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Home Breakfast

Breakfast Cookies (Healthy!)

By Nagi Maehashi
352 Comments
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Published4 Apr '19 Updated27 Jun '25
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Recipe

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!

Stack of Healthy Oatmeal Cookies (Breakfast Cookies!)

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!!!

Close up of hand holding Healthy Oatmeal Cookies broken in half to show the chewy inside

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.

Ingredients for Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

A HEALTHY BREAKFAST THAT KEEPS YOU FULLER FOR LONGER! One cookie is like having one of those quick oatmeal sachets topped with dried fruit. Rolled oats have a low GI so they keep your fuller for longer, the nuts provide protein and the dried fruit provides fibre and natural sweetness. No added sugar, natural gluten free and just 376 calories.

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.

How to make healthy oatmeal breakfast cookies

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!

  • Homemade Sausage and Egg McMuffin

  • Healthy Egg Muffins

  • No Washing Up Ham Egg Cheese Pockets

  • No Washing Up Ham Egg Cheese Bowls

  • Bacon and Egg Muffins

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!

Overhead photo of Healthy Oatmeal Cookies (Breakfast Cookies!)

Breakfast Cookies
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Stack of Healthy Oatmeal Cookies (Breakfast Cookies!)

Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins
Total: 35 minutes mins
Breakfast, Sweet
4.94 from 130 votes
Servings6 big chunky cookies
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Recipe video above. Like homemade granola – in cookie form! A satisfying grab ‘n run breakfast that tastes like your favourite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Same chewy and moist inside (thanks to the mashed dates!), but not as crispy. And these happen to be healthy! Customisable – see notes.

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)
Prevent screen from sleeping

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:

1. Sweetness: Can use anything sweet in liquid form eg agave, golden syrup. 3 tbsp makes these cookies a bit sweet but not like normal cookies. Use 4 tbsp if you have a sweet tooth or reduce to 1 tbsp if you don’t have a sweet tooth (still get sweet from the dried fruits)
2. Oil: Can use any oil, use a flavourless or neutral one. Or melted butter or margarine.
3. Add Ins: Use 1 1/4 cups in total of your choice of flaked or chopped nuts, desiccated coconut and chopped dried fruit (or small fruit like raisins, cranberries, blueberries) – or CHOC CHIPS!! If you skip the coconut, use at least 1/4 of fairly finely chopped nuts (to ensure cookie holds together properly).
4. Almond meal: aka Almond Flour. Can also use hazelnut meal/flour. Do not sub with normal flour – makes cookie cardboardy.
5. Flavourings: Use whatever you like. For spice: all spice, nutmeg, cardamom, mixed spice. Essence: orange blossom, lemon, caramel, coconut, almond.
6. GLUTEN FREE option – ensure the oats are gluten free.
7. STORAGE: good for 5 days in a super airtight container, though the outside of the cookies do soften, like any homemade cookie. Haven’t tried freezing yet – would love to know if anyone does!
8. Nutrition per cookie (6 big chunky cookies): 

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 376cal (19%)Carbohydrates: 45g (15%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 20g (31%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Cholesterol: 27mg (9%)Sodium: 17mg (1%)Potassium: 408mg (12%)Fiber: 6g (25%)Sugar: 17g (19%)Vitamin A: 40IU (1%)Vitamin C: 0.7mg (1%)Calcium: 107mg (11%)Iron: 2.2mg (12%)
Keywords: Breakfast Cookies, Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published December 2018, updated for housekeeping matters April 2019. No change to recipe!

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352 Comments

  1. Virginia Ng says

    May 12, 2022 at 12:23 pm

    Could you substitute the dates with prunes?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 12, 2022 at 2:05 pm

      I think that might work but haven’t tested it myself. Dates dissolve pretty easily into a paste that helps to hold the cookies together and provides sweetness. Let me know how you go! N x

      Reply
  2. jenny says

    May 2, 2022 at 8:57 am

    5 stars
    Made this today and it was awesome! Thanks Nagi for always curating the perfect recipes!

    Reply
  3. Dianna says

    April 20, 2022 at 9:14 pm

    5 stars
    I have been making this every week,
    These are so good!! Thanks for the awesome recipe 🙂

    Reply
  4. Robyn says

    April 16, 2022 at 5:25 am

    5 stars
    I made these for the first time today. They hit the spot. Doubled the batch (cause I knew you wouldn’t steer me wrong and they’d be awesome). Toasted coconut, raisins, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and pecans. About half the honey as called for due to the sweetness of the fruit. Two thumbs up.

    Reply
  5. Mandy Worrall says

    March 15, 2022 at 2:58 am

    Made using GF oats ….. 10/10 Nagi .. beaut 😊

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 15, 2022 at 1:21 pm

      I’m happy that you liked it Mandy! N x

      Reply
  6. Pippa van Wijk says

    March 6, 2022 at 9:41 pm

    5 stars
    These absolutely freeze well with no loss of flavour or texture.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 7, 2022 at 2:09 pm

      Thanks for letting me know Pippa!! N x

      Reply
  7. Kaitlin says

    February 24, 2022 at 4:21 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve already made this recipe twice in one week! So easy to make and the perfect breakfast on the go.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 25, 2022 at 11:30 am

      I love a quick breakfast! N x

      Reply
  8. Soph says

    February 1, 2022 at 7:17 pm

    Hey 🙂 love your recipes.
    How do you think coconut flour will work?
    Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 2, 2022 at 7:22 pm

      I have not tried that myself Soph but let me know if it works for you! N x

      Reply
  9. Holly says

    January 17, 2022 at 10:43 am

    4 stars
    The family enjoyed these. Like big soft and cakey oatmeal cookies. Just the right amount of sweetness. Not something I would normally drawn to but would definitely be a quick and healthy option for a busy morning. I used sprouted rolled oats and a combo of coconut, salted pepitas, chopped cashews, hemp hearts, raisins and chocolate chips for the add ins.

    Reply
  10. ola says

    January 17, 2022 at 2:10 am

    Hi can I use oat flour instead of almond flour??

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 17, 2022 at 10:02 am

      Hi Ola – i haven’t tested that sorry! N x

      Reply
  11. kelly says

    January 3, 2022 at 7:42 am

    Is ground almonds the same as almond meal/flour

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 4, 2022 at 1:57 pm

      Yes Kelly they are the same! N x

      Reply
  12. Beverley says

    December 11, 2021 at 12:35 pm

    Highly recommend , I used 3/4 cup of natural muesli, and 3/4 cup of traditional rolled oats, and 1 tbl maple syrup. Will definitely make again.

    Reply
  13. Sarah says

    December 9, 2021 at 1:05 pm

    Any sub options for those with nut allergies?

    Reply
    • Kylie O'Gorman says

      May 13, 2022 at 4:07 pm

      Sunflower seed meal, you can use food processor for the sunflower seeds

      Reply
  14. Kate says

    December 9, 2021 at 7:09 am

    What can you use instead of almond or hazelnut meal?
    Nut allergy here!

    Reply
  15. Kat says

    December 4, 2021 at 2:19 am

    5 stars
    Yet another amazing recipe Nagi ! I omitted the raisins ( added dark chocolate cooking chips instead) and added a banana from the freezer (I have an excess) . Absolutely brilliant , so moist and flavourful . This will be a constant in my recipe index . Thanks

    Reply
  16. Sue says

    November 15, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    Hi Nagi. I’m looking for a kids lunchbox friendly recipe which means no nuts. Do you think I can sub almond flour with buckwheat or other?

    Reply
  17. Sherryl says

    November 1, 2021 at 5:00 pm

    5 stars
    Made these a number of times, I add chia and flax seeds also.
    Thanks for another fantastic recipe

    Reply
  18. SC says

    October 28, 2021 at 5:10 pm

    It’s perfect and freeze very well . Just thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature

    Reply
  19. Joy says

    October 8, 2021 at 1:35 pm

    5 stars
    Have made multiple times perfect for quick breakfast. For interest of other readers who watch their sugar intake i have cut back to 1 tbl honey and still sweet enough Also i use 1/4 cup to portion out and get 12 biscuits still nice and moist. And one time i didnt have enough oats so sub with oat bran and quite liked it so now i use 1 cup rolled oats and 1/4 cup oat bran

    Reply
  20. Ada says

    September 30, 2021 at 11:58 pm

    5 stars
    Best breakfast cookies recipe ever! I make them all the time. Not only are they easy to make but they taste delicious and are perfect for breakfast on the go!

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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