Ah, yes… the infamous morning routine (with kids).
Just when you think you’ve figured it all out: the lunches, the homework, the outfits, the commute- your world gets thrown upside down, right?
One child wakes up with a mysterious rash, your other child refuses to get off the toilet, and suddenly, you’ve slept through your alarm for the first time in 6 years!
Oh, and you can’t find the other shoe.
I created these busy morning breakfast cookies to combat life’s unpredictability.
Packed with oats and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and raisins, these cookies are perfect for on-the-go situations. Just grab a few and eat them in the car. They’re also super easy to make.
The entire recipe is done in the food processor, which goes directly into the dishwasher when finished. To portion the dough, use a mini ice cream scoop instead of struggling with two spoons. Twelve minutes later, you’ll have wholesome breakfast cookies the whole family will love.
My kids think they look like chicken nuggets.
What I love, is that these cookies are not too sweet, not too crumbly, and have a hint of tropical flavor from the coconut oil.
Plus, you can make them your own by adding a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. I’ve been baking a different batch each week, usually after dinner (while cleaning up) so I’m all set for the morning.
Kitchen Notes:
- To enhance the natural maple flavor, my secret is to add 2 capfuls of pure vanilla extract. It makes the cookies a little bit sweeter, without having to add sugar.
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Busy Morning Breakfast Cookies
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 17 mins
- Yield: 35 mini cookies 1x
Ingredients
2 cups quick oats (not instant or old fashioned)
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup raisins (I use organic)
2 capfuls of pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Add the quick oats, white whole wheat flour, and baking soda to a food processor. Pulse about 5 times to combine.
- Add the egg, coconut oil, maple syrup, raisins, and vanilla extract. Continue to pulse until the mixture until it looks like cookie dough- you’ll have some big and small pieces of raisins. Turn the food processor off and pinch some of the dough between your fingers; if it sticks together easily, it’s done. If the dough is too wet or runny, just add a sprinkle of flour and pulse gently until it comes together.
- Using a mini ice cream scoop about 1-inch in diameter (or with 2 spoons), portion the cookies onto your lined baking sheets.
- Bake for about 12-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store cookies in an air-tight container for up to one week (if they last that long).
Comments
Emma says
How much protein is in the breakfast cookies
Kelly Riddle says
Just made these. I loved how simple the recipe was to throw together. I used rolled oats because that’s all I had. I also used dates instead of raisins. I definitely pulsed them too much at the end because the dates were basically incorporated into the dough, rather than left in small chunks. The cookies were still delicious and look great! Will be making these again for a quick treat!
Emilie Raffa says
So glad you liked them Kelly! A simple yet impressive cookie :)
PhDMom says
Just made these on a Friday night for my pick eater, they loved them! I did use 1/2 of mini chocolate chips instead of the raisins. I think next time I’m going to add 1/4c to 1/2 c of hemp hearts as well.
Emilie Raffa says
Ahhh! Love this! Such a win when you can please the picky eaters, right? I know what you mean :) PS: hemp hearts sound great.
Lalita says
These are quick and tasty (hard to beat); lessened the flour to add almond meal and added cinnamon and nutmeg and used dried cranberries and cherries instead of raisins (I’m sure raisins are delicious too – others in my household disagree). Next time thinking about using dates and adjusting maple syrup amount. I also use regular oats with no issues (just pulse a few more times to incorporate; that is what we usually have on hand).
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lalita! Oooo, this sounds wonderful. I love adding warm, fall spices to these cookies. It’s so funny: my kids hate raisins too, but I manage to blend them up so well they have no idea. Let us know how you go with dates. Sounds yummy :)
Cheryl says
Hi Emilie, I just discovered your delicious recipe & they sound very healthy as well. How much vanilla is 2 capfuls- ex. Tsp./Tblsp? I look forward to making these?
Emilie says
Hi Cheryl! Great question. One capful of vanilla extract is about 1/2 tsp (so two capfuls would be 1 tsp!). Hope this helps! Using capfuls is my lazy girl method of measuring… ;)
Jill says
I don’t have a large food processor. Could I just use a hand-mixer? Thanks!
Emilie says
Absolutely! Just make sure to use quick oats so they easily blend into the batter :)
Jayme | holly & flora says
Emilie, these are so superbly simple and would seriously change up my routine of making muffins and granola bars. I’m going to swap out raisins for cranberries and bake these tonight. I’m sequestered in my house, since I am fighting the flu, and I am finally feeling a little better to both catch up on posts and maybe do a little baking! XO!
Emilie says
Jayme! I’m so sorry to hear that you are not feeling well. Don’t you have a cocktail for that?! I do hope you enjoy these cookies. They’re super easy to make. I have a batch going right now with cinnamon, cranberries and a few spoonfuls of ancient seed mix from Trader Joe’s. I’m hoping they turn out good! And I hope you feel better. I think some cat snuggles are in order… xo
Tricia says
Query- in Australia our flours differ from yours. When you say white wholewheat flour can i sub wholemeal flour instead? We can buy wholewheat pastry flour – not sure if that is the same as your flour but it’s quite expensive. Also i’m presuming it’s plain flour? Loving your site – hoping to give these little goodies a try this weekend.
Emilie says
Hi there! Great question! I would substitute with equal parts plain flour and whole meal flour (it’s not worth it to buy expensive pastry flour for just one recipe). If you find that your dough is not sticking together right away, just add a touch more liquid, perhaps maple syrup, so everything comes together nicely. And yes, the flour I’m referring to is plain flour! Good luck with recipe, Tricia! I hope you enjoy :)
Tricia says
Just tried these – i call them my 5 minute biscuits cause that’s about the time it takes to blend them together. I added cranberries and some cinnamon and oh my gosh – i’m in LOVE with them. Thank you so much for the recipe
Emilie says
Woo hoo! That’s incredible! So glad you liked them :) I’m posting a new version with cranberries and cinnamon too! Stay tuned!
Rose says
Great idea for a school lunch treat and/or playdate treat. I have the same question as Eva (Hola!) from Spain, why use instant oats instead of rolled/whole oats? Texture? Cooking time? Cheers from Down Under (Australia).
Emilie says
Hey Rose! Great question. See (above) answer.
Laney (Ortensia Blu) says
These look amazing Emilie and even better that there’s no sugar. Can we crumble them over vanilla ice cream? xo
Emilie says
Yes, of course! I like the way you think ;) xx
Eva (Spain) says
Hi,
I live in Spain and here i cannot find the Quick oats, so…the instant and the original don´t work for the recipe?
Thank you so much!
Emilie says
Hi Eva!
I use quick oats because they absorb the liquid better than thick, rolled oats. Instant oats are too powdery, in my opinion. If you can only find regular rolled oats, that’s fine- make sure they are well blended in the food processor (should look like oat flour). If your dough seems too dry, you will have to add more liquid, either syrup, water etc. to correct the texture and get it to stick. Hope this helps!
Eva Fernandez says
Thank you so much! I will try it. Thanks for your directions. :)
Eva says
Success!!! These cookies are amazing!!!
Thank you so much for your directions and for sharing the recipe.
Hugs!
Emilie says
Wonderful! So glad you liked them!They’re a household favorite here! :) x
Rakhee@boxofspice says
Mornings are so unpredictable at my house! And I only have one monkey! One day she is ready ten minutes before we leave for school, so I start thinking, oh, things are changing and its getting easier. The next day she can’t decide what to wear, does not want to eat and grumpy like a bear!
These cookies look so darn good! I think on difficult days I might just make these for on the go… lovely recipe Emile! <3
Amaryllis @ thetastyother.com says
Thanks so much for sharing these, Emilie! Delicious cookies for breakfast? You are indeed a clever carrot!
asha Shiv says
Girlfriend, you just spoke my words. Although my boys are little older now, it’s still a chaos and looks like someone hit the fast forward button. So crazy.
THese are crazy good idea dear. I will definitely make them sometime. It’s so much easier when breakfast is taken care of.
When we sort of get used to the routine, its Winter break. haha.
xx
Sophie | The Green Life says
These cookies are too adorable! And I love how easy they are to put together. They would be perfect as a snack too. <3
Sarah | Well and Full says
These are such lovely little cookies! I can’t even remember the last time I sat down for breakfast…. every day I make a smoothie before work and drink it once I’m there. I miss the days when my mom would make me breakfast for school. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago but it’s been over 15 years!
Emilie says
Of course! Only if you bring me more Bed & Bath coupons… ;) xoxo
Jessie Snyder | Faring Well says
I just love these Emilie. Made with simple, whole food ingredients, they sound like the perfect morning fuel <3. My husband is a blur flying out of the house every morning, I think I might make him up a batch of these to grab a handful of before he pulls a Sonic the Hedgehog ;)
Emilie says
Haha! Sonic the Hedgehog! I totally pictured it. You are too funny, Jessie! yeah, the cookies can sub in for those gold rings (or whatever you want to call them ;)
Jessie Snyder | Faring Well says
Hehe! Glad you were able to picture it too ;). And I made these yesterday and they are amazing Emilie! Of course since I’m wheat free and vegan I had to make some substitutions, but they came out just perfect! Thank you for this recipe. Definitely keeping it in my back pocket for years to come of busy mornings. <3
Donna Castellano says
The other morning my son told me at 7:25 am as we were just sitting down to eat breakfast that jazz band tryouts were at… 7:30 !! I was like are you kidding me?! So breakfast went in the garbage and I handed him a banana and we raced out the door. Now if only I had one of these COOKIES… ; )
Emilie says
Ah, yes. I totally get it. I bet the banana peel ended up on the car floor too, right? xx
PS- When my minivan door glides open, Goldfish fall out.
Donna Castellano says
even better…squished inside my cup holder :/
Emilie says
Same here! Ha! In fact, mine’s probably still in the car ;)
Celia Becker @ After Orange County says
These breakfast cookies look delish! Who wouldn’t want a cookie for breakfast? Great idea and they look healthy too.
Emilie says
Hi Celia! I’ve made these a couple of different ways; with sugar, with honey, and with maple syrup, respectively. They each produce a slightly varied cookie. Using sugar makes them more crisp, honey makes them taste very sweet, and I felt that maple syrup was somewhere in between. Plus, I thought that maple syrup is more of a suitable breakfast ingredient than sugar! xx
laurasmess says
Haha, kids have the funniest descriptions for foods. Chicken nuggets! I think they look delicious, particularly that slightly browned, toasty bottom from baking on the cookie sheet (yum!). Such a good idea Emilie. Transportable breakfasts are all-too-easy to come by in the supermarket these days, but they’re often packed with refined sugar and other nasties (or the ‘healthy’ ones cost a bomb!). Love this healthy, oaty alternative. We are massive oat lovers in our household (we’ve joked about calling our first child ‘Oat’!) so I’m sure my husband would be down for a daily dose of these ;) xxx
Emilie says
Kids are so darn blunt. You should’ve seen my face when they said that! And yes, what’s up with supermarket breakfast cookies that cost a fortune? I don’t get that. Maybe it’s the brand name. My ‘favorite’ healthy breakfast cookies are the ones they sell as singles for like $5 each ;)
We love oats as well- do you buy them in bulk? Because we eat them often, and I use oats in baking, I buy in bulk from my health food store. They are SO MUCH CHEAPER!
PS- I like ‘Oat’ as a name. Perhaps the full version could be ‘Oatis.’
Kathryn @ The Scratch Artist says
They sound and look delicious. I love food processor meals :-) and I love even more preparing meals ahead of time! I don’t like clamor and rush around me as I cook. Anytime that I can get ahead of schedule and prep my ingredients – I am a happy girl.
Emilie says
Yes, to everything you just said! Even (yes!) to the word ‘clamor’ which I happen to love and use obsessively to describe the sound of mussel shells when stirred in a pot. And yes, I’m losing my mind ;)
Jennifer @ Delicious Everyday says
Oh yes, mornings can get very unpredictable at times – but with these cookies you surely don’t have to skip breakfast. I actually love that you can make a big batch and then easily store them not just for busy mornings but for lazy mornings as well ;)
Emilie says
Yes, lazy mornings! I like how you think Jennifer ;) xx
Nancy | Plus Ate Six says
I’ll be trying these out stat! I’ve attempting a couple of ‘healthy’ cookie recipes without an egg in them and they’ve fallen apart and tasted of cardboard. I trust you much more :)
Emilie says
Oh, yes. I totally get what you’re saying. I promise you, these will hold together just fine! And no cardboard cookies here, lol ;)
Kalee says
Love the simple, wholesome ingredients. I’ll be trying this soon! :)
Emilie says
Hi Kalee! I hope you do! They’re a big hit with the little ones. If you try out the recipe, let me know how it goes ;)
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
No doubt, always to good to have something on hand that is grab and go! These sound fabulous, Emilie and I love how easy they are to pull together. Beautiful captures my dear!
Emilie says
I agree! I just wish I could keep up with the demand. Homemade stuff always seems to go a little faster… ;)
Allyson says
That’s such a clever idea. These look delicious enough for a kid, but healthy enough for a mom to feel good about serving them.
Emilie says
Bingo! I’ll be the first to admit that I’m constantly munching on kids’ snacks. Goldfish? PB&J crusts? Yes. Yes. Yes. And so with these cookies, at least they’re something you can feel good about eating whether it’s for breakfast or just a snack. x
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
So yummy! I love breakfast cookies and yours sound really delicious!
Emilie says
Thanks, Katrina! We love them! xx
Donna says
My kids are all grown up now (with kids of their own), but I know how those hectic mornings are. These look delicious and just the ticket to get me out the door on time to work. Did I tell you how much I love your blog?
Emilie says
Hi Donna! I think mornings are hectic no matter what- kids or no kids! It’s always something, isn’t it? The worst is when you wake up and there’s no power ;) Thanks so much for the sweet comment about the blog. Glad to have you here! xx