As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, breakfast is not a meal on which I enjoy spending lots of time. I’m usually too eager to start my day and will settle for a bite of Abby’s morning banana and a cup of coffee. I’m also guilty of grabbing a leftover oatmeal cookie and calling it “oatmeal” to make myself feel better, which was really the inspiration for this recipe.
There are several other breakfast cookie recipes online, but all of them I saw contain banana as a key ingredient. Banana is fine, but not everyone likes its strong flavor (my husband, for example), so I decided to make a nutritious banana-free cookie that constitutes a balanced breakfast. The result was high in fiber, protein, omega-3’s and antioxidants, and so delicious!
Chia seed jams are all the rage these days because they require no pectin and can be made in five minutes. They’re also super nutritious, thanks to the high mineral and DHA content of Chia seeds! You could use any fruit you like for this Chia jam recipe, but I opted for frozen wild blueberries because they are naturally sweeter than regular (tame?) blueberries and are very high in antioxidants.
These almond oatmeal breakfast cookies are excellent without the Chia jam, but the jam really transforms these cookies from a healthful dessert to a legitimately nutritious breakfast. I recommend keeping the jam in the fridge until you’re ready to eat your cookies; just spread a little on each cookie right before you’re ready to eat, and breakfast is complete!
- 2 T. milled flax
- ¼ cup nondairy milk
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup natural almond butter (no salt/sugar added)
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- 1 T. blackstrap molasses
- Scant ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2¼ - 2½ cups rolled oats (certified GF if necessary)
- ½ t. baking soda
- ½ t. baking powder
- ¼ t. salt
- --------------------------------
- ½ cup frozen berries of choice (I used organic wild blueberries.)
- Optional: 3-4 chunks frozen pineapple
- 1-2 T. agave syrup, honey, or maple syrup, depending on how sweet you prefer your jam
- 2 T. Chia seeds
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- In a small bowl, combine flax and nondairy milk and set aside to gel.
- In a glass bowl in a microwave or in a saucepan on the stove, melt together the coconut oil and almond butter and stir until smooth. Add the vanilla, molasses, and coconut sugar and stir until well combined. Add the flax mixture and beat for a few seconds to incorporate some air into the batter.
- In a separate bowl, stir together 2¼ cups oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir. If you prefer thicker cookies, add another ¼ cup oats.
- Spoon dough onto baking sheet, about one heaping Tablespoon at a time, flattening each dough ball slightly. Bake about 10 minutes, remove from oven, and transfer to cooling rack after 10 minutes to continue cooling.
- While the cookies bake, make your Chia seed jam. Thaw your fruit in the microwave, then drain most of the extra juice. Transfer fruit to a blender and blend to desired level of smoothness. Remove and stir in sweetener and Chia seeds, allowing to sit for at least 5 minutes. If your jam is still thin after a few minutes, you may have to add more Chia seeds. You want it to be thick! Keep jam in the fridge in an air-tight container until ready to serve.
- When cookies have cooled, add about one teaspoon of jam to the cookie centers and spread slightly. Eat immediately and enjoy!
These cookies are chewy, nutty, slightly sweet and salty, and very filling thanks to the oats and almond butter. And because they contain no refined flours or sugars, I feel good about sharing them with Abby after she finishes her banana.
I call these breakfast cookies because they are nutritionally complete (contain fiber, protein, minerals, DHA, etc.), but you could easily serve these as a dessert or healthful after-school snack!
No matter how or when you eat these cookies, I’m sure you will love them! 🙂
I love your recipes and photos of Abby.My dream is to be natural mother like you