No-Sugar, No-Egg, No-Flour Breakfast Cookie Recipe
Most people are not mind readers, so if you have a wish for the perfect Mother’s Day, you may need to drop a few hints. I used to dream of a day where I could relax in my bed for a few extra minutes, maybe with the newspaper and a fresh cup of tea. Then off to a rare workout or walk along the beach. I would wish for a little extra time to do my hair before having a yummy and healthful brunch with my favorite people in the world, my husband and my kiddos. Ha! Sometimes we moms keep doing for others and feel guilty about taking time for ourselves. You know what? We run around at 90 miles an hour every day of the year, it’s OK to have one day where you get put on a pedestal and your loved ones spend the day worshipping you.
But I’ll admit, I’ve never been very good at asking for things. Year after year, we would go out with my husband’s family for brunch to a crowded restaurant or hotel. The men spent a lot of money for average food and lots of noise and this wasn’t dreamy to me. Then two years ago my good friend Melissa told me that her Mother’s Day is spent at the home of her in-law’s and all the guys get together in the kitchen to make lunch for the ladies. LIGHT BULB! So last April, I made a few subtle suggestions and guess what? My husband can take a hint! He organized the troops to cook the loveliest lunch at our home. Never mind that the kitchen looked like something exploded in there, I didn’t have to lift a finger and my hair looked great.
This year we’re doing the same thing and I am totally excited. If this sounds good to you, but there isn’t enough advance warning for your family to mobilize, you can at least make a few suggestions for breakfast in bed…like these breakfast cookies! You can whip them together the day before and suggest that they be delivered bedside on a silver platter with a coffee or tea and some fresh fruit. A little bud vase with a beautiful flower would be nice too, but maybe we shouldn’t push it. These “cookies” are like having your oatmeal and toppings in a tasty and neat little package, and it kind of feels like you’re eating a cookie. Splurge! But look at the ingredients — totally clean and won’t offset that workout you’re going to get in!
If breakfast cookies aren’t your thing (really?), here are a few other ideas to give your family a little help:
- Yogurt and Granola Parfait (make the granola during the week);
- Spinach and Feta Strata (assemble the casserole the night before and have them pop it in the oven in the morning);
- Pancakes or waffles (make the batter the night before); pick your pleasure: whole wheat buttermilk, pumpkin, or oatmeal;
- Overnight steel cut oatmeal (just reheat in the morning;)
- Muesli (make the night before and serve with fresh fruit.)
Happy Mother’s Day to all you beautiful women. I wish I could jump through the computer to give you a big hug. The world is a better place for all you do.
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- ¼ cup almond meal or sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts and almonds, but pecans are great, too)
- 1 cup unsulphured dried fruit, chopped (I used dried dates and blueberries)
- 3 ripe bananas or 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, coconut, almond meal, cinnamon and salt. Add the nuts and dried fruit combine with the mixture, breaking up the dried fruit so it doesn’t clump together (I use my hands to mix this.)
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas and stir in the oil and vanilla.
- Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir to combine.
- Take scoops of the batter either with a ⅓ cup or ¼ cup measuring cup and drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten with your hand to about ¾-inch thick. Bake for a about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in the fridge after a few days or wrap and freeze.
64 Comments
I was lazy and didn’t want to chop nuts. So. I used chunky peanut butter. And since we didn’t have ripe bananas, I used two individual cups of applesauce which is shy of a cup so I added 2 T maple syrup. I added a little inulin powder for fiber and I used raisins so I didn’t have to chop anything and OMG – amazing!!!! Thank you and no thank you as I am staring at them trying not to inhale them!!! 😉
I might have to try this!
These are awesome! Best breakfast cookies I’ve ever attempted. I used dried apricots and pecans and a few dark chocolate chips and just finished 5 with my 2 yr old 🙂 Thank you!
So glad to hear that! You can’t go wrong with dried apricots, pecans and dark chocolate! 🙂
LOL. I remember the last mother’s day celebration when my husband decided to surprise me on his own and prepare breakfast for me. I woke to a sweet aroma of my favorite breakfast and I ate to my heart’s content. But trust me, a trip to the kitchen later made me want to rewind the day, I couldn’t recognize the copper square pan he used and I noticed that the trash was smelling like burnt food. Hehehe. It wasn’t funny but I loved that he tried.
Looks delish! I don’t have almond flour. Could I just use AP flour or whole wheat?
I’m sure that would work!
Any suggestions on how I can adjust the recipe so that it’ll still work without bananas or applesauce? Thanks!
I would suggest something like mashed sweet potato or pumpkin puree, but you’ll need to add something to boost the sweetness a little since they’re not as sweet as banana and applesauce. I haven’t tried it this way, so I’m not sure how it will turn out, but I think it should work. Let me know!
Thanks so much for your prompt reply, I’ll give this a try and let you know. I’ve already tried many of your recipes and they are delicious! Esp with my dietary restrictions, I’m now enjoying getting back to baking and having some healthy treats. Keep up the wonderful work that you do…I’m so happy to have found your site. 🙂
Hi Pamela,
Based on things I have in my pantry right now, I was wondering if the following substitutions would work:
– Can I use flaxseed meal or almond flour instead of almond meal?
– Can I use shredded unsweetened coconut instead of flaked coconut?
Hi CG — Almond flour will definitely work. I imagine flax meal will work, too. Shredded coconut has less texture and might get “lost” in the cookie, but it will still work and that’s not necessarily a negative. You can really play with this recipe!
Thanks! I was just concerned that they might not hold together. Can’t wait to try them!
On a separate note, tried the zucchini, almond butter cake this past weekend. It was awesome! Came out more like brownies but the best brownies ever! I’m totally loving your recipes!
Yes, I agree — somewhere between a cake and brownie, but not quite brownie status!
So I finally tried these. Unfortunately, they turned out nothing like the pictures here 🙁 I wouldn’t recommend the substitutions I mentioned above.
Oh, shoot! Really? Was it the flax meal? So sorry!
I guess it was both – flax meal and shredded coconut. They combined too well and made the entire mixture like a dough – as opposed to the chunky appearance in your pics
Made these with my 3 year old and we LOVE them! They are even delicious straight from the freezer when you feel like a cookie!
Good to know they’re even delish out of the freezer! Thanks! 🙂
Hi Pamela,
First I must say that I love your website and it honestly is my ‘go to’ when trying to find a healthy and delicious recipe! Next for my question: I would love to make these for my 1 year old because they are free of wheat and egg, both of which he is allergic to, but he is also allergic to coconut! Will they still work if I sub almond meal or more nuts/seeds for the shredded coconut and butter for the oil? Thank you so much for all you do!
Thank you so much, Cassie! Yes, just sub butter for coconut oil and more nuts and seeds for the coconut. Should work out just fine!
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Also, I shape them into rectangles like granola bars.
Why not?!
It just made another batch. We love these! I use chopped almonds and a bunch of different dried fruit. I buy the lowest sugar variety that I can find. I have given samples to friends and they all really like them, too.
How awesome!
do you have nutritional information for these wonderfully awesome cookies?
Drat, no. But I know there are a bunch of good calorie/nutrition websites, like myfitnesspal.com, that you can plug the recipe into to find out what you need.
Hi Pamela, I love making a batch of these cookies before we travel. It’s so nice to have a healthy alternative to airport food.
Do you have any tips for healthy eating while on vacation? I’m visiting family and friends back home soon, which means lots gatherings with lots of food, as well as many more restaurant meals than usual.
Thanks in advance!
I should do a post on eating better while on vacation because we travel a lot and I have some tips to share — good suggestion!
Yes, please do!
Hi – love your site and thanks for the recipe! Is there something I could substitute for the coconut oil?
Thank you!
Thanks, Mary! Melted unsalted butter would work well for the coconut oil. You might also be able to use a nut butter, but I haven’t tried it.
School cancellations here today in Ohio, so I wanted to make breakfast with the kids. We made these with apricots and mini white choc chips… they are good. My bananas weren’t very ripe, so I think they will be a little sweeter next time. Definitely a keeper. They stayed together. We have nut allergies so substituted the chips for the nuts and used flax meal in lieu of almond. Not as healthy but helped sell them to the kids. Love, love this site.
SO glad you wrote in with your suggestions — all such good ones! I agree, when in doubt, throw in the chocolate chips!
I came across your site while searching for sugar free, flour free and butter free cookie recipes and I am so glad I found this! These look absolutely delicious and SO guilt free. Have been trying to eliminate sugar and flour from my diet but need something to nibble with my tea. These will be perfect, thank you!!
Good for you, Natalie! I’m sure this will keep your sweet tooth satisfied. 🙂
Thanks Pamela for this yummy recipe. It has become a staple in our household powering the kids through early am polo. I add chia seeds (Lifemax Mila is my favorite because it’s sliced which makes it much more bio-avail) and chocolate chips so my kids eat them. I figure what bad the sugar from the chips brings the omega 3’s hopefully combat!
I am making my third batch right now, as my beloved husband has discovered that he loves them. Really great for those who love cookies a bit too much, like me. Also warms up your kitchen, starting to get chilly in New England. Thanks!
cute! definitely not a cookie you need to feel guilt about 🙂
I made these today. They were soooo good! As someone who cannot have gluten and avoids refined sugar, this is so perfect. I also love versatile recipes that allow you to change ingredients a bit according to mood. The ones I made today have walnuts, pumpkin seeds and just a tad bit 60% cacao chocolate chips. Once I restock my dried fruit, I’ll make them again, changing the recipe up a bit. I’m so looking forward to waking up to these tomorrow.
I’m so limited on what I can eat. Breakfast seems to be the most difficult meal to figure out with my limitations. I’ve been collecting recipes that give me some great breakfast options. This one just jumped to the top of that list.
I’m so glad these worked for you. Check out my post on breakfast for some more ideas! https://pamelasalzman.com/building-a-better-breakfast/
I cannot wait to try this recipe.
Do you know the nutrition info?
How much protein powder do you think I can add for more protein?
I didn’t run the ingredients through a program to find the nutrition info, but there are many that you can find online to do that, such as this one: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
I haven’t tried the recipe with protein powder, but I would guess you could add a scoop or two to start. Great idea!
This recipe may be considered simple for most, but I have never baked anything before, so it was a challenge for me and I cannot believe I made them and they actually taste really good!! Very exciting! Thank you Pamela!! You are my guru!! 🙂
(ps….they don’t completely stay together, are they meant to? Or did I do something wrong?)
I’m glad you gave them a try, Rafaela!! Yes, they definitely should stay together. Next time, really pack the batter together into the measuring cup and make sure you don’t flatten them too thin. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Ok thank you, I see the issue, I didnt have measuring cups so I used a spoon (oops) will make sure to get for my next batch!!
even if you use a spoon, just make the batter compact as you shape it into a disc or ball. but since I know you will be baking more 😉 you should go get those measuring cups anyway.
I made these last night with dried apricots – delicious! I would love to incorporate protein powder into the recipe. Suggestions? Thanks!!
I don’t see why you couldn’t, although I haven’t it tried it so I can’t say how it would turn out. I would try hemp powder, either adding it in or subbing out some of the almond flour. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
These are so delicious – I made two batches (one with dates, walnuts and chocolate chips / another with dried cranberries, pecans and chocolate chips) I had to include the chocolate chips to entice my 6 year old and it worked – she had about 5 or 6 of them over the course of the weekend!
Love those combos!!! Yum!
These are easy to make and excellent. They were enjoyed both for breakfast and as a snack.
Definitely no need to confine these to the breakfast table! Thanks Jane!
Happy Mother’s Day Pamela! I just made these cookies and they are delicious! And of course i had to put a little almond butter on half! Delicious plain and with the almond butter! I can’t wait to share these with my sister tomorrow when her family comes to our house for dinner!
Thank you!
Happy Mother’s Day Louisa! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies. Yum to the almond butter!
Looks like the perfect breakfast for a busy weekday morning – so portable!
Exactly! Also great for after-school snacks, soccer games, travel snacks…..BTW, your website is great! Thanks for stopping by~
I MUST TRY THIS SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS BEEN IN MY MIND.
It’s meant to be. If you make them, please report back. Thanks!
These sound amazing and yummy. Can’t wait to try them. I could almost taste them just looking at them
They’re delish and my kids are freaking over them.