I'm about to give you a great excuse to eat cookies for breakfast. Or any other time of day or night. Pack a cookie with enough protein and vitamins and you have yourself a respectable breakfast treat. Yes, breakfast cookies!
Several months ago, a friend asked me to deconstruct a "breakfast cookie" for another friend. She had eaten this "breakfast cookie" somewhere, and it was so good that she wanted to figure out how to make it herself. It seemed to have an endless list of ingredients, including 5 kinds of nuts and seeds, oats, and other stuff that I can't quite remember off the top of my head.
Of course I recognized a brilliant idea when I heard it. I've had this recipe idea waiting in the wings. So here's my current interpretation of a breakfast cookie.
You can add just about anything you like to the cookies, in moderation, so as not to make it too weird to eat. My favorite version has roasted walnut pieces, dried cranberries (juice-sweetened), dried cherries, and mini-chocolate chips - about ½ cup of each ingredient.
The cookies in the picture have dried cranberries, freeze-dried raspberries and blueberries, walnuts, and a few chocolate chips.
Catherine says
How many calories per cookie? I have your cookbook and can’t find calories. Thanks!
Erica says
Hi Catherine. The nutritional info for one cookie is at the bottom of the recipe, including the calories.
Erica says
Hi again Catherine. I'm not sure if you can see the recipe (if you're a paid subscriber) so for this recipe it's 154 calories per cookie.
Carol Addington says
Erica, I recently found your site and was ecstatic. I have Crohn's and am trying to eat for my blood type. I just made these cookies. I used walnuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries and lycii berries. They were definitely soft, so I left them in my counter top convection oven on the "Warm" setting for an hour and they did crisp up a bit. YUM. Thanks so much for your site !
Erica says
Yum, great additions. Thanks for sharing your tip!
Jeanne says
Hello! I made these today and they are outrageously delicious! I just used a tad of maple syrup and added coconut, peanuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds and all that you have in the recipe. DH is nuts about them! They won't last long. I have had your Coconut Flour
cookbook for some time but just found your blog yesterday. Your new CB will be at my door tomorrow:) Thank you so much for such a great number of healthy recipes. You are much appreciated!!
Erica says
Thanks for the kind words and for buying my book!
Annazel Steuart says
I have made these numerous times. For nuts use chopped pecans, dried unsweetened coconut, and 'Dark Amber' organic maple syrup. They are a great treat, breakfast snack and on the go food. They freeze well with waxed paper in tightly sealed container. Thank you so much
Erica says
Thanks - great tips on the freezing!
Rachel W says
Thank you Erica!
Rachel W. says
Hi! I'm excited to try these! I just purchased almond flour (made from blanched almonds, from Whole Foods, King Arthur Flour Brand)....it's sooo expensive! $14 a lb! I also get almond meal from Trader Joe's, which is waaay cheaper...BUT seems to bake up very differently. If I used half of each in this recipe (allowing my precious blanched almond flour to last longer lol), would it still turn out well? If not, I'd rather bite the bullet and just make it as written using all almond flour.
Erica says
Either kind of almond flour will work with this recipe. It just depends on which texture you prefer. Read more at this post: https://comfybelly.wpengine.com/2009/01/baking-with-almond-flour/
Wendy says
I have been gluten free x 15 years. I also haven't really had a good cookie for that period of time because I couldn't find anything that was healthy yet low carb. I made these this morning and OH MY GOODNESS!! YUM YUM YUM I do however think one could get fat on these because they have 1/2 c butter and maple. I think next time I will try applesauce in place of butter and stevia in place of maple...but then I might be back to "ehhh...not as good as these" Thank you so much for posting this!
Nance says
Do you have a calorie count? I love the all natural, but my doctor has me counting calories.
Marissa says
I made these this weekend and love them! After spending a long time trying to figure out what my stomach problems were with the doctor and visits to the hospital, I was told I needed to be gluten free and your cookbook and website have made things so much easier for me! Thanks!!
Erica says
Aw, thanks so much! So glad you're finding things to help. Best wishes!
Shari says
Do NOT substitute with coconut flour, they turn out like saw dust : (
Kim says
LOVE how these cookies turned out. Did a basic chocolate chip, used coconut oil. They are the closest thing to a Toll House that I have found. So happy to serve these to my Boys, and don't feel guilty indulging myself! Also love that I can store frozen "tubes" for quick baking.
Erica says
me too, love storing them for instant-bake!
Vivian Joan says
My daughter has made there cookies twice and they are absolutely wonderful. We cannot find cranberries sweetened with Apple juice in Norway, so I bought some unsweetened dried ones. They are very sour! Do You know a way to sweeten them?
Erica says
hmmm. You can order the sweetened dried online (Amazon; see my shop for an idea of the brands). I bet you could soak them in warm apple juice for an hour or so and then bake them at a low temperature or dehydrate them again. Also, chop them up into small pieces when soaking so they absorb more apple juice. Or try raisins?
Ronna Jean says
Yum. I am going shopping for the ingredients I am missing. Will try it today!!! Wonder how a sweet type, crumbled and cooked sausage, or maple bacon would work? For those seeking a bit more protein in the mornings? Hmmm. Might try it.
Erica says
interesting, love the idea!
Berneda says
What a unique and delicious recipe. How do you store these once they are baked?
Joanna says
Can you tell me where you find juice-sweetened craisins? Would love to have those for recipes!
Erica says
I like Eden Organics brand, and there may be others: http://astore.amazon.com/comfybelly-20/detail/B001GVIRD4
Joy Briggs says
Hi! Thank you for this recipe!!! I saw the comment where the lady said she used a flax egg successfully so I went ahead a made these. I changed up the recipe a bit. I used some coconut flour instead of the whole 2.5 cups almond flour so I used your original amount of honey in order to increase the liquids a bit and used a flax egg since we have an egg allergy in our home. This came out beautifully the first time!!! I will definitely be adding this to our regular rotation of snacks! I think they'll work great for on the go, too! That excites me as the kids are ALWAYS hungry when we're in the middle of a store 😉
Erica says
So good to know that flax eggs work! thanks for reporting back! yes food shopping is quite dangerous on an empty stomach.
Sheila Norman says
I just made these and they taste really good. The only problems I encountered were in them holding together enough to slice into cookies and also when removing from the baking sheet. Next time I may reduce the seeds/nuts/berries just slightly. Good news is that the kids seem to like them! I used cranberries, slivered almonds, chia seeds, cacao nibs, dark choc., and rolled oats.
Sheila Norman says
And, I used coconut butter.
Erica says
Good to know. Yes, I'm thinking it might be easier to tell folks to use parchment lining or non-stick mat on the baking sheet. These stay together quite easily in general, so not sure what your problem was there. Thanks!
Kathryn says
I am going to try these out on my son who is normally not keen on eating breakfast. Might just be the thing to change his mind!
katie says
I love these! I have made something very similar in the past using chopped dried figs and pistachios, so delicious!
Patiences says
I've used this recipe for over a year and it is by far my favorite cookie recipe! It so versatile and great for snacking. Yesterday I made them with chocolate chips and raisins. This morning I only used raisins, then crumbled the baked cookie in a bowl and added coconut milk. Instant cereal and the kids loved it!
Erica says
what a great idea! thanks for sharing your cereal trick!
Angela says
These are excellent and I now bake them weekly! Thank you for your wonderful recipes - the banana bread is a hit in our house as well.
Barb says
Are molasses and carob chips SCD legal? Also could i use cashew flour??
thxs
Erica says
no, molasses and carob are not SCD legal. Yes, I think you can use cashew flour or other nut flour. I just haven't tried it yet.
Sara Police says
I love this recipe! Make these weekly. I add soaked sunflower and pumpkin seeds and chopped pecans. A perfect recipe as written - thank you!
Robin says
I made these today and instead of 2.5 c. of almond flour I used 1.5 c.millet flour and then 1 c almond flour, 1/2tsp.salt and 1/2tsp baking soda. I did use salted butter (what I had). I would stick with the 1/4 tsp. salt next time. They are very yummy 🙂
Erica says
Oh, yes, if you use salted butter, definitely reduce the salt in the recipe. I'm not sure by how much though. In any case, I'm very interested in millet flour myself, so thank you for trying this. So good to know.
Emily says
LOVE these cookies! Tried them w/honey and a little bit of molases, coconut oil, 1 cup walnut pieces, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips. AMAZING! Thank you so much!
Erica says
Yum. Love your mix. I do miss molasses.
Dianna says
Yes-I freeze mine all the time!
Erica says
Thanks!
Robin says
Awesome!
Aukje says
Has anyone tried freezing these great cookies?
Thanks,
Aukje
Laura says
I made these using half almond flour and half pecan flour. They were delicious!
Erica says
Yum. thanks for sharing. This recipe is a chameleon!
Lori @ Nutritional Health and Healing says
These look great - cookies for breakfast! Can't wait to make them for the kids. Thanks!
Purposeful Homemaking says
Do you think this would work with coconut flour? My little guy has nut allergies, but other than that, this would be a great recipe for him because lately he asks for a cookie every morning when he wakes up. How great would it be to say, "Yes! You MAY have a cookie for breakfast!" 🙂 Thanks!
Erica says
The ratios of ingredients would differ so no, I don't think you can follow this recipe and replace coconut flour.
Marbeth says
Oh My! I made these... and forgot to put the melted butter in!! Believe me, they are still really delicious. I used chopped pecans and dark chocolate. Great without the butter; can't wait to try them with butter!!
Erica says
good to know 🙂 - great combination!
Bethany says
Thank you! I could not do the SCD without something baked. These were my first experiment and they are delicious!
Elsol says
These are fabulous! I added cocunut and hemp seeds to the dried fruit and nuts! I am new to your web site and am so grateful for some new and fab recipes. Thanks!
Needful Things says
Am loving your blog! I just recently started experimenting with almond flour & it has to be my happiest discovery ever. These cookies are definitely making an appearance at our breakfast table very soon.
Martha Lamb says
Do you have nutrition information for your posted recipe? I realize that with all the variables, it could change significantly, but I would like to know calories per serving and serving size at the least for your original recipe.
Kathleen says
Just came across these cookies in my search for baking with almond meal. Just made them tonight and they are so yummy! Used sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and choc chips! Thanks for the great recipe!
Kathleen says
forgot, also mixed in some ground flaxseed.
Deby Lake says
I am new to grain free baking and am learning so much. I am also a diabetic and am wondering if I can replace the honey with something else? Can I use a dry ingredient like cup for cup raw stevia? Any suggestions helpful. Love your recipes!
Erica says
Yes, folks sometimes use liquid stevia and glycerin, but the amount is less than the measurement for honey.
Julie-Ann says
These turned out really well. I used 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup molasses with sultanas, macadamias, pecans, pepitas and sunflower seeds. So good!
Regan says
My family thanks you for the recipe; I make these once per week, but as a different variation each time. I now have worked it into scones, a "butter" cookie version, and a more classic drop cookie. Oh, and did I mention that I use no sweetener (aside from dried fruit) and no dairy? My family's current favorite version uses 1/2 coconut oil and 1/2 earth balance (vegan) for the oil. Favorite blend ins in our house include dried pomegranate seeds and unsweetened coconut flakes, as well as whatever dried fruit and random nuts we have in our snack bins. No matter what I throw in or what I do to the basic recipe, it seems to work. Love it!
Erica says
Thanks Regan! Good to hear 🙂 (I love it too!)
samantha says
Hi...i made these and LOVED them. I found that they may have a bit too much butter in them (I used 8 tbl) do you know if that can be reduced without ill effects? thanks so much for a great blog!
Erica says
Uh, someone else mentioned that as well. I haven't found that it's too much but you can certainly reduce the amount of butter. It will just be a bit drier.
Emily says
Why not add some apple sauce or banana instead?
Marcella says
DELICIOUS! My 11 year old daughter said that these cookies (and the almond crackers) are way better than the real thing! We made them with half butter/half coconut oil, sunflower seeds, pecans, dried apricots, and raisins. I also added just a touch of pumpkin pie spice. They reminded me so much of an old family recipe for mincemeat cookies which were fruity and cake-y. I might just adapt this recipe using mincemeat for Christmas. Thank you for a great recipe.
Erica says
wow, those sound great!
Joanna says
I made a half recipe and used one cup of cashew meal and 1/2 cup of coconut flour. I substituted maple syrup for the honey and used flax gel as an egg substitute (1 tbsp flax meal, 3 tbsp boiling water. I also used coconut oil and added some chocolate chips. Amazing!!!
Erica says
that is amazing! Thanks for sharing your tips!
Joanna says
I'm going to try making these later today, but don't have almond flour or almond meal. I plan on making cashew meal and using some coconut flour as well. Any thoughts on whether that will work?
Erica says
Cashew meal or flour will work. The coconut flour is questionable since it requires a lot more moisture/liquid ingredients than nut flour.
Joanna says
Thanks! I'm going to do 80% cashew meal, 20% coconut flour and see how it goes. I will let you know!
Mary says
I made these today. YUM!!! So glad to have a grain free breakfast cookie recipe (used to make some with wheat and oats). Thanks for sharing.
KarenL says
I am making these now. I'm confused on the directions for "if you want them crunchier". Do you ONLY bake them for 15 min at 200 or is that after you have baked them at the 350 you turn down to 200?
Erica says
I changed the directions a bit, hope that helps. You want to bake them an extra 15 minutes on top of the baking time, but bring the oven temp. down to 200 degrees F.
Jennifer Lalas says
I love your cookie recipes! My problem is... they bake perfectly except for the bottom, which always burn. Any suggestions?
Erica says
Try lowering the heat in the oven, using parchment paper or another non-stick layer, or trying another type of cookie sheet.
Netty says
Yum! I just made these with roasted walnuts and fruit juice sweetened cranberries and a touch of cinnamon. They are just what I've been looking for for a long time! Thanks! YUM!
Amanda Mae says
... made these with coconut flakes, pecans and chocolate chips.. SOOOOO GOOOD!!!
Nancy says
Mmm. I made these with the coconut oil and 2 cups mix of dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice instead of sugar), golden raisins, diced dried papaya, chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and vegan unsweetened carob chips. Fantastic! I'm bringing them along to a 3-day conference and will be enjoying them very much in lieu of the standard conference breakfast fare. Thank you!
Erica says
Wow - I love reading the additions and changes that everyone is putting together. This is very creative Nancy! Love it.
amy says
Very good! Made w/coconut flakes and apricots w/ a hint of cinnamon! Love them! I let my daughter put chocolate chips on the top of some as well. There are a lot of variations for this!
Ann says
I finally made this using sliced almonds, partically crushed macadamian nuts, dried cranberries and some carob chips. It taste wonderful and could work for a breakfast or dessert! If i could do it over again i would have left out the carob chips becasue the flavor kind of takes over, but this recipe was wonderful and delicious!
Erica says
Yum! I'm thinking about trying hazelnut flour - making my own and baking it using this recipe.
Carol, Simply...Gluten-free says
Love cookies for breakfast!
Erica says
Thanks Carol! Love your blog!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Cookies for breakfast? You sold me! I love that there's not flour in these and that you can replace the butter with coconut oil too, there's really a lot of nutrient rich ingredients in these cookies.
Erica says
Thanks. Yes, I rarely use "flour" anymore. There's so much else out there 🙂
Sleepinghorse says
I have been looking for a nice gluten free biscuit recipe for a while. Looks good. Thanks.
Michelle says
Mmmmm! Made these this morning and my kids and husband went gaga over them! I used about 1/8 cup molasses and the rest honey and mixed in dried cranberries, pecans, sunflower seeds and a tiny bit of chopped dark chocolate. My kids totally thought they were getting away with something really big by having "cookies" for breakfast.
These firm up wonderfully after they've cooled. I kept checking them while baking and they felt so soft so, I ended up over cooked mine a bit. Next time, I'll go by time and not how they feel.
Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Erica says
Your welcome. Love your combo of nuts, seeds, and fruit. Delish!
jeff says
could avocado be used instead of butter?
Erica says
I don't know. Would be interesting to find out.
Heather says
Should the recipe read when using coconut oil in place of butter 1/2 cup or is it really 1/4 cup?
Erica says
Oh! Thank you!!! Yes, should be 1/2 cup - just changed it. Whew!
Debbie says
I agree! Healthy cookies should be for breakfast! I wish I could reach right in the screen and eat one off the plate! What camera do you use?
Erica says
Canon 10D (hand-me-down from my husband) 🙂
Erica says
Thanks for the kind words. Love the idea of macadamia nuts.
Natalie says
These look wonderful! I always need something like this around for those snacky moments or quick breakfasts. Thanks for the recipe.
Janet NZ says
I love the idea of cookies for breakfast and these sound great. It doesn't hurt that there's chocolate in them too! 🙂
Ann says
Will be trying to make these within the coming week. I will be trying to add cranberries, almonds and macadamian nuts, cant wait. They look delicious!
Sherry says
These look so good!
Jillian says
They look good to me! I love a fruit, nut, and chocolate packed cookie. 🙂