5 Ingredient Healthy Breakfast Fruit and Nut Butter Cookies

I wanted to develop a recipe for easy, healthy cookies that I could munch on as a breakfast, snack, or dessert. The nut butter plays a starring role in this recipe. There are a lot of benefits to this approach: nut butters are full of healthy protein, fiber, and fat. They act in place of butter or oil and also create structure like flour (similar to the way almond meal can be used in the place of flour). This also means that you can cut out a lot of carbs by using a nut butter instead of some of the flour/grain. Adding a substantial amount of fruit, like banana, applesauce, or pumpkin, adds sweetness, moisture, flavor, and nutrition. These ingredients are natural egg substitutes, so this is an accidentally vegan recipe! The recipe is easy and adaptable, so feel free to play around with it!

Here is the base recipe, and below are a few specific nut butter/fruit combinations I like.

5 Ingredient Healthy Breakfast Fruit and Nut Butter Cookies
1 1/2 cups (120 grams) old fashioned oats
1/2 cup ground flaxseed (optional; can substitute chia seeds or another 1/2 cup oats)
1 cup plus sweetener (e.g. sugar, honey, maple syrup, or Splenda)
1 cup (8.5 oz) nut or seed butter (e.g. almond, peanut, cashew, sunbutter)
1 1/4 cup fruit puree (e.g. applesauce, mashed ripe bananas, pumpkin puree)
1 t vanilla (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Lay spoonfuls of dough on a greased or parchment-lined sheet pan. Squish down to the thickness you desire. They will not spread or rise. Bake on top rack for 25 minutes, or until edges are slightly brown and centers are tender but firm. Makes about 20 cookies.


Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
1 1/2 cups (120 grams) old fashioned oats
1/2 cup ground flax (optional; can substitute chia seeds or another 1/2 cup oats)
3/4 cup sweetener (I do half honey and half Splenda)
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg (optional)
1 cup (8.5 oz) peanut butter
1 1/4 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 11 oz or 3 medium bananas)
1 t vanilla (optional)

Follow directions for master recipe above.


Apple Almond Butter Cookies

1 1/2 cups (120 grams) oats
1/2 cup ground flax (optional; can substitute chia seeds or another 1/2 cup oats)
1 cup plus 1 T sweetener (I do half Splenda and half brown sugar)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
3/4 t ground cinnamon
1 cup (8.5 oz) almond butter
1 1/4 cups applesauce (about 12 oz)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)
1 t vanilla (optional)

Follow directions for master recipe above.


Pumpkin Almond Butter Cookies
1 1/2 cups (120 grams) old fashioned oats
1/2 cup ground flax (optional; can substitute chia seeds or another 1/2 cup oats)
1 cup plus 2 T sweetener (I do half Splenda and half brown sugar)
2 t cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 cup (8.5 oz) almond butter
1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 t vanilla (optional)

Follow directions for master recipe above.