Healthy Breakfast Cookies (Printable)
Chewy oat cookies with bananas, nuts, and dried fruit—ideal for wholesome morning meals
# 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 pure maple syrup
10 - 1 teaspoon pure 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)
# 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 incorporated.
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 chia or flaxseeds 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 your desired thickness.
07 - Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers 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 or storing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You can mix everything in two bowls with zero fancy equipment, which makes this recipe nearly impossible to mess up.
- The bananas and applesauce keep everything moist and tender without needing butter or eggs, so the cookies stay soft for days.
02 -
- Do not overmix the dough once the wet and dry combine or the cookies will turn dense and tough instead of tender.
- Underbaking by one minute is better than overbaking because they continue setting on the hot pan after you pull them out.
03 -
- Toast the nuts in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them and the flavor upgrade will shock you.
- Let the melted coconut oil cool slightly before mixing it with the wet ingredients so it does not re-solidify on contact with cold bananas.