chock full of nutritious ingredients (and some chocolate!) and she doesn’t have to run through a drive-through for something portable and easily eaten. (There was a mishap with some drive-through breakfast wraps. They not only went flying off the passenger seat, but they flew out of the packaging & onto the floor, not once, but twice during her commute!) With fruit, lean protein from the nut butter, & fiber from the oatmeal, these cookies are healthy as well as great tasting!
Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies (adapted from self.com) Makes 2 dozen cookies, 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large, very ripe bananas, about 1 1/4 pounds, peeled
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats and set them aside. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mash the ripe bananas. Stir in the almond butter, butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix the dough until it is smooth.
Combine the wet ingredients.
In a separate medium bowl, stir together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until they are combined.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Stir in the chocolate chips and dried cherries.
Add the chocolate & chopped cherries into the dough.
Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are done. Let them cool on the baking sheet for two minutes.
Bake the cookies on parchment paper or Silpat mats.
Transfer them to a wire cooling rack and cool completely. Store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container.
Cool the cookies completely on wire racks.
Time to get up and get moving! ~Linda
Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies (adapted from self.com) Makes 2 dozen cookies, 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large, very ripe bananas, about 1 1/4 pounds, peeled
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats and set them aside. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mash the ripe bananas. Stir in the almond butter, butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix the dough until it is smooth. In a separate medium bowl, stir together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until they are combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and dried cherries. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are done. Let them cool on the baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack and cool completely. Store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container.