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!
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!!!
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.
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.
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!
Breakfast Cookies
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
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)
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:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published December 2018, updated for housekeeping matters April 2019. No change to recipe!
LIFE OF DOZER
“C’mon, let’s play tug-o-war! I swear the rope is totally clean and slobber free!!”
I’m wondering about the amount of dates. 1 cup was a lot more than 3.5 ounces?
Hi Keely – If you’re ever unsure, better to go off the weight – N x
These were great for popping in a care package for a new mum – easy breakfast/snack/whatever for someone with one free hand, at best. I of course had to sample one, just to ensure quality 😉 Great recipe!
Oh that’s such a nice gift Kitty, I hope she loved them ❤️
Finally got around to making these delicious biscuits. They are now definitely my favourite and what a bonus as they are a healthy treat. Thanks Nagi
Wahoo! That’s great Helen
I didn’t think I would like this recipe, but made it for a health nut friend. THANK YOU Nagi for this recipe which is a) baking in my oven for the third time this month and b) is a standard winter breakfast for me. About to go over your website for more easy healthy delicious ideas…
That’s awesome Frankie, I’m so glad you gave it a shot ❤️
Amazing, loved it, you are a queen, thank you for this amazing recipe!
Morgane & Nana
I’m so glad you loved them – N x
I’ve made these many times, and just noticed your question about freezing them. Yes! and successfully. They don’t even freeze that solidly and more than once, I’ve eaten them virtually frozen due to hunger.
Yesss! I made these for my pregnant sister who tries to avoid eating sugar, except for dates 🙂 – these cookies are delicious and nutritious and easy to double or triple recipe (though make sure your bowl is big enough to leave some room for mixing…)
Thanks for another great recipe!
I am so excited to see your recipe for Anzac cookies. I just bought my first bottle of Golden Syrup. I am making Florentines. I had planned to look up recipes that call for Golden Syrup. I plan to make your cookies first.
I hope you love them!!
Amazing recipe Nagi!!! I’m a busy mom of a 1 year old and 4 year old and totally love your blog. I’ve made so many of your recipes and love them! Keep up the good work. Love the heathy recipes and the fact I can make most of them with the ingredients in my cupboard/fridge. Much love from Vancouver Canada!
Hi Nagi, this may sound like a silly question, but what is rolled oats? Can I use normal oats that we normally just add milk and cook in the microwave? Thank you!
Hi, As long as they aren’t steel cut or instant oats they should be fine ☺️
Hi Nagi, first of all I wanted to say that this is straight up the best cooking website I’ve ever found. I was lurking for quite some time now and have been always amazed at the quality of content – quality over quantity is a rare thing on recipe websites – so I really appreciate your work. And back to the point – do you think that coconut flour will fit this recipe?
Thanks so much! Unfortunately I don’t think coconut flour will work in this recipe as it’s too fine and will make them cardboardy – N x
Hi, I haven’t made this yet, but really want to b/c I have 2 teen boys that are often too busy for breakfast. Problem for me is that 1 has a nut allergy, so the almond flour (or hazelnut) won’t work. Any suggestions for how to modify?
Hi Pam, Sorry I haven’t tried with any other substitutes as regular flour won’t work in this recipe – N x
I am trying again now. I will let you know. They were so so yummy. Many thanks.
Hi Nagi, love your new website design. Can you please oh please tell me which related posts plugin you use? Have spent hours and hours trying to find one that looks good on mobile. Thanks in advance and sorry posting this question here.
Delicious. Loved the recipe. The only slight issue i had was that mine were a bit crumbly. Do you have any advice as to how i keep them together. Many thanks.
Hi Libby, did you make any changes to the recipe at all? – N x
What is an alternative to nut flours if normal is not good (severe allergy to nuts and nut oils)
Hi Caroline, sorry I don’t have an alternative here as corn flour & wheat flour don’t work in this recipe.
Hi Nagi,
Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Hi Helen – Unsweetened, but either will be fine.