Hearty and healthy, this breakfast cookie recipe is low in sugar, vegan, and easily gluten-free adaptable. Filled with oats, seeds, warming spices, tahini, and dried fruit, they are easy to make and ready in 30 minutes! Perfect for a healthy snack or breakfast on the go. Video.
We shake with joy, we shake with grief. What a time they have, these two housed as they are in the same body. ~ Mary Oliver
The secret is out! First time ever released…here is our “legendary” Mizuna breakfast cookie recipe! Well, OK, no claims for world-renowned fame, but in our corner of the world these cookies were highly sought after- we could never keep them in stock at our restaurant!
For a while, in the midst of the chaos of starting a restaurant, there was no recipe for this healthy breakfast cookie, so it was just thrown together each time, hoping that it was close enough. When we started to get breakfast cookie regulars, as well as requests from a few local markets and coffee shops in the area wanting to sell the cookies, it seemed a recipe might make things easier!
There was a LOT of winging it in those days, the kind of experiences that can force us to dig deep inside for what we didn’t know we had. Looking back I think, “Holy crap! I did not know what I signed up for! AND… I learned that I am capable of so much more than I ever thought.” True soul-growing experiences often push us far out of our comfort zone. But somehow we survive, and possibly even thrive. We are stronger than we realize.
Why you’ll love About These Breakfast Cookies
- Vegan and gluten-free adaptable, low-sugar and egg-free. Perfectly chewy with warming, subtle spices, and a delightful combination of flavors that keep you coming back for more. Beware, they are a bit addictive- they taste amazing!
- They are great for meal prep! Need a quick, easy, grab-and-go breakfast? These can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for 10 days. Or in the freezer for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly. Thaw overnight on the counter, warm them up if you like.
- Highly Adaptable! Use gluten-free flour, change up the seeds, nuts and dried fruit and make any additions you like! I love adding chia seeds! We try to keep the ingredeints as simple as possible with minimal sweetness and healthy fats- feel free to experiment.
- Read all the glowing reviews! This recipe is a reader favorite, with over 50 5-star reviews.
Breakfast Cookie Recipe Ingredients (and substitutions)
*See recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions!
- Organic Rolled Oats (regular cut) use gluten-free oats if you prefer.
- Flour- use all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour– or sub gluten-free flour blend (Like Arrowmills Organic GF Flour Blend)
- Coconut sugar – for sweetness – feel free to use cane sugar
- Baking soda – to leaven the cookies
- Salt and warming spices – cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, ground cloves, and nutmeg
- Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds for great texture – but feel free to sub other nuts or seeds (chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, almonds)
- Dried fruit: currants or dried cranberries, or use raisins.
- Vanilla extract
- Tahini paste – to add nutty richness to the cookies. (Feel free to substitute almond butter, natural peanut butter, cashew butter or other nut butter)
- A fresh orange- the secret to the best-tasting breakfast cookie! You’ll need both the zest and juice
- Olive oil- or sub coconut oil
How to Make Healthy Breakfast Cookies
Step 1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, including the seeds and dried fruit.
Step 2. Mix all the wet ingredeints in a medium bowl- vanilla, tahini, orange zest, orange juice, and olive oil.
Step 3. Combine! Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Step 4. Scoop. The cookie dough will almost have the consistency of granola- and you may wonder if it will indeed adhere to a cookie form. Yes! It will. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
A cookie scoop works best here. Really pack it in. Alternatively, using lightly wet (or oiled) hands, roll into 9-10 balls, roughly the size of a golf ball. Place the oatmeal breakfast cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 5. Flatten the balls with a wet hand to 1/2 inch thick.
Step 6. Bake for 13 minutes on the middle rack in the oven, or until the edges are golden brown, and let cool 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
Easy to store and Made ahead
Make a double or triple batch of the breakfast cookies and freeze them!
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days on the counter, 10 days in the fridge, or wrap them individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight for eating in the morning.
Rather than resisting all things hard or challenging these days, I try to focus more on resiliency. One sure thing to count on is that everything will always ebb and flow. So I practice allowing the process. Trusting that “this too shall pass”, and even welcoming in challenges, along with the fear and the pain, trying to remember to ask with curiosity, “what are you here to teach me?” Somehow, this way of being more fluid with life has brought me so much more freedom and ease in my whole being. When the unexpected hits I seem to have more of a reserve to look at things objectively. It is a “muscle” that I will be training for a lifetime. Life is a journey.
I hope you enjoy these simple, easy breakfast cookies! Play around and adapt them to your taste. Add nuts, your favorite dried fruit, coconut, cocoa nibs, and chocolate chips….so many options and potential! Let us know what you create!
More Favorite Baking Recipes!
- Vegan Energy Balls with Masala Spice
- Chocolate Sesame Cookies
- Homemade Maple Granola Recipe (Vegan & Gluten-free)
- Spicy Chai Molasses Cookies
- Overnight Oats
- How to make Muesli!
- Skillet Baked Oats w/ Maple Glazed Apples
- 65 Best Breakfast Ideas!
- Cowgirl Cookies
Watch how to make Vegan Breakfast Cookies
Best Breakfast Cookie Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 large cookies
- Category: Breakfast, Baked, Cookies, Vegan, Snacks, vegan breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These healthy, vegan Breakfast Cookies can be made in under 30 minutes! They are chock-full of flavor and sustenance -filled with oats, seeds, spices and dried fruit they are vegan and deliciously addicting! Perfect for breakfast on the go.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (162 grams) quick or old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use thick-cut)
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat pastry flour (or sub all-purpose flour or a GF flour blend)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (50 grams) (cane sugar works fine too)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon each of: allspice, ground ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg
- 1/4 cup each of: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, currants, dried cranberries (feel free to make substitutions, so that you have 1 cup total)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (from one large orange)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon – or sub melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 F degrees.
- Combine dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, currants, and cranberries in a large bowl.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together vanilla, tahini, orange zest and juice, and olive oil.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. It may be a little crumbly.
- Form: Using a 1.5 ounce scoop or forming by hand (make sure to wet or oil your hands!) press cookie dough firmly into a scoop or firmly press together into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You should have 9-10 cookies. Press the cookie to flatten so it is a little less than 1/2-inch thick.
- Bake: Turn the oven temperature down to 350F. Bake for 13 minutes. Or until just starting to color.
Notes
Storing: Stored in an airtight container, cookies will keep for 5 days on the counter, 10 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer (wrap individually).
Getting the cookies to stick together:
Using a cookie scoop makes a world of difference because you can really pack them in.
Make sure the oats are not thick-cut.
If the flour is grainy it can effect the adhering of the dough. Using a softer flour (not a strong whole wheat) is helpful. Fresh whole wheat pastry flour, all purpose works, as well as oat or barley flour.
Try adding a flax “egg” (1 tablespoon flax meal to 2.5 tablespoons water)
Put 1/2 of the dough into the food processor and pulse a few times. An extra step but maybe a helpful without having to add anything in.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 12.3 g
- Sodium: 97.5 mg
- Fat: 12.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.4 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 5.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Delicious. I just made my 3rd batch.
These cookies are full of healthy ingredients and a tasty treat. I substituted sunflower butter for the tahini paste and they turned out very good. Next time I’ll try it with tahini. Even the crumbly ones are delicious!
sunflower butter, yum!
Do you think I could use fresh blueberries instead of dried fruit?
the dough is quite stiff, I would be afraid it would smash the fresh berries trying to mix it together. maybe defeats the purpose of using fresh but you could try freezing the berries and mix them in frozen then bake?
Oops! Forgot to rate in my previous post!
I made these and they turned out great! I doubled the recipe, and added a flax egg (just eyeballed amounts of ground flax and water) to help bind. When all was mixed up, I realized I had forgotten the sugar, so I just sprinkled it on and mixed it in- no problem. Cookies are delicious, and one is a perfect breakfast amount with a piece of fruit. Thank you!
ha! that’s great- they are pretty forgiving!
Made them using Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 to 1 flour…delicious! Plan to make them often. Thank you!
yay! good to know about gf flour.
So good! I added candied ginger to give it a little more zing. Love how adaptable these are.
So nice to have an “energy” treat that is nut free since my son is allergic. I left out the seeds and used 3/4 chopped dried fruit including mangoes and blueberries. Added a handful of miniature chocolate chips.
Hi Sylvia!
I just made your breakfast cookies and they turned out great!!!
I am trying to cut back on oil so replaced the oil with 1/4 cup of mashed ripe banana and used 1/2 cup almond flour instead of whole wheat flour to keep them gluten free. I baked them for 13 minutes and they are moist and chewy on the inside, not dry at all as someone else had mentioned – maybe these changes added some moisture? Will definitely make again!
I love your recipes and anything I have tried from your blog has been soooo delicious!!!
One of my favourites is your Thai Noodle Salad with best ever peanut sauce!!! Anyone that has tried it has loved it and has asked for the recipe!
I finally caved and bought an Instant Pot duo crisp – the one with the air fryer! lol! and am planning to make your butternut squash risotto as my first dinner with it. Sounds amazing!!! Thank you for all your hard work and Delicious healthy recipes! xoxo
Thanks Paula- helpful! Glad you are enjoying the recipes.
I forgot to rate this recipe! 5 stars!!!
These were delicious! I split the batch and did half gluten free with a 1:1 oat flour substitute for the whole wheat flour. The GF version caramelized a little more in the oven, but there was no difference in taste.
The whole wheat version did seem a little dry, so I will probably back off the cooking time a couple of minutes next time to leave a chewy center.
These are fantastic!!! Easiest and best cookie recipe ever!
We really enjoyed these! First time I’ve baked using tahini. I didn’t have sunflower seeds so I substituted pecans and they turned out great! I also added dark chocolate chips to half the batch. Yum! Thank you for sharing this delicious treat!
Thank you so much for another fantastic recipe! These are so delicious- chewy and crunchy and as you said not too sweet. I used oat flour instead of wheat and it worked fine. I also used medjool dates as the dried fruit since one of my favourite treats is dates dipped in tahini. I may have cooked mine for longer than necessary but I think that has added to the crunch!
I love the taste of these cookies .Thank you for this delicious recipe. However, the texture is quite crumbly . Should I increase the amount of oil?
It is a dry dough and has to be really squished and packed together and then cookies need to cool completely before handling. But you could try adding a flax egg or a bit more tahini and see if that helps?
Great Thanks
Any thoughts on the best flour to use to keep them gluten free?
I would just try a gf flour blend.
I used a 1:1 substitue of oat flour, and it worked great! No difference in taste.
Could I use honey instead of the coconut sugar?
give it a try! I might use a little less -1/4 of a cup rather then 1/3 cup.
Wonderful cookies, for breakfast or for any time of the day 😉 I made them smaller because I have a 2Tbs scoop. Baked them for 12 minutes and they were perfect. It yielded 19 delicious cookies. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
perfect! so helpful!
Thank you! I will make them. I love breakfast cookies!
We used to sell a TON of these at Rocket Market when Sylvia used to deliver them to us, they are awesome, thanks for putting out the recipe!
Thanks Alan!
What would be a good substitute if wanting these to be gluten free?
you could use a gf flour blend.
Cool recipe, thank you!… but please, METRICS for the rest of the world!!!
oh that would be frustrating! I will include them.
Any possibility of offering a gluten free version of this cookie?
Thank you!
JoAnna
I think you could use gf flour blend and gf oats with good success. Let us know how it works!
Okay, I will try GF flour blend and Oats. I’ll let you know!
Hi Sylvia
So looking forward to trying this recipe — would you have the measurements for these ingredients?? I am shopping today and hope to bake these ASAP so I may experience their deliciousness!!! A little nervous to guess on how much of each.
Please share 🙂 I will definitely be giving you my review!!
Thank you!!
Scroll down to the recipe card Dale!
yes, thank you! I saw that later – oops! Let me tell you – these are over the moon!!! The possibilities are endless of all the different “add-ins” to make them unique and personalized.
I am addicted! Must confess, that I have added mini darK chocolate chips on occasion 🙂 Great for taking on a hike also!
Greatly appreciate this recipe becoming available – LOVE THESE COOKIES!
Thank you!
So happy you are enjoying them!
What can you substitute for Tahani (mu husband is allergic to sesame seeds, which Tahani is made from)
you could try a nut or different seed butter. Cashew, sunflower or almond would be good?
Could GF flour be substituted…looks so yummy. Thanks
I think it would work great!