This past month has been an emotional one, that’s for sure. Both on a personal level, and the world at large. I’ve experienced incredible highs, where my heart feels like it’s just going to burst. I’ve laughed more than I have in a while, cried happy tears, and watched in awe as our baby girl experiences her new world each day. This week Adriana has started to really see us, studying our faces, and she’s giving these huge, goofy grins in return. Maybe she just passed gas, but I’d like to think she’s really tickled pink with her mama! Or maybe she thinks we’re funny looking? Her eyes light up when she hears my voice and my heart just about melts every time. It’s amazing how these simple moments can bring so much happiness. Happiness that I never knew existed before she came along. It makes me forget about everything else…the hard times, the frustrated tears, the postpartum pains, and the self doubt. There’s been a lot of those emotions too and I’m sure there will be plenty in the future, but I know the one consistent thing is that our love will get us through anything. It’s the one reassurance that keeps me going when I’m having a hard day.
This month has found me back in the kitchen a fair amount. For one, I’m hungry all. the. time. It’s a bit ridiculous. And two, it’s so comforting, especially during a time when my emotions and day to day routine are all over the map. The act of cooking and baking is a reassuring daily ritual, so I find myself squeezing in some simple food prep whenever I can, even if it’s a simple pan of roasted vegetables or a batch of breakfast cookies that can be whipped up in 10 minutes. It’s all about simplicity right now.
Did someone say breakfast cookies?? Yea!
These cookies won’t make you feel sluggish or give you a sugar crash. No one wants to start off their day like that. Thanks to the super wholesome ingredients, you’ll be feeling amazing, light, and energized. I made these simple creations because I needed some healthy fuel handy for our early morning nursing sessions. Now that I’m breastfeeding at all hours of the day and night, my hunger sneaks up on me and I need something fast and portable. I definitely don’t consider these a breakfast replacement (my appetite is much too strong for that), but they are a nice snack to take the edge off. They would also be nice as a pre-workout snack too.
I used a base of oats and ground flax, which are thought to help boost milk supply in nursing mamas. Flax has a nice amount of omega-3 fatty acids and for good measure I added a hefty dose of cinnamon to help balance blood sugar levels. No sugar crash here! Feel free to play around with the recipe – I think shredded coconut, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, nuts/seeds, etc. would all be fun to try out.
PS- If you are looking for super easy “dessert” cookies, check out the other cookie recipe I posted on Instagram this week! Yup, it’s a 2 for 1 kinda week. Cookies for all!
Flourless Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies
Yield
10 cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Healthy, wholesome breakfast cookies sweetened with banana. These cookies are soft, doughy, and dense—almost like portable baked oatmeal. Have fun changing up this recipe with different mix-ins, like chopped nuts or seeds. Recipe inspired by Ambitious Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 cup (250 mL) mashed ripe banana (about 2 very large)
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 8 teaspoons (40 mL) jam
- Peanut butter (or almond or sunflower seed butter), for serving (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, add the oats and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Don't process it into a flour, some big flakes are good.
- In a large bowl, stir together the processed oats, mashed banana, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt until combined. The mixture will be very wet and dense.
- With a retractable ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop the dough into 10 mounds. (The cookies do not need to be spaced far apart on the baking sheet as they don't spread out.) Press your thumb into the centre of each cookie to create a well. Fill each well with 1 heaping teaspoon of jam.
- Bake cookies at 350°F (180°C) for 11 to 13 minutes, until the cookies are slightly firm on the outside, but soft and doughy in the middle. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
- If desired, pipe on your favourite nut butter. These cookies also taste great with a pat of coconut oil on top!
Tip:
- To make the cookies nut-free, omit the peanut butter topping or swap it with sunflower seed butter instead.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
These are soo good! Two batches in two days now, my kids love them too:)
I came looking for a substantial treat for my Vegan best friend who is in palliative care battling breast cancer in a small community hospital and the chef has no idea how to cook Vegan , he gave her chicken noodle soup last night , they are so hit and miss and tonight it was boiled rice with carrot and bean and I mean one bean and carrot dust , its just not good enough , she is starving , so I am heading to her and I am going to make her a batch of these , anyone know how long they will last and also , a good gf vegan jam I can use or make
Suzy
OMG!!!! I love this, finally I baked something edible :-) THANK YOU!!!!!!!! and so easy… delish!!!!!!!!!
I made a sweetish version of these by adding the chocolate you suggested together with the coconut (so added a bit of agave to add some moisture) and so enjoyed this recipe – together with the one for the chia jam – that I have been moved to comment, thank you! Quick recipes that involve no white flour or baking sodas etc. that are tasty and versatile are rare, so precious.
The chia jam recipe has been a marvelous discovery, making it is far cheaper than the no-sugar-added jams here and by making it myself, I am able to add green cardamom, which is a favourite ingredient (I use it daily either in “adrak wali chai” or add it to my coffee, in the stovetop espresso maker, or as a substitute for vanilla in baking, and can attest to its immune-boosting properties). Thank you for sharing that jam recipe.
As a relatively recent reader of this blog, I was nonetheless inspired to read many of the previous blog entries, and that is another reason for this comment. I will be adding your blog to my blog roll, and look forward to following along via rss!
These look delicious! However they rent gluten free becuse they contain oats, although i understand some ceoliacs can handle oats not all, wouldn’t want to risk an accident!
Hi!
I am so excited to find this recipe! I was just wondering if there is anything I can use as a substitute for the flax? I have chia seeds if it is a matter of egg replacement.
I love these and so does my fiance. It’s our new go-to! Do you think these would freeze well? Thanks for this great recipe!
Can I use quick oats with these?
Ps. Do you think chia seeds would be good with this?
I am making these as soon as I get all of the ingredients ! They really look healthy and delicious !
these came out great! I love how guilt free and healthy these are. I might have to make a double batch next time, they are perfect for on the-go snacks before work or a quick breakfast! Thanks so much for sharing all these amazing recipes, they really do make my days better!
Just tried these out and they are absolutely amazing! I added chia seeds because I add them to whatever I can but they are still so delicious and easy! Exactly what I want! :D
I have been eyeing this recipe for a few months now and I have them in the oven. I cannot wait to try them.
My friend really wants ti be vegan and is trying her best. She can not have. Nuts or seeds due to diverticulitis. Any suggestions? I will use this recipe because I have flax seed powder but I am at a loss when it comes to substitute most things. Thank u
Any idea what I can substitute for the banana? I’m allergic :(
I love these, thank you! Between these and overnight oats, I’ve been on an oats binge lately :P
Going to try making these tomorrow! My grandmother tried making some fresh fig preserves, which taste delicious, but they ended up with a very chewy texture similar to the inside of a jammy dodger. I bet these cookies paired with the preserves will have a good balance of savory and sweet! Thank you for all your recipes. . . They always turn out wonderfully. :)
Hi Angela,
I’ve just made those cookies which are delicious!
Quick questions though…
How should I store them? In a tin box? In the fridge? How long do you think I can keep them?
Can I freeze them?
Thank you! Your blog is amazing!!!
I made these and substituted bananas with applesauce as I just don’t like bananas. You won’t need the exact same measurements with applesauce, but just gauge it- all you need to do is get the mixture moist. It worked well and these are just delicious.
omg these look so good and easy! I need to make these, theyre perfect for snacking! I hope you dont mind but i will be using a photo from here in my blog post so i can share how wonderful they are (link back of course!!)
Leanne’s Lifestyle Blog
Hiya Angella! Love your recipes. In this particular recipe, i was wondering if we could replace the flax seeds or just not add them. will it make a difference if I omit them?
I loved this recipe for two reasons: one, it was easy to make with few ingredients and, two, it was delicious! You nailed it on the head when you described it as “portable baked oatmeal.” The nut butter is a good addition. To avoid adding sugar, the bananas need to very ripe. BTW, my mix turned out 10 fabulous cookies. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I will definitely be making this often.
This is a great recipe. Do these vegan breakfast cookies freeze well?
I can’t seem to find if its been posted or not but do you have all the nutritional stats for these yummy sounding cookies?
I decided to make these cookies tonight for dessert! Instead of using flax seeds, I used raisins. They came out so delicious! I will definitely make these flourless cookies again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Love this simple recipe. My batter wasn’t wet enough, so I added some unsweetened organic applesauce this time, and it worked well. I love having recipes to use up old bananas! My family loves these cookies.
Can you substitute another kind of pureed fruit like applesauce if you don’t have ripe bananas on hand? The stores near me tend to only have green bananas. Ugh. I did make these with bananas last year and they were delish!
Sorry, but these had no flavor and were a terrible texture. Very dense. Was disappointed I wasted the ingredients.
These are my go-to whenever I am craving something sweet a little while after dinner–they are so quick and use ingredients that I always have on hand. Also a great pre-run snack! Hooray for guilt free deliciousness!
I really like your ideas! I made this just last night . my daughter really liked them too and grabbed a couple on the way out the door this morning. The only thing I had to do different was add two splashes of cashew milk otherwise the chia’s absorbed so much of the moisture I could not thouroghly mix the oats into the recipe. But I have to say it was the same for the “out the door chia donuts.” Maybe there is more moisture in the air where you bake as compared to where I do my baking but I love both these recipes because getting a teen to eat heathy can be a challenge and both your recipes achieve that very easily. Hands down it beats other breakfast options going on out there…so thanks again Angela for sharing your wonderful recipes!!
Eager to try this! An allergist told me that to avoid a peanut allergy in children that you should not eat any peanut products while pregnant or nursing. Just an FYI…use the sunbutter. Wishing you restful sleep!
I’ve made 3 recipes off your website this past week and each one seems better than the next. These cookies are fantastic. In fact, they are already gone. 30 minutes out of the oven and my husband and son devoured them! Glad I tasted one before they were gone. My boys are already requesting another batch and I am so happy my son is eating a healthy cookie! Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
How many calorie is each cookie?
Do they freeze well?
Hi Marlene, I haven’t calculated the calories myself so I’m not sure, but if you head over to NutritionData or CalorieCount.com you should be able to pop in the recipe info and get a nutritional analysis pretty quickly. :) And yes, these cookies freeze great!!
I made these and the jam turned super liquidy in the oven. Will they harden up? Still cooling but right now if I pick one up the jam just sloshes over the side of the well and spills out of the cookie :(
These are awesome! I added a ton of chopped almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. The “batter” got a little crumbly because of all the nuts and seeds so I added some almond milk. They were delicious and super filling.
These cookies are so simple and delicious. They are a prefect snack with almond butter.
Hi! Love your recipe??
The cookies can be in room temperature when ready? or in the refrigerator?
Where do I keep them?
Hi Daniela, I usually keep them in the fridge. :)
I have made these for years. If the batter happens to be a bit dry (I never actually measure the bananas) you can add some applesauce. I have done this zillions of times when my batter was not quite wet enough. My kids LOVE these!
Is there anything I can use in place of the bananas? I have a two year old who is allergic to those and avacados and I struggle to find vegan baked goods we can eat!
Hey Chantel, I think other readers have mentioned subbing applesauce with success, so that might be an option for you. It’s a bit more liquidy than mashed banana though, so you might not need quite as much. Also, applesauce isn’t as sweet as bananas, so the flavour might be a bit more bland. Let us know if you try anything out!
Do you add anything (or do anything) to the peanut butter to thin it to make that nice drizzle? I’d like to make these this week, they look so good, and I’m always looking for a healthy snack. Thanks!
Is the banana a functional ingredient? What could you substitute it with? They look amazing! Thanks so much!
Hi Lora, I haven’t tried a substitution myself, but I know a lot of readers have used applesauce in place of the banana and really enjoyed the results. A few said that they would’ve liked their cookies to be a bit sweeter, and so they added a couple tablespoons of dry sweetener the next time they made them. Good luck if you decide to experiment! Please let me know how the cookies turn out. :)
I’m so happy I having these cookies with my tea for breakfast. The first time I used strawberry jam. The second time I added Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips to the dough and made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Thank you for the quick, easy and tasty recipe.
Oh, mini chocolate chips sound like a GREAT addition, Monica! :)
Hi Angela!
These look so delicious! I would love to try making them this weekend, but I really don’t care for bananas very much (my loss, I know!). Do you have any other suggestions? Would a regular sweetener change the consistency too much? Thank you!!
Hey Maggie, I know a lot of readers have used applesauce in place of the banana and really enjoyed the results! A few commented that they would’ve liked their cookies to be a bit sweeter, and so they added a couple tablespoons of dry sweetener the next time they made them. I’d love to hear how the cookies turn out if you decide to experiment, so please report back! Happy baking. :)
Hey Angela! These look great! I’ve been meaning to make them ever since noticing them in the app. However, I’m just trying to make oatmeal raisin cookies. ( I haven’t tried your other ones, but I’m sure they’re fantastic.) can I simply add raisins to this dough, omitting the jam part altogether? If so, should I add a liquid sweetener so they’re sweeter, or will the raisins suffice in make it good and sweet enough??
Also, and this is a different question entirely and probably weird lol. But do you have recommendations for making a plant based Italian sausage recipe? I was thinking something like mushrooms mixed w black beans, so the beans help make everything stick together. And then, of course, adding fennel and Italian seasoning. I want this for my pizza. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi,
I really (really) love your blog and cookbook! Do you have a suggestion for replacing the banana in this recipe while keeping the healthfulness? I have tried and tried to like bananas but I’m afraid this fruit and I will never be friends ;). Thanks for your time and thanks for the effort you put in to you recipes :)
Tobi
Thanks for the love, Tobi! If bananas aren’t for you, a lot of readers have successfully used applesauce in place of the banana in this recipe. A few commented that they would’ve liked their cookies to be a bit sweeter, and so they added a couple tablespoons of dry sweetener the next time they made them. I haven’t tried the swap myself, but this makes sense since bananas tend to be sweeter and more flavourful than unsweetened applesauce. Good luck if you decide to try it! I’d love to hear how it goes.
These are sooooooooo delicious! And healthy too! My only pro lem is I used some peach jalapeno jam my husband bought at a farmer’s market by accident. Lol! They are still good though! Definitely will make again!
Haha, I can imagine that was a bit of an interesting surprise!! But I’m admittedly kind of curious to try that now, lol!
I didn’t exactly follow the recipe, but end result was SO good! (Truth be told, I struggle to follow any recipe…)
I pulsed 1 c. of oats + 3 T. chia seeds in the blender to make coarse flour, then mixed in 1/2 c. quick oats for texture, 1/2 c. almond flour for fat/protein, 1/2 t. ground vanilla beans and 1/2 t. sea salt. (I love cinnamon, but replaced it with vanilla in this recipe because I planned to use strawberry jam and I wasn’t sure about the cinnamon/strawberry combo.) I mashed two large bananas with 1 T. coconut oil to add a little fat. Mixed everything together, scooped out the cookies, filled indentations with strawberry jam. After baking, I drizzled with almond butter.
These ‘almond butter and jelly’ cookies are SO good! And easy to make! My kids (five and seven) loved them, and didn’t even suspect they were eating something reasonably healthy. I was pleasantly surprised at the soft texture — not too dry, or too sticky. A little sweet from the banana and jam, but not too sweet. I will definitely make these again. Thank you for the inspiration! :)
Thanks so much for sharing all this, Allison! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the recipe and had fun playing around with it. :)
taste so good but I over blended the oats . oppps but still so yummy .
Oops forgot to blend the oats. Still so delicious, with just a bit more texture. I’m not sure they will last the day lol!!!
These look amazing!! Just wondering if you had some storage suggestions? Heading out on a road trip this weekend and wondering how far ahead to make.
Hey Stefanie, The cookies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. You could also wrap them in plastic wrap and place them into an airtight container or zip-top bag in the freezer for 2-3 weeks. Hope that helps!
Do you have nutrition information for these cookies
(Flourless Thumprint Cookies w/strawberry jam). I need this info so I can calculate them for weight watcher’s points. I really appreciate your help. Thank you
Hi Lisa, You can find that info in the nutritionals PDF for Oh She Glows Every Day, here. It’s titled “PB & J Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies” there. Hope this helps!
Hi Lisa, I do weight watchers too and calculated these as 2 freestyle points. I take the time to weigh the batch and then divide it by the 10 since the recipe serves 10. I then weigh each cookie before baking to the exact gram to make sure its 2pts. It’s tedious but worth the effort. You’ll find every batch is a little different in weight so i do this process with each batch. Also use sugar free jam/jelly which is 0 pts for 1 tablespoon. I just love these cookies.
I love these! Thank you!