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I may have just outdone myself with these healthy breakfast cookies. Made with organic oats, pea protein, hazelnuts and sweetened with raw banana, these cookies are free from butter, flour and refined sugars and are a perfect solution for a quick breakfast or mid-morning snack on busy mornings where there’s little to no time for breakfast prep. They have a healthy balance of complex carbohydrate, protein & polyunsaturated fats that will keep you full for longer while also keeping your blood sugar levels in check, decreasing the likelihood of cravings and overindulging later in the day.
Best of all, they are a nourishing and far healthier alternative to most commercial breakfast bars, cereal bars, protein & muesli bars. These varieties are definitely easy, but they are also loaded with refined and processed carbohydrates and soy products and sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners that do nothing good for you but instead leave you feeling bloated and hungry again soon after.
Nutritionally, these healthy breakfast cookies are high in fiber, making them filling and beneficial for the digestive system. They are also rich in a variety of different minerals and vitamins, particularly magnesium, zinc, manganese and iron, all of which help support healthy energy and blood sugar levels. The banana adds a delicious sweetness and helps the dough stick together nicely while also providing a high amounts of potassium, a mineral which supports cardiovascular health and healthy nerve function.
I added a scoop of for an extra protein boost, but this is completely optional. I opted for pea protein as it is 100% plant based and a more potent source of protein compared to hemp protein – another favorite of mine. Any protein powder will work though, so feel free to use what you like. A couple of important things to consider when looking for a good quality protein powder: go for a product that is made from 100% natural, non-GMO ingredients and has no added fillers or artificial colors or sweeteners.
One thing that that makes this recipe really simple is that you don’t need any fancy equipment. All you need is a bowl. The dough is easy to mix together with your hands or a wooden spoon and all depending on what type of oats you use, you may have to add a little water to get a good sticky dough. I’ve added 2-3 tbsp water in the recipe, but small porridge oats may need less water than big rolled oats, so add the water in the end and only if you feel like the dough needs it. Depending on how soft you want the cookies to be may also want to play around with the baking time. Remember that they should be slightly browned on top and still soft when taken out of the oven as they will harden up after cooling down.
For a gluten-free variation, you can substitute the oats for quinoa flakes. I tried this already and while the dough behaves exactly the same the taste is slightly different as the quinoa adds a nutty & earthy taste. The cranberries can be left out or substituted for dried currants or raisins… well, or chocolate chips if you want a more dessert-like version (though I wouldn’t recommend that for breakfast). The hazelnuts can also be swapped for any other nut, such as almonds or cashews, but personally I find the hazelnuts best as they give a stronger flavor and go really well with the banana.
Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!
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