Oatmeal is my go-to breakfast on the daily. Seriously though, I don’t know what I would do without oatmeal in my life. If it’s not a bowl of oatmeal cooked on the stovetop with milk in the mornings, then I eat it in some other form later in the day like in granola, a muffin, or these breakfast “cookies”. Ok ok so these may be faux cookies, but they are stickin’ delicious; You could even fool your kiddos with these packing them with nutrients.
The Beauty of Breakfast “Cookies”:
- It only takes 1 bowl & 5 minutes. Say what!
- They can curb a sweet tooth craving
- Amazing travel snack or on-the-go meal accompaniment
- Nutritious & vitamin packed
- Customize the recipe adding different ingredients for you favorite flavors
- The whole family will love them
Sometimes I don’t have time in the mornings to make a bowl of oatmeal or just need something quick to grab in the afternoon as a snack pairing with a fruit, vege, or yogurt. These are similar to a granola bar without the processed stage, lower in sugar, & consist of budget friendly ingredients. Ever heard of the 3 ingredient banana, oat, peanut butter bars that were trendy on Pinterest? Well, this a take on those but jazzed up a bit adding extra nutrients & lots of flavor. Think, if a granola bar & oatmeal cookie collided, this is what would happen: Breakfast “Cookies”.
The Ingredients:
- OATS: Use rolled oats versus quick oats for the best texture. Oats are also high in fiber, a whole grain carb, & beneficial for heart health.
- BANANAS: Like usual in baking, let the bananas get nice & ripe before mashing. Bananas act as a natural sweetener being rich in potassium & fiber while being darn delicious.
- PEANUT BUTTER: This is another ingredient that I eat almost every day. It provides lots of flavor, has many micronutrients as well as protein & monounsaturated fats from the peanuts. I like to use smooth peanut butter, however, you could use chunky peanut butter to add a little crunch. You could also use a different nut butter of your preference like almond or cashew.
- CARROTS: These root veggies have a subtle flavor making them versatile to throw into baking for a nutrient boost. My mom always told me growing up, “Eat more carrots for improved eyesight”. Well, I may not have listened at the time, but carrots are high in vitamin A which is an essential vitamin for vision & boosts the immune system. An alternative to carrots, try a different root veggie in this recipe like shredded sweet potato or beets.
- ADD INS: This is where you have to freedom to really make some magic happen. My husband & I love dark chocolate so I like to add in a few dark chocolate chips along with some shredded coconut as a complimentary flavor. Other add-in ideas: dried fruits, chia seeds, walnuts, candied ginger or sprinkle in some spices.
- Servings: makes about 20
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 large ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup shredded carrot (packed)
- 1/4 mini dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 & prepare a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
- Add all of the ingredients into the bowl with the bananas & mix until well combined.
- Scoop the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan using a 1/4 cup size cookie scoop. Leave about 2 inches in between each scoop.
- Flatten the “cookies” until they are 1/4inch – 1/2inch depending on preference. Keep in mind they do not rise or spread as they are baking.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes until oats are lightly golden on top. Let cool for about 20 minutes before enjoying.