That’s right—it’s finally time to satisfy your inner child’s dream of eating cookies for breakfast.
These Breakfast Cookies are the best of both worlds: they’ll satisfy your sweet tooth and they’re nutrient-dense. Each cookie contains 5g of protein, 3g of fiber, no refined sugar or added oil and—bonus!—they’re naturally gluten-free!
With endless customization options, I encourage you to riff to your heart’s content and freeze a batch or two for mornings when you need a quick-yet-wholesome start to your day. (P.S. They also make great post-workout and travel snacks!)
In this post:
A cookie that can do it all
Let me put it this way: if this cookie had a resume, it would be impressive. I don’t know a single other cookie that thrives in so many roles:
- As a wholesome, satisfying, genuinely good-for-you breakfast
- As a pre-workout snack (true story: my marathon-running friend Joanne, of The Korean Vegan, told me these cookies powered her for a long run around Central Park)
- As a delicious travel snack (I make a batch of these whenever I travel—and I can confirm that TSA will not confiscate them!)
- As an easy, on-the-go snack for busy weeks (keep a batch in the freezer and thank me later)
One more thing: don’t be fooled by the use of the word “wholesome” throughout this post—I know this often translates to “tastes boring and healthy,” but trust me, these are cookies you will actually want to eat. (One of my favorite flavor variations includes mini chocolate chips!)
🎥 Watch the video
With over 430K views on my YouTube channel, these breakfast cookies are a massive hit with my community. I hope you love them just as much!
Ingredient notes
Rolled oats
Old-fashioned rolled oats give these cookies their deliciously satisfying chew. Don’t sub with steel-cut oats (they’ll be too chewy and won’t cook through) or quick-cooking oats (they’ll change the texture of the cookie).
If gluten-free: Oats are technically gluten-free, but to avoid contamination risk, be sure to buy certified gluten-free rolled oats!
Flaxseed meal
In addition to being a nutritional powerhouse (containing fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids), flaxseed meal is a key functional component of this recipe—you’ll mix it with water and let it sit until it thickens and gels, creating a “flax egg,” which provides the binding that eggs contribute in non-vegan baked goods.
Unsweetened shredded coconut
I love the flaky texture this adds to these cookies, but coconut-haters, never fear—simply omit!
Creamy almond butter
The almond butter is the replacement for oil in this recipe, so it’s important to use almond butter with a smooth, almost runny consistency (translation: avoid the thick stuff at the bottom of the almond butter jar, as well as crunchy varieties).
Substitute: You can use peanut butter or cashew butter if you’d prefer. If you’re nut-free, try tahini or sunflower seed butter—see the first FAQ for more information on nut-free substitutions.
Maple syrup
Pure maple syrup (look for bottles with a single ingredient: 100% pure maple syrup) contributes so much more than the one-note sweetness of refined sugar—it adds caramelly, woodsy layers, building the depth of flavor of these cookies.
And since these cookies don’t have added oil, the liquid consistency helps bring the dough together.
Step-by-step instructions
Prepare your flax egg. Whisk together the ground flaxseed meal and water and set aside for 15 minutes to gel up.
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: oats, coconut, salt, baking powder, baking soda.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the liquid ingredients until smooth and thick: almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and prepared flax eggs.
Combine: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry. Use a silicone spatula to combine the ingredients until it resembles cookie dough.
Add desired mix-ins (chopped nuts or seeds and dried fruit or chocolate chips) and hemp seeds.
Stir to evenly incorporate the mix-ins.
Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets and lightly flatten.
Bake at 350ºF for 18-20 minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom. Cool the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies directly to the wire rack.
How to customize these cookies
Substitutions
Not a fan of coconut or allergic? Omit the shredded coconut and just add more oats.
Don’t have hemp seeds? My first suggestion is to get some hemp seeds. Seriously, they’re protein-packed game-changers. My second suggestion: omit, or add more shredded coconut.
Allergic to almonds or don’t have almond butter? Use any nut butter you like, such as cashew butter or peanut butter (they will taste like peanut butter cookies). Just be sure to use a smooth—not crunchy!—variety, as the nut butter is the replacement for oil in this recipe.
If allergic to all nuts, use tahini. Or, an unsweetened sunflower seed butter (note: sunflower seed butter might tint the cookies a green-ish color).
Get creative with the dried fruit/seed/nut mix-ins. You could really use any variety you like!
- Dried fruits: I’ve used raisins, currants, finely-chopped apricots, finely-chopped dates, and dried cranberries (use juice-sweetened cranberries to avoid refined sugar)
- Seeds & nuts: Pepitas, sunflower seeds, and all kinds of nuts work well. Just thoroughly chop them so you don’t get large pieces.
Not a fan of dried fruit? Feel free to substitute with chocolate chips (these are my favorites)! I love the chewiness that dried fruit brings, but the chocolate chip version makes these taste more like a classic cookie (SO good).
Flavor combinations
Looking for inspiration? Below are the flavor combos we tried (and loved!) in the RPL kitchen.
My faves are anything that contains chocolate chips (duh), dried blueberries, and dried cranberries.
- Golden Macadamia: dried golden berries + macadamia nuts, chopped
- Mango Cashew: finely chop dried mango + raw unsalted cashews, chopped
- Chocolate Chip Almond: mini vegan chocolate chips + roasted almonds, chopped
- Cranberry Pecan: dried cranberries + pecans, chopped
- Blueberry Walnut: dried blueberries + walnuts, chopped
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they freeze perfectly! And they take just 15ish minutes to defrost, so you can enjoy them really any time. After baking, allow the cookies to cool completely.
Store them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and label with the name and date. They should be good for about 3 months.
Yes, use seeds instead of nuts for your mix-ins and sub the almond butter with tahini.
You’ll need to use a smooth, non-bitter variety and stir well. I love Seed + Mill and Soom Foods and the Whole Foods 365 brand is pretty decent.
Or you could try Sunbutter sunflower seed butter. It will likely tinge your cookies green (that’s what happens when you bake with sunflower seeds) but the taste will be great.
That’s fine! If salted, you can use a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt in the recipe.
We recommend using a digital scale for the most precise results.
However, every time I have made this recipe, even without using a digital scale, it always yields 22-24 cookies.
It’s possible that if you live outside of the U.S., your tablespoon measures are different. For instance, in Australia, 1 tablespoon = 20 mLs; whereas in the U.S. and many other places, 1 tablespoon = 15 mLs.
Did you love these versatile, nourishing, delicious Breakfast Cookies? If so, please let me know by leaving a review and rating below 🫶🏽
Introducing
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
- 2 cups (190g) rolled oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- Heaping 1/2 cup (50g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup (190g) smooth, creamy variety of almond butter (can sub cashew butter) (see Note 1)
- 1/2 cup (160g) pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- 1/2 cup (~75g) dried fruit (or mini vegan chocolate chips) such as cranberries, currants, blueberries (see Note 2)
- 1/2 cup (70g) pepitas or sunflower seeds (or nuts of choice, chopped; see Note 3)
- 1/3 cup (48g) hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts)
Instructions
- Prepare the flax eggs. Combine the ground flaxseed meal with 5 tablespoons water. Stir and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to gel together.
- Arrange a rack in the top third and in the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: oats, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if using.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and prepared flax eggs. Whisk until smooth and thick.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, using a silicone spatula to mix everything until the mixture resembles a cookie dough. Fold in your desired mix-ins (dried fruit, seeds or chopped nuts, and hemp seeds) using the spatula.If the dough is too sticky to handle, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, small ice cream scoop, or large spoon to scoop 35 to 40g of dough per cookie onto the prepared sheet pans (that's 2 to 2.5 tablespoons per cookie).Alternatively, measure the dough out with a spoon and shape into a round using your hands. Space them about 1/2 inch apart, 12 cookies per sheet pan (they don't really spread).
- Lightly flatten the top of each cookie with your hands, then transfer the pans to the oven. Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 5 to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
- It’s important to use a smooth, fairly runny variety of almond butter since there’s no oil in this recipe. Don’t use the crusty bottom of the jar! If nut-free, use tahini.
- If you want to keep these cookies entirely refined sugar-free, use a naturally sugar-free dried fruit like currants, sultanas, or chopped mango or apricots (most varieties of dried cranberries and blueberries have added sugar).
- If you want something a little more traditional cookie-like, these are REALLY good with mini vegan chocolate chips (I love the chocolate chips from Enjoy Life).
- Nut options we’ve tried: almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts. They all work! Just be sure to chop nuts well so you don’t get big pieces. You can keep seeds whole.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this? Leave a rating below!
Made these so many times. Always delicious. Easy to sub ingredients with anything you have in your pantry.
Hey Cally! Wow, I can feel your enthusiasm about this recipe through the screen! Love it!
These cookies are incredibly delicious. They are moist inside and crispy on the outside. Thank you for another winner!
We appreciate your feedback and support. Thank you for leaving a review!
What if I want to use a combination of all the mix-ins listed? What is the total amount of mix-ins that can be added?
Hi Shelby, there are a total of 1 1/3 cups of mix-ins in this recipe, so we’d suggest you stick with around that amount! 🙂 Enjoy!
I ended up with 21 delicious cookies – I used a 3 TBS scoop, but didn’t pack the dough into the little cup. My daughter and her husband are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. I’m going to have to hide some or they will eat them all! This is my second time using one of Nisha’s recipes. Easily another 5 Star rating. The first one was for her Mushroom Stroganoff. One of the best meals I’ve ever had! Especially when I add some homemade bread to the dinner menu. Homemade bread/rolls dipped into the mushroom sauce, is just a little bit of heaven.
All my life I’ve been using measuring cups and spoons. Don’t get me started on Pyrex measuring cups. Trying to determine if the liquid is below, at, or above the line is a guess at best. Then I bought a digital kitchen scale. Wunderbar! I add an ingredient – the correct number of grams, zero the scale, then add the next one. It was a huge time saver for this recipe as there are a lot of ingredients. I think the recipe turns out better when I weigh the ingredients. Nisha’s recipes are easier to make – the ingredients are in grams.
I ramble – apologies.
Hi Gary, thank you so much for trying out the recipes and for such a lovely review! It warms our hearts to know you’re such a fan of them 🙂
Another RPL recipe that doesn’t disappoint!
My pepitas were roasted and salted so I cut the salt in half. Next time I will omit the salt completely since these cookies are not very sweet at all. It could be that I used sunbutter which I think also has salt?
Not sure what’s going on with everyone else, but I used my 2 1/2 T cookie scoop and got 29 cookies.
These are great for snacking and I feel good about giving them to my kids since they are full of healthy ingredients.
Thanks for such a lovely review, Jen! 🙂
These are good breakfast-style cookies (I made them to be a protein rich, lower sugar dessert cookie). As another reviewer noted though, the batch made only 12 cookies using the directions as provided (they are large cookies though). You definitely want to chop the nuts into smaller bits. Next time I will use a smaller scoop to get more cookies from the mix.
Thank you for a very adaptable cookie recipe!
Hi Patty, it makes us happy to know you enjoy the recipe! And odd to hear you didn’t come up with 22 cookies, as Nisha has made this recipe dozens of times and never ended up with only 12 cookies.
Is the temperature for a fan oven?
Hi Emma, the temperature is for a conventional oven, not a convection oven! Hope that helps!
25 degrees less than a regular over
Hi Emma. For a convection oven with a fan turn the temperature down 25 degrees to equal the temperature of a conventional oven
Oh, yeah! I made these “breakfast” cookies on Canada’s Victoria Day (May 20) and they are a total hit! Funnily enough, I used cranberries and pecans (along with some pepitas and hemp hearts) as your picture shows. Kind of ran out of almond butter, so added a bit of peanut butter – still delicious. My 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop was a good substitute for a cookie scoop and we ended up with only 14 cookies…oops. But two for dinner was perfect.
Thanks for the awesome breakfast recipe, Nisha. :>))
It’s so great to hear you’re such a fan of the recipe and that the subs worked well for you, Elaine! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
These cookies are literally the best sweet something my husband and I hanker for, constantly!! I now make two batches at a time. One for him without raisins. One for me, with. And hemp, and pepitas, and choc. chips…
Thanks for the awesome review, Dana! We’re so happy you love them 🙂
We love these! My add-ins were cocoa nibs and a handful of mini white chocolate chips. I made them pretty large…the recipe only gave me 12. Next time I will double it and get 2 dozen to have on hand. Thanks for the great recipe. Best breakfast cookies I’ve ever tried!
Thanks for sharing, Tammy! Sounds like a lovely combination indeed!