Friday, August 10, 2012

Healthy Breakfast Cookies



Cookies for breakfast.  The words every kid wants to hear. 

One of the ways I’m getting ready to send the kids back to school is by making cookies for my kids to eat before school.  Did I mention they are healthy cookies? 

I’m not a morning person and sometimes when we are all running late on school days I send my kids out the door with a portable breakfast.   And yes sometimes that means Oreos for breakfast, but I swear that only happened one time. 

This year there will be no Oreos for breakfast instead I’m making a double batch of these healthy breakfast cookies and freezing them.  That way when we are crunched for time the kids can still eat a healthy breakfast.

These cookies have oats for fiber, flaxseeds and walnuts for omega-3s, dried fruit for antioxidants, and whole grain carbohydrates for energy.   They are low in fat and have a limited amount of sugar.  And the kids LOVE them.  


Healthy Breakfast Cookies
¼ cup butter
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 eggs  (or 2 tablespoons whole egg powder plus ¼ cup water)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup flaxseed
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups 10 grain pancake mix (or use self-rising flour)
1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1 cup chopped dried apricots (I use freeze dried apricots)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine butter, sugars, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and applesauce.
Stir in oats, flaxseed, whole-wheat flour and pancake mix (or self-rising flour). Stir in fruits and nuts until well combined.
Scoop dough onto a baking sheet, using a 1-ounce (2-tablespoon) scoop. Bake 10 to 13 minutes, until cookies are puffy and light tan. Be careful not to over bake. The centers will be a bit doughy and dense. Makes 2 dozen.


This recipe adapted from Relish Magazine.