Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies are an excellent excuse to eat cookies for breakfast!
Together the peanut butter, oats, pecans, pretzels, chocolate chips, and coconut create a soft delicious texture. This healthy breakfast cookie has no flour and is packed full of protein. Make them ahead for a quick on the go breakfast or for an early afternoon snack.
HEALTHY ENOUGH FOR BREAKFAST
With ingredients like these, you can feel good about eating this cookie for breakfast. Make this small batch recipe with no guilt and you'll have a great "grab and go" breakfast you can eat in the car or at your desk.
WHICH PEANUT BUTTER IS BEST?
There are so many choices when it comes to peanut butter. Should you use crunchy or creamy peanut butter? What about almond butter, sesame butter or natural peanut butter? I found this article from Britt & Co so interesting. There are so many options that you probably have never even thought about.
For me the peanut butter in my pantry works great in this recipe. We're a split family and always have both creamy and crunchy peanut butter on hand. I have used both types of peanut butter for this recipe.
Use your favorite type when making these Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies.
OATS
The only difference between old-fashioned and quick oats is their size. The difference in the size and shape affect the cooking time and texture. I prefer the texture of quick oats for most baked goods.
If you only have old-fashioned on hand, throw the oats in a food processor just long enough to create a smaller size, but honestly either will work for these cookies.
Steel cut oats are not interchangeable for quick or old-fashioned oats in this recipe.
HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER BREAKFAST COOKIES
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. If using a dark colored baking sheet, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup peanut butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup oats and 1 tsp baking powder with a hand mixer.
- Add in ¾ cup chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped pecans, ½ cup chopped pretzels, ¼ cup coconut and mix until well combined.
Use a ¼ cup dry measuring cup or a ¼ cup ice cream scoop to scoop the cookies onto the baking sheet. Flatten each cookie with a spoon or you can use the palm of your hand. The size might seem like it will create a monster cookie, but remember they are a meal.
Bake for 12 - 15 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are firm and golden brown.
WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE GREAT
- The salty, the sweet, and the texture.
- If you love to combine peanut butter and chocolate these cookies are for you.
- There are so many ways to change up the recipe to get different flavor combinations.
- Everything except the egg is room temperature making most of these ingredients something you probably already have in the pantry.
MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE
Although this is a small batch recipe, feel free to double the recipe so you'll have plenty for the freezer. To freeze, bake as directed, cool completely, and place in an airtight container for up to six months.
These are also fantastic to keep on hand as a dessert or treat.
OTHER ADD-INS
Substitute pistachios or almonds for the pecans. Try adding craisins instead of chocolate chips or do you love the flavor of cinnamon? Add in ½ tsp of cinnamon for additional flavor. A good way to add more protein is to add pumpkin seeds. flax seeds or chia seeds.
I love mixing up the ingredients to create all kinds of different flavor combinations.
If you want more sweet treat recipes, check out my Halloween Popcorn Mix, which is great for anytime of year!
PEANUT BUTTER BREAKFAST COOKIES
Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peanut Butter Crunchy or Creamy
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Oats
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ¾ cup Chocolate Chips
- ¼ cup Coconut
- ½ cup Pecans Broken
- ½ cup Pretzels Broken
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 if using a dark colored baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup peanut butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup oats and ½ tsp baking powder with a hand mixer.
- Add in ¾ cup chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped pecans, ½ cup broken pretzels, ¼ cup coconut and mix until well combined.
- Using a ¼ cup dry measuring cup or a ¼ cup ice cream scoop to scoop the cookies onto the baking sheet. Flatten each cookie with a spoon.
- Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.
Notes
- Double the recipe and make extra for the freezer.
- Try different mix-ins. Use craisins instead of chocolate chips, almonds instead of pecans or you could even add marshmallows.
- Freeze cookies individually for up to 3 months.
- If using a dark cookie sheet, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Esme
I have a mild allergy to coconut. What could I use as a substitute?
Jill
If it were me, I'd add more nuts. The coconut gives texture to the cookie, but not a strong coconut flavor. Pick your favorite of the add-in ingredients. Love to hear how they turn out for you.
Suzanne Doob
Sugar and pretzels in a “healthy” cookie? What can we substitute for these?
Jill
Well they still cookies. You could definitely leave out the pretzels and no substitute would be necessary.