Healthy Breakfast Cookies My Kids Love
These healthy breakfast cookies made with whole grains and healthy superfoods are an easy make-ahead breakfast (or after school snack) kids will love!
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Cookies for breakfast?! Am I crazy?
Possibly. But these cookies aren’t the reason why, and I stand by the choice to serve them as a meal.
I’ve long said that parenting is ninety-percent marketing. Getting our kids to make good choices is all about presenting the options in a way that makes them want to choose the thing that is good for them. Does that always work? No. But is it worth leveraging when we can? Absolutely!
These cookies are a prime example. You see, I want my kids to have a healthy, protein-rich breakfast that will fuel their bodies for a full day of school and other activities. They, on the other hand, would eat fluffy pancakes and sugary cereal (without the milk) every day if I would let them.
Finding healthier breakfast options that my kids are actually excited about eating can be tricky, but these cookies accomplish the seemingly impossible!
Why We Love These Healthy Breakfast Cookies
These aren’t your typical sugary breakfast cookies. They’re made with:
- Old-fashioned oats for whole grains
- Pumpkin seeds and chia seeds for protein, extra nutrients, and a little crunch
- Ground flaxseed for fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids
- Banana or applesauce for natural sweetness, binding the cookies together, and added moisture
- Dried fruit for fiber, vitamins, and a nice punch of flavor
- Honey or maple syrup for just a bit of added sweetness
Another great thing about these cookies is that they’re also incredibly flexible. You can easily swap ingredients in and out of the recipe based on what you have in your pantry at any given time. For example, instead of dried cranberries, you can use raisins, dried blueberries, or whatever other dried fruit you have on hand. Don’t have pumpkin seeds? Use your favorite kind of nuts instead. It’s easy to adapt these cookies to whatever your family likes.
Make-Ahead Breakfast for Busy Mornings
These cookies are perfect for making ahead.
Bake a batch with the kids on the weekend, let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container. In the morning, just grab a cookie (or two!) and pair it with some fruit, yogurt, milk, or another favorite breakfast food.
That way you get a fun cooking activity you can do with the kids, AND you’ve made breakfast easier for your future self. Win-win!
Healthy Breakfast Cookies
These healthy breakfast cookies made with whole grains and superfoods are an easy make-ahead breakfast (or after school snack) that kids will love!
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins, or other dried fruit
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds or your choice of nuts*
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large banana, mashed, or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter
- 3 tablespoons milk, any kind
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Add the oats, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds or nuts, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, cinnamon, and baking powder to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add the mashed banana or applesauce, melted coconut oil or butter, honey or maple syrup, and milk.
- Mix everything together until well combined. The mixture will be thick and a little sticky.
- Scoop the cookies. Use a scant 1/4 cup of the mixture for each cookie. A large cookie or cupcake-sized scoop works well. Place 12 cookies on a baking sheet and gently flatten them. They don't spread when baking, so shape them the way you want them to be before you bake.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly golden around the edges.
- Cool and enjoy!
Notes
*I use the pumpkin seeds from Costco that have sea salt on them, so I don't add any additional salt to the cookies. If you are using unsalted nuts, add 1/4 tsp salt to the recipe.
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Easy Breakfast Cookie Variations
Once you’ve made the basic recipe, here are some other combinations to try:
- Raisin + walnut: A little more traditional.
- Chocolate chip: Add a small handful of mini chocolate chips for an extra-special treat.
- Apple cinnamon: Use applesauce and raisins for an apple-pie-inspired version. Add dried apples if you really want to increase the apple flavor.
- Dried cherries + almonds: A fun alternative to cranberries.
- Dates + pecans: Such a great combo!
The best part is that you don’t have to make them exactly the same every time. Use what you have and let your kids choose a few of the mix-ins.
So, if you’re looking for breakfast ideas that are easy, nutritious, and a little fun, these healthy breakfast cookies check all the boxes.
So go ahead and serve cookies for breakfast. Your kids will think you’re the fun mom, and you can just smile and know that you’re winning at this mom gig.
Want more easy breakfast ideas for busy school mornings? Try these!
- Our Favorite Healthy Berry Smoothie (kid-approved!)
- Healthy Homemade Pancake Mix
- Healthy breakfast banana split: a fun way to start the day
- Omelette Waffles + Ideas for easy, protein-packed breakfasts
