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Get ready for these Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Breakfast Cookies. Oh yes you read that title right, here at Honest Grub, Honest Foodie you can have your cookies for breakfast & eat them too! 10 years ago in college I use to nanny the most amazing family ever. This family is actually now Ainsley’s god parents, the kids are Ainsley’s “cousins”, as well as the mom is one of my dearest friends, funny how life works out that way 🙂

Anyways, those amazing kids and I use to take to the kitchen a lot, because they loved to cook & bake. That is when I taught the two girls how to make simple breakfast cookies that I had come up with. It was so much fun because it is a recipe that is very easy to make at any age. This recipe also requires minimal ingredients that you can also adjust to your liking! When I would make them with the girls we just added chocolate chips, but this version we have added a few more things to take this flavor combo over the edge! Let’s get started on these Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Breakfast Cookies!

What Ingredients are in the Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Breakfast Cookies?

Ingredients

makes 10 large cookies

2 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 ripe bananas
1 cup creamy natural peanut butter ( you want the natural occurring oils in the peanut butter, look for one that just has peanuts in the ingredients list)
pecans 1/3 cup
dried cranberries 1/3 cup
chocolate chips 1/3 cup
honey 1/3 cup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

The Base of the “Healthy Cookie”

These cookies are so easy as you can tell, and they are also super versatile. If you are not a big fan of pecans take them out and add in whatever nuts you’d like. However, this combo together just works SO well, so I’d give it a try! Also with my daughter she wasn’t ever a nut fan, until I added them into here. She LOVES pecans now and even asks for them in her pancakes. It is a great recipe to introduce new foods or foods that they don’t usually care for like pecans in this case. The 4 ingredient base of this cookie needs to stay the same to ensure the right texture and bakes properly.

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats:

I highly recommend using old fashioned rolled oats not quick oats. In my opinion quick oats can give a more dense & gummy texture to breakfast cookies. To ensure that delicious oatmeal taste that still melts in your mouth, old fashioned rolled oats are the way to go.

Bananas:

Ripe bananas are saviors in my opinion. Honestly, I have so many recipes ( will share below!) that use up those ripe bananas you have on the counter that you keep telling yourself you will do something with lol. I think that a lot of times we think the recipes might take too long, well these recipes I have with ripe bananas do not & you will be so glad you did! Bananas not only are rich in nutrients and support your gut health, but they also provide recipes like this with a delicious natural sweetener!

Creamy Natural Peanut Butter:

Why use natural peanut butter in this recipe over say JIF? The natural peanut butter has naturally occurring oils that end up settling at the top. When you stir it, the peanut butter is a thinner/running consistency than JIF that if you spooned it out it would stay on your spoon no matter what without dripping. Therefore if using peanut butter like JIF in this recipe your cookies will have a much drier consistency which we don’t want. We rely on that natural recurring oils in our peanut butter to keep this consistency perfect. Now not only because of that but here are JIF ingredients: ROASTED PEANUTS, SUGAR, PEANUT OIL, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL, SALT, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, COOKING MOLASSES, VEGETABLE OIL.

We do not need that in peanut butter! All you need is one that says ingredients: organic dry roasted peanuts 🙂

Honey:

I highly recommend using honey in this recipe over maple syrup. I have found when making breakfast cookies the honey is sticky enough to help keep the ingredients together. The batter will be wet when you are putting it onto the baking sheet– however that is the way it is suppose to be. With maple syrup it is too wet in my opinion so they don’t hold up as well after baking. Whereas the ones with this base hold up perfect and hardly any crumbs when Ainsley is devouring them. I even let her it them in the car after I just went to the car wash hahah!

What other recipes to make with the ripe bananas??

Like I mentioned above don’t ever throw out your ripe bananas, because I got you covered with easy and delicious recipes!

Gluten Free Banana Spice Blender Muffins

Easy Banana Chocolate Mug Cake

Easy Chocolate Banana Bread Baked Oats

Healthy and Easy Caramelized Banana Split

What Simple Steps Does it Take to Make Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Breakfast Cookies?

Preheat oven to 325 and line baking sheet with parchment paper or use a SilPat on it

In a large mixing bowl mash your bananas until almost smooth. Then pour in your honey, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Fold until well combined.
Then pour in oats, and cinnamon. Fold until throughly combined. Then fold in your cranberries, pecans and chocolate chips.
You will fold until all the ingredients are well combined, then you will take a 1/4 measuring cup and scoop out batter and form into a cookie shape. It WILL be sticky on your hands, don’t worry. So just do your best to shape them in a circle cookie shape on the baking sheet
Then place in oven for 16 to 20 minutes. In my oven it takes 20 minutes till the bottoms are nice & golden brown. Every oven is different. They will be start to get golden brown on the top and golden brown on the bottom. If you use a spatula and the bottoms are still sticking to the the parchment or Silpat place in 1 more minute at a time.
Let sit for 5 minutes and enjoy! Store in air tight container or plate with aluminum foil over it for 3 to 5 days on counter, 7 days in the fridge.

Most Asked Questions When Making Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Breakfast Cookies

What is the best way to store Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Breakfast Cookies?

Store in air tight container or plate with aluminum foil over it for 3 to 5 days on counter, 7 days in the fridge

Can you use another nut butter besides peanut butter?

I have never used another nut butter besides peanut butter, but just make sure it is an all natural nut butter. The only ingredients should be dry roasted cashews or almonds etc.

Are you able to use gluten free old fashioned rolled oats?

I have not used gluten free old fashioned rolled oats, but if you do please let me know!

Is this recipe dairy free?

Yes, the Healthy Oatmeal Pecan Breakfast Cookies are dairy free

Can I add other nut combinations or dried fruit?

Sure! Whatever works best for you and your family

HEALTHY OATMEAL PECAN BREAKFAST COOKIES STORY

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