Breakfast Cookies

If you are looking for a fairly healthy way to make cookies or if you are interested in a fast breakfast option for you or your family, think cookies.  As you will see there are vegan options, if you are so inclined.

Be sure to avoid overbaking these treats.  They will be soft when removed from the oven but will firm up when fully cool.

After they are completely cooled, you can store them in an air tight container in the fridge.  You can also freeze them in air tight bags lined with wax or parchment paper or use a freezer-safe container.  Take out what you need for the day.  Because they are small, they will thaw quickly.

Bacon Oatmeal with Maple Glaze

Ingredients:

• ½ pound bacon
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons water, or as needed
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

• Cook bacon until crisp and evenly cooked.   When cool, chop into small pieces.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla until fully combined.
• Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add flour mixture into butter mixture.  Gradually stir in oats and bacon.
• Refrigerate covered for at least 1 hour.
• Onto prepared baking sheets, scoop about 1/3 cup of dough per cookie and flatten slightly.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 375 about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown with slightly darker edges.
• Allow to cool on baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.
• For the glaze: whisk confectioners sugar, water, and maple syrup until smooth.  Allow to stand about 5 minutes to thicken.  Drizzle onto cookie tops.  Allow to stand 20 minutes before storing.

Instant Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup applesauce, regular or cinnamon flavored or your choice
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon coconut extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup cake flour, or all-purpose
• 1 cup flour, all-purpose or whole wheat
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 4 packages (1.23 ounce) instant oatmeal, regular or cinnamon flavored or your choice
• ½ cup dried cranberries (craisins)

Directions:

• Combine butter, both sugars, applesauce, egg, and all extracts until smooth. Add cake (or all-purpose) flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until blended.
• Stir in raisins, instant oatmeal, and dried cranberries.
• Add whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour ½ cup at a time. Mix until well combined
• Drop batter by tablespoonsful onto a prepared baking sheet and flatten dough.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack.

Whole Grain

Ingredients:

• 1 cup nuts, your choice
• 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup ground flax meal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup almond butter
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup blue agave nectar, or raw agave syrup, or substitute 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup dried cherries
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Using a food processor or blender chop nuts until they are a powder.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine nut powder, rolled oats, whole wheat flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
• Using the food processor or blender combine almond butter, canola oil, agave nectar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.
• Place the almond butter mixture in a large bowl and fold in dried cherries and chocolate chips. Add the walnut-oatmeal mixture and combine. The dough will be very thick.
• Scoop heaping teaspoons of dough onto a prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 375 for about 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and flatten cookies. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Vegan

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup creamy nut butter
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• Optional:
  • ½ cup dried fruit
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or chopped nuts
  • 1/3 cup hemp seeds

Directions:

• Combine ground flaxseed meal with 5 tablespoons of water. Stir and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to make “eggs”.
• Prepare baking sheets.
• In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, mix nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and prepared flax eggs. Whisk until smooth.
• Pour wet mixture into dry and mix until it resembles cookie dough. Add optional ingredients as you choose.
• Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Scoop onto prepared baking sheet. Lightly flatten tops; they do not spread much.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 350 for 18 to 20 minutes.