• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
I Heart Eating
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
      • Work with Me
    • Rules and Disclosures
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Breakfasts » Breakfast Cookies

    Breakfast Cookies

    Published: Aug 27, 2019 · Modified: Aug 27, 2019 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Breakfast cookies are a hearty, portable treat! They're made with healthy ingredients like oats and peanut butter for on-the go breakfasts.

    Breakfast cookie with a bite out of itf

    Like most kids, I couldn't wait to grow up so that I could eat cookies for breakfast! These breakfast cookies are both super tasty and made with good-for-you ingredients. So, they make a perfectly good adult breakfast, but they're cookies!

    These cookies fall somewhere between a traditional dessert cookie and a granola bar. They're soft, and they have a similar texture to oatmeal cookies.

    They're also really easy to customize! If chocolate chips in your breakfast cookies are too much, swap in more fruit or nuts. If fruit has no place in your cookies, use more chocolate chips. It's your cookie, so make it what you like!

    How To Make Breakfast Cookies

    Breakfast cookie dough with a red spatula in it

    Begin by beating the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla together in a large bowl on high until well-combined. Mix in the eggs and the (liquid) milk until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

    Breakfast cookie dough in a silver mixing bowl

    Add the flours, dry milk, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in just until combined. Stir the oats, cranberries, chocolate chips, and nuts in just until incorporated.

    Scoops of breakfast cookie dough on a silicone baking mat

    Flatten the scoops of dough slightly. They will hardly spread, and they will be pretty much the same shape going into the oven as they are coming out of it.

    Bake for about 16-22 minutes, or until the cookies are light brown. Don't overbake the cookies! Overbaking them will leave you with dry cookies.

    Tips For Making Breakfast Cookies

    One of the great things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize your cookies!

    • The cookies aren't as sweet as dessert cookies. If you want a sweeter cookie, increase the brown sugar to 1 and ½ cups.
    • Any milk from skim milk to whole milk will work. You can also use a nondairy milk such as almond milk.
    • The chopped cranberries can be replaced with other dried fruits such as dried cherries, blueberries, chopped dried apple.
    • The chocolate chips can be replaced with white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or more dried fruit or nuts.
    • Other types of chopped nuts and seeds can be used in place of the walnuts or pecans. Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds can be great subs for the nuts.
    • The cookies don't have a leavning agent (i.e. baking soda or baking powder). So they will be more or less the same shape coming out of the oven as going in.

    Three breakfast cookies next to a glass of milkHow To Store Breakfast Cookies

    These cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    These cookies freeze well, so they can also be frozen for later use.

    More Portable Breakfast Recipes

    • Oatmeal Raisin Bran Muffins
    • Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins
    • Sausage Egg Muffins

    If you’ve tried this breakfast cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Breakfast cookie with a bite out of itf

    Breakfast Cookies

    Hearty cookies that make a great on-the-go breakfast.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 16 minutes
    Total Time: 36 minutes
    Servings: 22 cookies
    Calories: 301kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup butter softened
    • 1 cup peanut butter1
    • 1 ¼ cups brown sugar2 packed
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • â…“ cup milk3
    • 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour4
    • â…“ cup whole-wheat flour
    • â…“ cup dry milk
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 ½ cups rolled oats
    • 1 cup chopped dried cranberries5
    • ½ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
    • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla together on high speed until well-combined.
    • Mix in the eggs and milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    • Add the flours, dried milk, cinnamon, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together.
    • Stir in the oats, cranberries, chocolate chips, and nuts just until incorporated.
    • Scoop ¼ cups of batter and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
    • Slightly flatten the scoops of dough. The don't won't spread much as it bakes.
    • Bake for 16-22 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Do not overbake the cookies or they will be dry.

    Notes

    1. Just regular peanut butter. I don't recommend using natural peanut butter in this recipe. 
    2. The cookies aren't very sweet. If you want a sweeter cookie, increase the sugar to 1 and ½ cups. 
    3. Any milk from skim to whole milk will work. 
    4. Be sure to properly measure thhe flours. Stir or sift the flour to break it up. Then lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off.
    5. The cranberries, chocolate chips, and nuts can all be substituted with other mix-ins such as coconut, white chocolate chips, other types of dried fruit, and other chopped nuts. 
    6. Nutrition values are estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 203IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!
    « Chicken Massaman Curry
    No-Knead Bread »
    • Facebook
    • Email

    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bonnie

      March 28, 2020 at 7:11 pm

      This makes a satisfying hearty snack. I gave some to my daughter on the way to long days at a trade show.. She ended up sharing them with other coworkers when they had no time for breaks. I have sent this blog page to many of her coworkers because they were so filling and tasty. They travelled well, and are easily altered to using sunflower seeds, dried figs, dates, and raisins! Lovely recipe. ?

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 28, 2020 at 9:27 pm

        Thank you so much! I'm thrilled that these have cookies have been a hit, and I love that you've been able to make them your own by changing up the fruit and seeds. =)

        Reply
    2. Bonnie

      September 17, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      Everyone who I share a cookie with wants the recipe. I was short on dried cranberries, so I just added other dried stuff like a small amount of coconut and lots of sunflower seeds. I think the sunflower seeds added a super texture and crunch to the cookie. Also, I did not have the dried milk and added nonfat creamer. I think this can get a bit sweet, so next time I will add a vanilla protein shake powder.
      This is a wonderful filling breakfast/snack. Thanks.

      Reply
    3. Sharlana

      September 12, 2019 at 10:45 pm

      I would like to try making these with gluten free flour. What can I substitute the whole wheat flour with?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 13, 2019 at 6:50 pm

        Hi! You could try using a 1:1 gf flour blend for both the whole wheat flour and the all-purpose flour.

        Reply
    4. Sheila

      September 02, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      Why use whole wheat flour??

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 02, 2019 at 6:15 pm

        The whole wheat flour helps to make the cookies a little heartier and a little healthier. I use a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose to help keep the cookies soft. Hope that helps!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this recipe:




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

    More about me →

    4th of July Recipes

    • Red White and Blue M&M Cookies
    • Red White and Blue Cupcakes
    • Red White & Blue Marble Cake
    • Red White and Blue Rice Krispies Treats

    Summer Favorites

    • Zucchini Bread
    • Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
    • Pasta Salad Recipe
    • Homemade Funnel Cake
    • Golden Graham S'mores
    • Broccoli Salad
    • Strawberry Jello Pie
    • Simple Turkey Burger Recipe

    Popular Posts

    • Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • Brownie Cookie Recipe
    • Whipped Buttercream Frosting without Powdered Sugar
    • Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins

    Subscribe via email

    to stay in the loop on new posts!

    Footer

    As Featured In

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Legal
    • Rules and Disclosures

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Press

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 I Heart Eating