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 the best, soft, chewy cookie.
These healthy breakfast cookies have no all-purpose flour and they are packed full of protein. Make them ahead for a quick on-the-go breakfast or an early afternoon snack.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS SIMPLE RECIPE
- The little bit of salty with the sweet satisfies my sweet tooth every time!
- 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.
- 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 for busy mornings.
INGREDIENTS
- Peanut Butter - There are so many choices when it comes to peanut butter. Should you use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter? What about almond butter, sesame butter or natural peanut butter? For me, the peanut butter in my pantry works great in this recipe.
- Oats -The only difference between old-fashioned and quick oats is their size. The difference in size and shape affects the cooking time and texture. I prefer the texture of quick oats for most baked goods. Don't use any instant oats as they have added sugar.
- Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips - Dark chocolate chips would be a great substitute.
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Brown Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Coconut
- Pecans
- Pretzels
RECIPE NOTES
If you only have old fashioned oats 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 HEALTHY BREAKFAST COOKIES
STEP 1: 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.
STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl, start by combining the wet ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, and ½ cup brown sugar with a hand mixer. Now mix in the dry ingredients: ½ cup oats and 1 tsp baking powder.
STEP 3: Add in ½ cup chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped pecans, ½ cup chopped pretzels, and ¼ cup coconut.
STEP 4: Use a ¼ cup dry measuring cup or a ¼ cup ice cream or cookie scoop to scoop the cookies onto the prepared 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 shape but remember they are a meal.
STEP 5: Bake for 13-15 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are firm and golden brown.
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 ½ tsp of cinnamon for additional flavor.
A great way to add more protein is to add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, or chia seeds.
WANT TO STORE FOR LATER? HERE'S HOW:
MAKE AHEAD: Although this is a small batch recipe, feel free to double the recipe so you'll have plenty for the freezer.
FREEZE: To freeze, bake as directed, cool completely, and place in an airtight container for up to six months.
MORE MEMORABLE COOKIE RECIPES
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
- ½ 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 peanut butter, egg, vanilla, brown sugar, oats and baking powder with a hand mixer.1 cup Peanut Butter, 1 Egg, 1 tsp Vanilla, ½ cup Brown Sugar, ½ cup Oats, ½ tsp Baking Powder
- Add in chocolate chips, chopped pecans, broken pretzels, coconut and mix until well combined.½ cup Chocolate Chips, ¼ cup Coconut, ½ cup Pecans, ½ cup Pretzels
- 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.
Beth Koechner
I love cookies in the morning, these are perfect! I made these for the ICU Nurses working the night shift at Freeman Hospital, they all love them!
Melinda
I am going to use a banana instead of an egg this way it would be vegan friendly.
Jill
That's a great idea. I am going to test these with a banana too. Thanks for sharing!
Katherine Pasket
Jill, thank you so much for this recipe. It is so easy to bake these cookies. I love that it does not require flour. My family loves these cookies. They always get excited when they know I am going to bake another batch. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
Jill
Thank you Katherine!
Katherine Pasket
Jill, I have to add another comment. My dogs LOVE these cookies (not just my family). They always insist we share with them, when we eat these cookies. I mean they are in your face with begging excitement! Thank you again!
Katherine Pasket
Hi Jill, I just posted a new comment about my dogs loving these cookies. So it is not just my human family, but also my furry family that loves these cookies. When I make these cookies, I don't put the add-ins like chocolate chips (bad for dogs), or the other add-ins. It is very simple with just the peanut butter and oats. I add an extra egg and exchange the vanilla extract with almond extract. Thank you again for your great recipes.
Jill
Hi Katherine! We have fur babies too. I'm going to have to give them a taste. Thanks for the comments!