These Breakfast Cookies are like a bowl of homemade granola in cookie form! They’re healthy oatmeal cookies that taste like your favourite oatmeal raisin cookies – but they’re refined sugar free, gluten free, and will keep you full for ages.
Copycat of the popular Muesli Cookies sold in cafes across Australia, these are a terrific make ahead breakfast. Fill a jar with to grab ‘n run!
Breakfast Cookies
The only 2 ingredients in these Healthy Oatmeal Cookies that I don’t put in homemade granola are almond meal and egg. So I’m not exaggerating when I say these are like a bowl of granola in cookie form!
These are a copycat of muesli breakfast cookies I’ve been eyeing at my local coffee shop for years, wanting to make a version that was actually acceptable to have for breakfast. I’ve tried multiple times and they’ve always been meh – the main problem being too dry and hard to swallow.
Finally, the penny dropped when I was smushing soaked dates for Sticky Date Pudding. MASHED DATES!!!! Thoroughly unappetising and sludge-like as it looks, this is the secret to sweetness, moisture, colour and terrific texture for healthy sugar-free cookies!!!
Customisable!
These Healthy Oatmeal Cookies are great for customising. It’s actually a very forgiving recipe – thanks to the mashed dates that makes a solid batter base. These are the ingredients you can customise:
Flavourings: I’ve used cinnamon and vanilla. Try: orange blossom, almond essence, all spice, cloves – whatever takes your fancy!
Add Ins: I’ve used coconut, almonds and raisins. Use any combination of coconut, nuts and dried fruit that you want… or CHOC CHIPS!!!
Sweet: I use maple syrup or honey. Agave or any other liquid form of sweetness should work fine here. Sweetness can also be controlled – from a range of 1 to 4 tablespoons;
Oil: In the spirit of keeping this healthy, I use coconut oil (most of the time). Any oil will be fine here – or melted butter or margarine;
Almond Meal: Can be substituted with hazelnut meal / flour. I use these two interchangeably. Do not sub with normal flour – it makes the cookies dry and cardboardy.
Quick and easy
Breakfast cookies are so simple to make, you can make them today for a grab ‘n run breakfast tomorrow!! Soak dates, mash (strangely satisfying, despite how unattractive date sludge looks), mix with remaining ingredients, form cookies and bake.
No food processor, no beater – terrifically simple.
Go big or go home!
I’ve made these breakfast cookies hefty instead of wimpy little cookies because they are intended to be a breakfast. I made the mistake of having two of them when I took these photos and I was full for hours. So full for so long, I didn’t even have a full dinner that night.
Self control is a trait I admire from afar. – Nagi x
PS I don’t recommend making them normal cookie size/thickness. They are soft-chewy and lack the crispy edges you find in classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, I wasn’t thrilled with the texture. Best chunky and “meaty” – appropriate for breakfast!
More Make Ahead Breakfast – Grab ‘n Go!
And more cookie / cracker copycats
Other recipes I’ve created in the past for the same reason as these Byron Bay cookie copycat recipe (ie because I love ’em but they’re expensive!)
Byron Bay Cookies Copycat White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies – big, thick, buttery cookies loaded with white chocolate and macadamia nuts. Crisp with a tender melt-in-your-mouth texture, just like Byron Bay Cookies!
Gourmet Fruit & Nut Crackers for Cheese – homemade version of the rather expensive fruit and nut crackers to serve with cheese! Homemade is incredible – the flavour is so much better than the store bought. Plus it’s way WAY cheaper!
Breakfast Cookies
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 100 g / 3.5 oz pitted dates (1 heaped packed cup)
- 1/3 cup / 85 ml boiling water
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp coconut oil , melted, or other plain oil (Note 2)
- 1 tsp vanilla essence (Note 5)
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup flaked almonds (Note 3)
- 1/4 cups desiccated coconut (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup raisins or sultanas (Note 3)
- 3/4 cup almond meal (almond flour) (Note 4)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (Note 5)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan/convection). Line a tray with parchment/baking paper.
- Roughly chop dates. Place in bowl, pour over water. Cover and leave to soak for 10 minutes+.
- Mash with potato masher or fork until it becomes a paste.
- Add remaining Wet ingredients. Mix well with wooden spoon.
- Add Dry ingredients. Mix until all flour is incorporated – should be a thick batter (see video).
- Measure out just shy of 1/2 cup (6 cookies) or 1/3 cup flat (8 cookies). Flatten to 1.7cm / 2/3″ thick rounds. (Note 9) Bake 20 minutes until golden.
- Remove from oven, leave to cool on the tray.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published December 2018, updated for housekeeping matters April 2019. No change to recipe!
LIFE OF DOZER
“C’mon, let’s play tug-o-war! I swear the rope is totally clean and slobber free!!”
Self control is a trait I admire from afar hahaha! Looks good & going to get my 3 year old involved in this one.
These turned out delicious, and I received compliments. I put them in individual plastic bags once they cooled fully, and I’m eating the last one six days later. YUM! I’ll be making them again this week, and am going to use one cup of pumpkin in place of the dates, adjust the sweetening, and flavor with pumpkin pie spice. I’ll add pumpkin seeds & pecans, maybe a few chocolate chips. Thanks for such a tasty, versatile recipe.
Great recipe. All the family loved it. I doubled the mixture, added 100g mashed banana and some choc chips.
The kids loved it and never missed the sugar. Win all round.
That’s so great to hear Jodie!! So glad you enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to let me know – N x
Made a dozen, boom, gone. Just so happened as they came out of the oven the kids and grandkids turned up along with their friends, I think they have cameras planted at our place for when food comes out of oven. Loved them Nagi, making again today for a sick friend.
I’ve tried several of your recipes. All were perfectly delicious. Yours is the first website I found that the recipes are so good that I’ve never been disappointed. Keep them coming. And thank you so much for all the good recipes. A big fan.
I’ve tried several of your recipes. All were perfectly delicious. Yours is the first website recipes that I’ve never been disappointed in. Keep them coming. And thank you so much for all the good recipes. A big fan.
Would you have a pink or rose pasta sauce that you could share? Thank you.
Hi Lesley, try this one: https://discountspot.info/creamy-tomato-pasta/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Thank you very much.
😘
Hi Nagi,
Can’t wait to try these!! Even my very picky hubby is looking forward to them.
Dozer Baby – I’m ready to play any time! Who cares about dirt and slobber? It all comes out in the wash! Haha!
Don’t know if you’d be saying that after he’s rolled in a giant pile of HORSE 💩 like he did yesterday…. 🤮
Hi Nagi,
HAHAHAHAHAHA! Been there, smelled that – and bathed a large doggy covered in it too! More times than I care to remember! At least your big boy is moving around and enjoying life again. There are worse things!
These were delicious Nagi! I made them with my three year old and he insisted they be chocolate biscuits so I cut down the almond meal and added two tablespoons of cacao powder. So yummy.
Reading the recipe note 3 says to include 2 cups of add ins but the recipe has 1 1/4 cups – unless you’re including the 3/4 cup of almond meal, though I am guessing the almond meal can’t really be substituted with chopped ingredients. Didn’t bother us but thought I would tell you.
Thank you for a great recipe! Rita
Must’ve skipped any morning coffee when I did the maths!!! Thanks for that Rita. Glad you 3yo loved it too – great tip on the cacao! N x
Found the recipe by 10am,8 cookies ready by 11am,3 left by 11:05am!😁😁The only ingredient i was missing -raisins and I replaced them with dried cranberries.Nobody complained😉
Thank you for an awsome recipe
NO WAY! That was so fast, I think that’s the first feedback on this recipe! So glad it was enjoyed Marina, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Thers’s not a whole lot of good recipes for when your Celiac. When I seen this recipe I said I have to try this. I did make them and they are delicious. Thank you so much for another great recipe❤️
Oh WOW! That was so quick Loretta! I’m so glad you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N x
Great recipe once again. I am going to be making them very soon. Your recipes as I have mentioned are the best on the web hands down. My granddaughter was asking me for a Rose Sauce for pasta. I knew where to come to ask you for the best. Thanking you in advance.
Oooh – PINK PASTA SAUCE! I love pink pasta sauce 🙂 Good way to get a creamy pasta fix for less calories! N x
I added some PB2 powder for extra protein. Didn’t have flaked almonds on hand, so used slivered almonds instead, which I lightly toasted beforehand so that it will (hopefully) add a bit of crunchiness to the texture!!! And because one of my boys won’t eat anything without chocolate…. added chocolate chips as recommended above!!! 😃😃😃 Look forward to the taste-test!!
Oooh! I hope you and the boys enjoyed it! 🙂 N x
Yup, they did… especially the biggest boy, the Daddy!!! Now I have to make more!!! Thanks for the recipe!! We’ve enjoyed every one of your recipes we’ve cooked so far… so thanks again and keep ‘em coming!!!
😃😃😃👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽😍😍😍👅👅👅
It’s so good to see Dozer Happy and Healthy. He is looking well, now I’ve to recover my self. Dr said Vera stay healthy, uh Easyer said than done.. The other day had mosh room quiche. Your cookies are delish. Wishing you warm, happy weekend.
Ha! That’s so true, easy for them to say! I do hope you are looking after yourself though! N x
Could you use date syrup to skip the mashing/soaking step? I buy date syrup in a middle eastern store here in the Washington DC area.
Hi Janet! I think that will make it too runny, sorry! What about date paste? 🙂 N x
I think it will be to runny. will use date syrup instead of mapel syrup. And i will try date paste instead of dates, as that is a similar texture.
I live in the middle easte so all these ingreadients are available.
I think it will be runny too. Date paste should work a treat Elisabeth! N x
Those look very good as is, and also for how interesting it would be to play with customizing them and changing up the add-ins for plenty of variety, too. Dates are so delicious in baked goods.
I can’t believe it took until the time I made all those sticky date puddings to figure out other uses for it!! N xc
The cookies look delicious!! A great treat to have with coffee or tea in the morning when you don’t have time to sit down and eat breakfast. Or how about a cookie for a snack? That would be great. I’m pinning to make. And!!!! Dozer lifted his paw and swore that he sprayed the rope with disinfectant. I don’t know if I believe him or not — even I know that he’d find it difficult to push down the nozzle on the spray. But he is a determined puppy, isn’t he?? Hugs to both!
I’ve totally been snacking on these just about every time of the day OTHER than breakfast! 😂 Hope all is well Marisa, what’s been going on? 🙂 N x
This looks like a wonderful recipe Nagi. I know what I’m doing this afternoon.
Thanks Joe! Hope you had a great weekend! N x
Oh N, these look way to yummy to be so healthy! Lol. The only thing I would replace is the raisins to dark chocolate chips. Hey, there still healthy! 😂
Ok Dozer, I’ll just get my garden gloves first b4 we play tug of war. Lol.
Dozer is thinking, fall strawberries so I can eat you. 😀
Have a great weekend N! xx
But of course! 🙂 😂
Hi Nagi! This is my kind of breakfast! I’ve never been a traditional type of breakfast person, actually I don’t even want to think about food until I’ve been awake for a couple of hours. And I know where to get almond flour. I think dried peaches would be good in these
Whereas I’m the sort of person who needs to eat IMMEDIATELY upon waking up to avoid Hanger-pains! 😂